A novel MDMA-like chemical series have been identified with drug-like properties which will be developed to treat addiction.
Biotechnology company Awakn Life Sciences, which has just received approval from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to begin ketamine treatments at one of its clinics in the UK, announced the success of its new chemical entity (NCE) development programme which will strengthen its pipeline for the treatment of substance and behavioural addictions.
As part of the programme, Awakn has identified the novel MDMA-like series, identifying four leading compounds that have been selected to be taken into in vivo analysis to assess their efficacy.
Awakn’s CRO, world-leading psychedelic researcher, Professor David Nutt, commented: “Our ambition is to fully integrate effective psychedelic-based treatment into mainstream healthcare to better treat addiction.
“Our preclinical and clinical development programmes are moving forward rapidly, and we have a world-class R&D team with unparalleled experience. Entering lead optimisation is a significant step towards delivering NCE with improved capabilities over existing options.”
The data generated through the in vivo analysis will support patent applications and facilitate the development of additional lead compounds for clinical development.
Dr Shaun McNulty, Awakn’s CSO, added: “The success of our NCE project has exceeded expectations, delivering robust data and clear steps forward in a short time period.
“The positive data we obtained will drive the identification and characterisation of clinical candidates to develop the next generation of psychedelic medicines to treat addiction. Our strong development pipeline now positions Awakn at the vanguard of the psychedelic biotechnology industry.”
Awakn has also announced the progression of its programme into lead optimisation working with drug discovery company, Evotec, which will be working as Awakn’s NCE research partner.
