Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

New Drug for Psychotic Symptoms

Source: Memory Pharmaceuticals Press Release (excerpted below):

MONTVALE, N.J., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Memory Pharmaceuticals Corp. (Nasdaq: MEMY - News) today announced the addition of a PDE10A inhibitor program to its pipeline. The preclinical PDE10A inhibitor program, the fourth program to be added to the Company's pipeline, is based on promising preclinical research suggesting that the inhibition of PDE10A may reduce psychotic effects and may therefore be useful in treating psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.

PDE10A is a class of phosphodiesterases that degrades cAMP and cGMP, molecules that are responsible for improving the function of many different cells in the body, including neurons. By inhibiting PDE10A activity, levels of cAMP and cGMP are increased within neurons and the ability of these neurons to function properly is thereby improved. PDE10A has been shown to be present at high levels in neurons in areas of the brain that are closely associated with many neurological and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease and obsessive compulsive disorder. PDE10A inhibitors may therefore be useful in treating these disorders.

The Company has identified two lead chemical series of compounds that have demonstrated effectiveness in the selective inhibition of PDE10A activity. Representatives of these PDE10A inhibitors have been shown to be effective in several animal models of schizophrenia. The Company is exploring partnership opportunities for this program.

About the Company

Memory Pharmaceuticals Corp., a biopharmaceutical company, is focused on developing innovative drugs for the treatment of debilitating central nervous system (CNS) disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, depression, schizophrenia, vascular dementia, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and memory impairments associated with aging. For additional information,see http://www.memorypharma.com.