Mindset Pharma Inc (CSE:MSET, OTCQB:MSSTF), which is focused on creating novel psychedelic and non-psychedelic medications to treat neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders, revealed that through its discovery work, it has identified three additional families of highly novel, non-tryptamine, next-generation psychedelic compounds.
While much of the industry focus has been on classic psychedelic drugs, Mindset noted that it has purposefully expanded its discovery efforts beyond the tryptamine drug class — psilocybin and N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) — into new, innovative chemical structures in order to develop superior neuropsychiatric medications.
Using a fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) method combined with a highly focused medicinal chemistry strategy, the Toronto-based drug discovery company’s scientists designed and developed three new, chemically distinct, small molecule non-tryptamine scaffolds, Families 6, 7 and 8. Mindset has filed provisional patent applications on these families, with favorable Freedom to Operate (FTO) searches.
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Mindset explained that approximately 40 novel drug-like lead compounds were synthesized and evaluated in in-vitro hydroxy tryptamine (5-HT) subtype receptors and in in-vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) studies.
To date, pre-clinical screening has shown significantly enhanced receptor functional potency and selectivity, said the company. In addition, some of the new compounds have the potential for greater central nervous system (CNS) penetration, oral activity, and efficacy, it added.
“Mindset's leading drug discovery engine continues to yield innovations with the potential to help patients across the world with neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders,” said Mindset Pharma CEO James Lanthier in a statement.
“The discovery of new Families 6, 7 and 8 demonstrates our commitment to expanding our Research and Development (R&D) and strengthening our Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio beyond the classical tryptamines in the psychedelic field,” he added.
Lanthier noted that the discovery of the new families further expands the company’s rich pipeline and provides a unique serotonergic receptor profile supporting its goal to design new and elegant drug candidates with increased receptor selectivity and potency profiles.
“Pre-clinical screening of the new families has shown promising results thus far and we are eagerly looking forward to advancing Mindset’s continued innovations into these new, chemically distinct drug families,” he added.
Mindset has a co-development agreement with the McQuade Center for Strategic Research and Development, a member of the Otsuka Pharmaceuticals family of companies, for its short-duration compounds, Mindset Families 2 and 4.
Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com
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