Sea Snail Compound Aids Epilepsy

A compound derived from a venomous sea snail shows early promise for the treatment of intractable epilepsy when delivered directly into the central nervous system.

The compound, called CGX-1007, is a conantokin conopeptide. It is a highly selective antagonist of the excitatory NMDA receptor complex and has demonstrated broad-spectrum efficacy in preclinical studies of seizure disorders. A phase I trial involved intravenous delivery of single, escalating doses of the CGX-1007 in healthy subjects to determine safety when administered systemically. The trial showed that CGX-1007 was safe, with no adverse experiences observed. CGX-1007 is the product of Cognetix, Inc. (Salt Lake City, UT, USA), which is proceeding with human testing in patients with epilepsy.

Cognetix collaborated on the drug's development and commercialization with Medtronic, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN, USA). Using Medtronic's SynchroMed infusion system, which features a fully implantable and programmable drug pump, phase II study patients will receive precisely controlled doses of the drug delivered directly into the central nervous system via the intrathecal route of infusion. This method bypasses the digestive system and the blood-brain barrier, two essential factors to optimize the delivery of a compound designed to work directly on the central nervous system.



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Cognetix
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