TorreyPInes' Ph I pain candidate safe in trials

The USA's TorreyPines Therapeutics says that oral administration of NGX426, an AMPA/kainate-type glutamate receptor antagonist, was safe and  well-tolerated in healthy male and female subjects when dosed once daily  for five consecutive days in a Phase I trial, but currently lacks the  funds to continue development.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled study enrolled 20 healthy males and  females in sequential, dose-escalating cohorts. Subjects received  once-daily oral doses of either 90mg or 150mg of NGX426 or placebo for  five consecutive days, approximating exposure under steady-state  pharmacokinetic conditions. Overall, NGX426 was well-tolerated.

NGX426, an ester prodrug, is an oral form of tezampanel, TorreyPines  most advanced product candidate in the treatment of pain.