Antipsychotic Drugs that do not elicit Weight Gain by Screening for Influences on Hypothalamic AMP-Kinase and Histamine H1 Receptors

Atypical antipsychotic drugs (AAPDs) have markedly enhanced the treatment of schizophrenias but their use has been hindered by the major side effect of weight gain. Ignorance of the mechanism of these orexigenic actions has delayed efforts to develop alternative therapeutic agents. JHU scientists have now discovered that orexigenic AAPDs potently and selectively activate hypothalamic AMP kinase (AMPK), an action abolished in mice with deletion of histamine H1 receptors (H1R). These findings may afford a means of developing more effective therapeutic agents and provide insight into the hypothalamic regulation of food intake. Description (Set) Proposed Use (Set) Weight gain elicited by AAPDs can be massive and associated with the ?metabolic Syndrome? leading to diabetes. Thus, the orexigenic actions of AAPDs have precluded their use in large numbers of patients. The development of candidate drugs that influence H1R and hypothalamic AMPK will enable the development of drugs with fewer side effects and may advance our understanding of the hypothalamic regulation of food intake. Patent (Set) WO 2008/036175

Inventor(s): Snyder, Solomon H.

Type of Offer: Licensing



« More Medical Patents

---