SEPRANOLONE, CONTROL AND COMPULSION
Peter Nordkild, CEO Asarina Pharma
SEPRANOLONE: A new approach
A US patent has now been granted for Sepranolone for the treatment of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), following the release of the new preclinical data in March 2021.
Prof. Bortolato and Asarina Pharma CEO Peter Nordkild believe that Sepranolone opens up the possibility of a new paradigm in the pharmaceutical treatment of OCD – a neurosteroidal therapy that is neither a central nervous agent like today’s second-line treatments, nor an often low-efficacy medication like SSRIs that primarily treat and target anxiety symptoms alone. A treatment that can finally, convincingly target and treat the compulsive mechanism so prevalent in OCD.
SEPRANOLONE AND SSRIs
As a highly targeted neurosteroid, Sepranolone has no off-target side effects on the Central Nervous System. It has already demonstrated an exceptionally strong safety profile: To date 330 women have taken Sepranolone, for 3 months, with no other side effects than mild and reversible local skin irritation.
“Pharmacological aid could help people who do not experience improvement with CBT reduce stress, improve control and get better results. And because it is so targeted, it may be a strong adjunctive therapy to SSRIs – the other side of the coin if you will, helping treat and reduce compulsive symptoms, as SSRIs help alleviate anxiety and obsessions.” Peter Nordkild, CEO Asarina Pharma
The key to compulsion: seizing the potential
“86% of patients with Tourette have at least one additional disorder – many with OCD, ADHD and more.
“Neurosteroids clearly play a key role in these conditions – yet today there are no neurosteroid-based medications.
“We aim to change that. Let’s not forget – 30 years ago, few people had heard of Serotonin. Now we know it is implicated not just in depression but mood, anxiety, sleep disorders and more.
“It’s the same here. 20 years ago, nobody knew about ALLO’s potent effect on GABAA receptor mediated actions in the brain. Today, that has changed. Our new patent for Sepranolone in the treatment of OCD is an important step forward.
“ALLO could be the missing link between a whole raft of disorders – all currently with no dedicated, effective pharma therapy. We aim to be leaders in this field.”
Peter Nordkild, Asarina Pharma CEO