Humanwell Healthcare (Group) Co. Ltd. has developed new heterocyclic compounds acting as angiotensin AT2 receptor antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of neuropathy and neuropathic pain.

Scientists at Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ) have reported a novel multitarget-directed ligand (MTDL) targeting butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) with potential for development as an antioxidant and metal-chelating agent for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide and unfortunately no treatment without side effects is available. Previous reports have found unbalanced glutamate-glutamine cycle in the medial prefrontal cortex of mice with depression, which led to the interest in glutamine synthetase as a potential therapeutic target for treating MDD, since this enzyme is a regulator of this cycle.

Ono Pharmaceutical Co Ltd., Vanderbilt University and Wuxi Apptec Co. Ltd. have disclosed potassium channel subfamily K member 2 (TREK-1; KCNK2) and or member 10 (TREK-2; KCNK10) blockers reported to be useful for the treatment of depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and bipolar disorder, among others.

An F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. patent details new cannabinoid CB2 receptor modulators reported to be useful for the treatment of neuropathic pain, asthma, osteoporosis, inflammation, psychosis, cancer, malaria, gastrointestinal disorders, allergy and immunological disorders, among others.

Prothena Biosciences Ltd. and Vanderbilt University have jointly discovered dual specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders and Down syndrome.