Ravi Anand, M.D., Newron’s Chief Medical Officer, stated: “Evenamide uniquely combines voltagegated
sodium channel blockade with attenuation of glutamate release. The results of this first study in
patients with schizophrenia confirm preclinical data, which indicated that Evenamide might provide
significant evidence of efficacy as an add-on to the most commonly prescribed atypical antipsychotics
in patients with chronic schizophrenia, without effect on any of the over 130
neurotransmitters, enzymes, or transporters targeted by most antipsychotics.”
What does “voltage gated sodium channel blockade” do? What are the side effects? I know it has to do with decreasing excitation of the brain somehow. Also, does anyone know where the glutamate is being attenuated?
Thanks, I was just curious as to why this might or might not work.
I don’t know how the sodium channel blockade might work, but the attenuation of glutamate release might work because high levels of glutamate in the brain are thought to kick start the illness in the early years. Also it may be more of a factor in treatment resistant sz, since they think treatment resistant sz is not a dopamine problem. (They really understand a lot less about TR schizophrenia than the treatment responsive kind).
As far as side effects, they say it does not have “extrapyramidal, sexual, endocrine, cardiac, laboratory or metabolic side effects” and the most common side effects were sleepiness or insomnia (15% and 10%), and a small number of people with headache, dry mouth, and cold sweat. One person had a seizure and one person had an atrial fibrillation, it is not clear if those were due to the med. There was no increase in QTc interval.
Treatment resistant is when you have tried at least 2 chemically different APs for a sufficient period (usually at least 6 weeks) and have less than a 20% reduction in symptoms.
About 20-30% of people are treatment resistant, about half, maybe more, of those are helped by clozapine. If clozapine fails there aren’t a lot of options right now. ECT, polypharmacy.
Lots, if not most people, are partial responders, meaning the D2 based APs work some, but don’t take away all psychotic symptoms.