Synosia initiates Ph I AD/schizophrenia study

Switzerland's Synosia Therapeutics has started a Phase I clinical trial of SYN-120, its new generation 5-HT6 antagonist under development for  the treatment of cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer's  disease and schizophrenia. The study will assess the safety and  tolerability of single ascending doses of SYN-120 in healthy volunteers.  Chief executive Ian Massey said: "it's a tribute to our team to be  launching this study within months of acquiring SYN-120 through our  partnership with Roche. It demonstrates our ability to efficiently and  rapidly initiate and conduct clinical trials and to shorten the product  development cycle."

SYN-120, a potent and selective antagonist of the 5-HT6 receptor, was  discovered by Roche and is now under development by Synosia for the  treatment of cognitive impairment. Antagonism of 5-HT6 receptors, which  are expressed exclusively in regions of the brain associated with  cognition, results in increased concentrations of acetylcholine and  glutamate in these regions. Currently, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors  are the mainstay for treatment of Alzheimer's. SYN-120 is anticipated to  be more efficacious than the acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and also to  be devoid of the side effects of this class that result from  non-selective increases in acetylcholine in organs other than the brain.  Preclinical studies in a variety of models have shown that 5-HT6  antagonists have the potential to help reverse the cognitive losses  brought about by AD and to improve executive function in schizophrenics.