Project description
Clinical trials planned for game-changing new PTSD drug
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating mental condition, where patients relive traumatic experiences through flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, nightmares and severe anxiety. Thirty million people suffer from PTSD in the EU and the USA, and 70 % do not find relief. The TWO-BIRDS project is conducting a feasibility study on the promising preclinical drug candidate SYT-510, part of a new class of drugs to treat PTSD called selective endocannabinoid reuptake inhibitors (SERIs). SERIs regulate the endocannabinoid system (highly dysregulated in PTSD), restoring balance to brain chemistry without risk of drug dependency or cognitive dysfunction. TWO-BIRDS aims to develop a detailed plan for final preclinical, clinical and regulatory activities for SYT-510, and create a business plan for potential investors.
Objective
PTSD affects over 15 million people in Europe. So far, 70% never find relief. New drugs that restore the endocannabinoid (endoCx) neural circuit hold potential to change this paradigm.
Post-traumatic stress disorder, known as PTSD, is one of the most unforgiving psychological disorders. As victims of trauma, PTSD patients are coerced by their dysregulated brain chemistries to relive their traumatic experiences, where specific triggers provoke symptoms such as flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, nightmares and severe anxiety. Unfortunately, current drugs address only specific downstream neural circuits and are highly ineffective. The endoCx is highly dysregulated in PTSD, and as a 'master neuroregulator', drugs that restore its function in a safe and sustainable manner have strong potential to be the first effective treatment for PTSD.
Synendos is a pharmaceutical start-up who have identified a new family of drugs that modulate the endoCx via a new mechanism-of-action. Termed SERIs, or, ‘selective endocannabinoid reuptake inhibitors’, these small molecule drugs regulate the endoCx system in a self-limiting manner, thereby restoring balance to brain chemistry without risk of drug dependency or cognitive disrepair. Our lead compound SYT-510 is at the stage of preclinical development, where it has demonstrated effective anti-anxiety activity, favourable pharmacokinetic characteristics and a strong safety profile.
We aim to commercialize SYT-510 through establishing partnering deals with pharma companies for its co-development and eventual sales. With a patient population of over 30 million (in EU/US combined), PTSD is an attractive market for drug development.
TWO-BIRDS project: The main aims of this feasibility study are to 1) work to further understand clinician and patient needs, 2) define a detailed plan for final preclinical, clinical and regulatory activities and 3) consolidate new information into an investor-ready business plan.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
4123 ALLSCHWIL
Switzerland
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.