clinical development

Michael Spedding (Institute Internatinales Servier, Paris, France) described how neuroprotection can be achieved by either by blockade or by stimulation of AMPA (a-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid) receptors. Low threshold AMPA receptor stimulation leads to the release of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) which is neuroprotective. Blockade of AMPA receptors reduces excitotoxicity leading to neuroprotection. BDNF is a major activity-dependent neurotrophic factor...

Gregory Rose from PharmExperts.com interviews J. Buccafusco (Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA) about his development of new anti-Altzheimer drugs, designed to act by multiple mechanisms to improve congnition. Desensitization of nicotinic receptors is one of the novel approaches proposed by Buccafusco. Three of his compounds are currently in advanced preclinical evaluation.