Shionogi & Co. Ltd. has synthesized spiroheterocycle derivatives acting as 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor antagonists and/or inverse agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of neurodegeneration.

Curasen Therapeutics Inc. has disclosed compounds acting as β-adrenoceptor agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of neurological disorders.

As expected, the serotonin-dopamine modulator Rexulti (brexpiprazole) from Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and H. Lundbeck A/S for agitation in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia, found favor April 14 at the joint meeting of the U.S. FDA’s Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee (adcom) and the Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee.

Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. have identified nicotinic α7 receptor positive allosteric modulators reported to be useful for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and schizophrenia.

Recent Vanderbilt University patents describe metabotropic glutamate mGlu5 receptor negative allosteric modulators reported to be useful for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Angelman syndrome, anxiety disorder, autism spectrum disorders, substance abuse and dependence, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and obesity, among others.

The analysis of thousands of proteins in the brain has revealed the association of astrocytes with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A proteomic study by researchers from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) has identified them in different cellular compartments of astrocytes and neurons. One such protein, the postsynaptic protein SAPAP3, appeared to regulate the organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Its deficit in astrocytes could cause OCD.

Briefing documents suggest smooth sailing for Rexulti (brexpiprazole) at the meeting to deliberate an application to expand the label of the compound from Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Lundbeck A/S into agitation related to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia. A joint sit-down on April 14 of the U.S. FDA’s Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee (adcom) and the Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee will take up the matter of an add-on indication for Rexulti, a serotonin-dopamine activity modulator for schizophrenia and for the adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder.