Wayne State inks exclusive license agreement with TRImaran Pharma for novel class of drugs

Wayne State University - Office of the Vice President for ResearchFeb 9 2016

Wayne State University recently entered into an exclusive license agreement with TRImaran Pharma Inc. for a class of novel drugs developed at Wayne State University that aims to offer hope in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), depression, ADHD and other neurological disorders.

Aloke Dutta, Ph.D., professor of pharmaceutical sciences in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Wayne State, has developed promising lead molecules based on unique pyran molecular structures known as triple reuptake inhibitors (TRI) to address the current therapeutic need for treating depression, PTSD and other neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease. These drugs enhance three key monoamine neurotransmitters -- serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine -- by blocking monoaminergic transporters in the brain, prolonging neurotransmitter activity between brain cells, and thereby producing therapeutic effects.

According to Dutta, these pyran-based drugs can almost be "tuned" to provide the appropriate ratio for each disease and disorder.

"All three neurotransmitters are known to play important roles in numerous neuronal processes, including mood, anxiety, stress responses, depression, cognition, attention, urinary flow, pain, impulse control and more," said Dutta. "Based on these roles, enhancing their transmission is thought to be a sound approach to treating abnormalities in these processes."

"We are pleased to be able to partner with Wayne State University and Professor Dutta to advance the development of such high-potential drug candidates," said Frank Bymaster, chief scientific officer of TRImaran. "The currently used medications for our target indications -- PTSD, MDD and ADHD -- have low efficacy and troublesome adverse events. We believe Dr. Dutta's triple reuptake inhibitors will be able to meet the significant unmet medical needs in these target indications."

"It is exciting to see Dr. Dutta's hard work and dedication to his research take off to the next stage," said Joan Dunbar, Ph.D., associate vice president for technology commercialization at Wayne State University. "With TRImaran's commitment to his technology, we may one day soon see new treatment options that will slow down or alleviate diseases that currently are difficult to treat."