Never noticed this (& had almost forgotten I owned a few <g>) -
PARAMUS, N.J., Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corporation (Nasdaq: SNAP - news) today announced that it has achieved a significant milestone in its transition to a drug development company by filing its first investigational new drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin clinical trials with a drug to treat depression. The drug acts through SCT-11, a novel G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) discovered at Synaptic. The drug is effective in multiple animal models and neurochemical assays that are predictive of anti-depressant activity in humans. ``Filing this IND, our first, is a significant milestone for Synaptic,'' said Kathleen P. Mullinix, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer. ``It gives real substance to our transformation from a technology platform company to a drug development company.'' ``We know depression is more than one disease and Synaptic now has four distinct GPCR targets for this condition. These targets open the door to tailored therapies for depression on a practical level, not just a theoretical one. Meanwhile, our portfolio of GPCR projects, which now includes anxiety, obesity, diabetes and enlarged prostate, in addition to depression, continues to grow,'' Mullinix concluded... |