IRLAB’s drug candidate pirepemat featured on cover of top-tier journal JPET

September 10, 2020

IRLAB announced today that the highly ranked scientific journal JPET selected the chemical structure and the in vitro profile of IRLAB’s drug candidate pirepemat (IRL752) to feature on the cover of the September 2020 issue. This owing to the publication of a scientific paper in the journal, where the distinctive pharmacological profile of pirepemat is reported. The drug candidate is in development for the treatment of impaired balance and falls in Parkinson’s disease and has shown promising effects in a recently concluded phase IIa study. IRLAB plans to initiate a phase IIb study with pirepemat during 2020.

“This is the second time in recent months that we have seen one of our drug candidates on the front cover of the top ranked scientific journal JPET. This signals the strength and originality in IRLAB’s research and in our drug candidates, and represents yet another validation of our unique discovery platform, ISP. To publish scientific papers in peer reviewed journals is an important channel to create international awareness of our advancements in research and the results from our clinical studies”, says Nicholas Waters, CEO

JPET, The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, is a highly ranked international scientific journal in the field of pharmacology. The journal is published by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET).

The full title of the paper is: Hjorth, S. et al. (3S)3(2,3difluorophenyl)3methoxypyrrolidine (IRL752) – a novel cortical-preferring catecholamine transmission- and cognition-promoting agent. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, DOI: 10.1124/jpet.120.000037.

For more information

Nicholas Waters, CEO                
Phone: +46 730 75 77 01                
E-mail: nicholas.waters@irlab.se

About pirepemat (IRL752)

Pirepemat, one of IRLAB’s two drug candidates in Phase II, is being developed for the treatment of impaired balance (postural dysfunction) and falls in Parkinson’s disease. The results from a clinical Phase IIa study indicate that pirepemat has the potential to improve balance and reduce the risk of falls. Pirepemat has the ability to increase the levels of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine in the frontal cortex and activate specific genes involved in nerve cell connections. In clinical research, it has been shown that the neurotransmitters noradrenaline and dopamine are decreased in the frontal cortex in Parkinson’s disease. The effects of this reduction could be counteracted by treatment with pirepemat and then lead to improvement of balance, cognitive and psychiatric symptoms for these patients. A Phase IIb study with the drug candidate is planned to begin in 2020 to evaluate the effects of pirepemat on fall rate as compared to placebo.

About IRLAB

IRLAB is a Swedish research and development company that focuses on developing novel treatments in Parkinson’s disease. The company's most advanced candidates, mesdopetam (IRL790) and pirepemat (IRL752), both of which completed Phase IIa-studies, intends to treat some of the most difficult symptoms related to Parkinson's disease: involuntary movements (PD-LIDs), psychosis (PD-P) and symptoms linked to cognitive decline such as impaired balance and increased risk of falls (PD-Falls). Through the proprietary research platform, ISP (The Integrative Screening Process), IRLAB discovers and develops drug candidates for central nervous system (CNS) related disorders where large and growing medical need exist. In addition to the clinical candidates, the ISP platform has also generated several CNS programs that are now in preclinical phase. IRLAB's Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se, +46 (0)8528 00 399. More information on www.irlab.se.

Quotes

"This is the second time in recent months that we have seen one of our drug candidates on the front cover of the top ranked scientific journal JPET. This signals the strength and originality in IRLAB's research and in our drug candidates, and represents yet another validation of our unique discovery platform, ISP. To publish scientific papers in peer reviewed journals is an important channel to create international awareness of our advancements in research and the results from our clinical studies." Nicholas Waters, CEO