BioLineRx's BL-1020 completes Ph I trial

BioLineRx, an Israeli drug development company, has completed a Phase I trial of its most advanced drug candidate, BL-1020, the first GABA-enhanced antipsychotic for the treatment of schizophrenia. According to the firm, the study results showed that BL-1020 was well tolerated and demonstrated an improved safety profile reducing extrapyramidal symptoms that are experienced with currently-available therapies.

BioLineRx assessed BL-1020 by its ability to antagonize dopamine activity, as this is implicated in schizophrenia, and various antipsychotics target this system. The effect of BL-1020 on dopamine levels was measured by monitoring serum prolactin, a surrogate marker for dopamine antagonism. The pharmacokinetics of BL-1020 were linear across the range of doses studied, as assessed by the dose-dependent elevation of serum prolactin levels.