Scotia Progresses In Schizophrenia

Scotia Pharmaceuticals has reported that its phospholipase inhibitor,SC-111, produced "clinically-important and statistically-significant" benefits in 40 patients with schizophrenia. Results of the Phase II trial were presented this month at the International Congress on Schizophrenia Research in Colorado Springs, USA.

The patients, receiving conventional therapy which did not control their symptoms, were assigned to receive either SC-111 or placebo for a period of 12 weeks. Patients administered SC-111 did signifcantly better than those on placebo, reports the company, and experienced no side effects.

Scotia believes that schizophrenia may be caused by the abnormal activity of the phospholipase A2 enzyme. This enzyme overactivity is thought to damage cells by removing arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid from the cell membranes, leading to a shortage of lipids in the brain, which in turn disturbs normal cell functioning, says the company.