NU 2009-186
Inventors
Geoffrey Swanson*
Martin Gill
Ryuichi Sakai
Masato Oikawa
Short Description
Novel class of compounds that selectively targets AMPA receptors in the brain for treatment of epilepsy and pain
Abstract
Northwestern scientists have discovered that a new class of compounds, named IKM, binds to AMPA receptors in the brain. This property will allow IKM compounds to be used for treatment of disorders caused by central nervous system hyper-stimulation, like pain syndromes, epilepsy and stroke. One important feature of these molecules is that they are subunit specific, so they only bind to a portion of all available receptors. Therefore, the likelihood of detrimental side effects is lower than with less specific drugs. Further, IKM molecules are simple to synthesize and modify chemically, which establishes them as a viable drug candidate for treatment of several central nervous system disorders.
Applications
Advantages
Publications
Gill M, Frausto S, Ikoma M, Sasaki M, Oikawa M, Sakai R, Swanson G (2010) A Series of Structurally Novel Heterocyclic alpha-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate Receptor-Selective Antagonist. British Journal of Pharmacology. 160: 1417-1429.
IP Status
Issued US patent 8,895,579