A team led by Professor Krzysztof Kamiński from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, has developed a molecule that could be used in the future to treat neurological diseases – including epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The first phase of clinical trials is planned for next year.
The molecule bears the symbol iQ-007. As reported by Jagiellonian University, work on the preclinical development phase of this molecule for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy has been successfully completed.
“Our molecule has been identified as a first-in-class, small-molecule, highly selective positive allosteric modulator of the EAAT2 transporter for glutamate. EAAT2, which is expressed primarily in the central nervous system, is the main transporter removing excess glutamate from the synaptic space, thereby reducing the risk of excitotoxic effects of this neurotransmitter,” explains Professor Kamiński.
He adds: “In addition to treating epilepsy, the molecule may provide a novel therapeutic approach to many other neurological, neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders in which glutamate plays a key role, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ischemic stroke, pain, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and addiction.”
In addition to scientists from the Jagiellonian University, research groups from other national units, European and American universities are participating in the development of the molecule. These include the Warsaw Medical University, the Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, the University of Oslo, Drexel University College of Medicine, Harvard University – Harvard Medical School and the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke.
In 2020, the molecule was commercialized by the Jagiellonian University through the CITTRU Technology Transfer Center. The license was granted to iQure Pharma, an American biotechnology company. The preclinical phase was carried out by iQure Pharma in cooperation with scientists from the Jagiellonian University Medical College.
Ph: freepik
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