Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PanThera (Targeting Epilepsy Ictogenesis Process Through Pannexin-1 Modulation)
Reporting period: 2022-10-01 to 2024-03-31
Epilepsy, affecting about 1% of the population, comprises a group of neurological disorders characterized by the periodic occurrence of seizures, which disrupt normal brain function. Despite treatment with current antiepileptic drugs, one third of epileptic patients are pharmacoresistant and most patients suffer from side effects, making it crucial to develop novel therapies. Current drugs indeed target channels and receptors involved in normal brain function, not specific to the disease.
Our academic work has recently identified a novel and innovative target for epilepsy, which is active during the transition to epileptic seizures. This target could therefore allow to specifically counteract epileptic seizures without altering physiological cerebral processes. Our preclinical investigations have shown that a molecule acting on this target can counteract seizures both ex vivo in human postoperative epileptic tissues and in vivo in an animal model of recurrent focal epilepsy. These results led to a patent for the use of this molecule to treat epileptic conditions. Our project aimed at completing the pharmacological preclinical package of this molecule as an antiepileptic drug.
Our academic work has recently identified a novel and innovative target for epilepsy, which is active during the transition to epileptic seizures. This target could therefore allow to specifically counteract epileptic seizures without altering physiological cerebral processes. Our preclinical investigations have shown that a molecule acting on this target can counteract seizures both ex vivo in human postoperative epileptic tissues and in vivo in an animal model of recurrent focal epilepsy. These results led to a patent for the use of this molecule to treat epileptic conditions. Our project aimed at completing the pharmacological preclinical package of this molecule as an antiepileptic drug.
To do so, we characterized its pharmacodynamic-pharmacokinetic activity, tested its dose effect in a model of focal epilepsy, as well as assessed its effect on another form on epilepsy.
This study should contribute to bring to the market a new generation of antiepileptic drugs.