Emyria (ASX:EMD) has announced positive progress of its preclinical MDMA analogue medicine program with its partner, the University of Western Australia.
The company said its next-generation MDMA drug discovery is being led by Associate Professor Matt Piggott of the University of Western Australia (UWA).
Emyria previously secured exclusive rights to all MDMA-like compounds created under the partnership with Associate Professor Piggott and UWA, starting with an initial library of more than 100 novel analogues created over more than ten years.
The company said that it and UWA have been actively growing and screening this drug-discovery pipeline to identify new chemical entities and drug candidates with the potential to address major unmet needs in mental health and neurological disorders.
“It's exciting to see the results of the first rounds of screening informing subsequent analogue design. This is the critical feedback loop that drives drug discovery," said Associate Professor Piggott.
Emyria managing director Dr Michael Winlo said, “Emyria’s preclinical drug discovery program, inspired by MDMA, is making great progress. We are strengthening Emyria’s IP portfolio and potential slate of proprietary drug candidates targeting major unmet needs.
"Guided by our initial screening results, we have identified three therapeutic areas to target. (1) next-generation psychedelic-assisted therapeutics to help treat major mental health disorders and where more potent and shorter-acting treatments may offer advantages over MDMA-based therapy, (2) novel small molecule treatments for neurological disorders where selective receptor effects are desired and (3) treatments for non-neurological disorders where selective activity at peripheral, (non-brain) targets are of interest.
"Our preclinical program complements our advanced clinical programs and demonstrates the depth of our unique drug discovery and development opportunities and capabilities. I look forward to updating the market with further progress and results as we advance towards our development milestones in the coming months.”