BAY 2925976 is a novel oral ARα2C antagonist developed by Bayer for the treatment of OSA (obstructive sleep apnea), a widespread condition affecting nearly one billion people globally. Despite the availability of mechanical treatments like CPAP, poor adherence rates highlight the need for more effective interventions. BAY 2925976 demonstrated a preclinical proof of concept for ARα₂C modulation as a potential therapeutic approach for OSA. In this article, we detail the discovery of BAY 2925976, as highlighted by Michael Hahn at the ACS Fall 2024 First-Time Disclosures session in Denver, CO.

The Takeda AMPA-R potentiator, TAK-653 , is a glutamate-dependent potentiator that exhibits minimal agonism. AMPA-R agonism is associated with seizure risk and bell-shaped dose-response effects. As reviewer Jake Schwarz notes, companies including Cortex Pharmaceuticals (now RespireRx) and Lilly have been trying to develop AMPA modulators for [...]

Vertex’s VX-548 is a potential first-in-class, exquisitely selective, oral NaV1.8 inhibitor that recently captured headlines for its positive Ph. III data. With the ongoing opioid epidemic throughout the US, there is an urgent unmet medical need for non-addictive pain medications as alternatives to opioids. They plan to file an NDA by mid-2024 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe acute pain. This case study highlights what’s publicly known about Vertex’s journey in pain leading up to the Ph. III readout for VX-548, and why this is such a watershed moment for pain management.

Genentech announced that fenebrutinib (GDC-0853), a non-covalent BTK inhibitor entering Ph. III, showed significant human CNS exposure and reduced new brain lesions in Ph. II for relapsing multiple sclerosis. Fenebrutinib is the only reversible BTK inhibitor in Ph. III for MS, and has the opportunity to differentiate on safety relative to covalent inhibitors. This case study highlights notable challenges overcome in the discovery of fenebrutinib including surprising metabolism, animal-specific on-target toxicity, and more.

Xanamem® is Actinogen Medical's cortisol-blocking drug targeting the 11β-HSD1 (11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) enzyme.