molecules of the month

bradanicline (ATA-101 or TC-5619) is a molecule first disclosed a decade ago by Targacept. It is a selective agonist of the alpha-7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, and was intended as a drug candidate for treatment of cognitive impairment in neurological disorders. It is highly selective for the CNS over peripheral receptor subtypes. Interestingly, in this article, the authors show that the molecule dose-dependently inhibits coughing in guinea pigs. Nicotine has been demonstrated to have anti-tussive properties, and it is suggested that this nicotinic receptor subtype is responsible for that effect.In humans, ATA-101 was well-tolerated in several clinical studies when given daily for several weeks at doses as high as 125 mg QD, and entered Ph. II to evaluate efficacy in…