Intranasal delivery specialist Impel NeuroPharma and the Toronto-based Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have signed a licensing agreement for an intranasal neuropeptide-based therapy for the treatment of depression. The peptide, which was discovered at CAMH, will be delivered using Impel’s Precision Olfactory Delivery (POD) device.
According to CAMH, oral formulations of the peptide, which disrupts the D1 and D2 dopamine receptors, failed to deliver sufficient concentrations of the drug to the brain across the blood-brain barrier. In preclinical testing, the POD was able to deliver a sufficient amount of the peptide to the brain and reduced symptoms of depression.
CAMH Senior Scientist Fang Liu said, “This peptide is an entirely new approach to treating depression, and our work with Impel NeuroPharma has demonstrated a safe and effective way to provide this treatment in our research to date. We’re excited that this licensing agreement brings us one step closer to clinical trials.”
Impel NeuroPharma Chief Scientific Officer John Hoekman commented, “The collaboration between CAMH and Impel NeuroPharma has produced valuable early data showing that this novel peptide can be non-invasively delivered to the brain with the POD technology. We are very excited to continue development of this molecule for depression and schizophrenia . . . . We believe that the POD technology can enable the development of such biologic therapeutics to address other debilitating diseases that currently lack effective, well-tolerated therapies.”
Read the CAMH press release.
