mGluR Antagonism

BrainCells is a clinical stage company that is developing novel therapies for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases based on the principal of blocking or antagonizing select metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR). Glutamate, an amino acid, functions as a neurotransmitter and glutamate receptors are implicated in a number of CNS diseases due to their central role in excitation of neural cells.

BrainCells has identified a novel mGluR2/3 antagonist, BCI-632. The compound and its prodrug, BCI-838, have been extensively studied in preclinical models suggesting broad therapeutic potential in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), treatment resistant depression (TRD) and potentially Alzheimer’s disease (AD). BrainCells is pursuing BCI-838 in Phase 1 clinical trials in the 4th quarter of 2011 and is also investigating additional BCI-632 prodrugs in a mindose study. Results of these studies will be available in December of 2011.