New Antidepressant Drug Featured On CBS News, U.S. News & World Report, Others
A revolutionary antidepressant drug developed by Joseph Moskal, research professor of biomedical engineering at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and director of Northwestern’s Falk Center for Molecular Therapeutics, has been featured by several news outlets.
The discovery by Moskal and his research team centers on the drug GLYX-13, which was found to control the number and strength of NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors in the brain. These receptors impact the quality of connections between neurons, which is vital in regulating learning and memory functions.
The study’s clinical trials showed that one dose of GLXY-13 took effect within 24 hours and lasted an average of seven days with no side affects. Existing antidepressant medications often take several weeks before benefits are felt.
“While the results we are seeing with GLYX-13 are very encouraging, I believe the most important research is yet to come,” Moskal said. “We have only scratched the surface of the therapeutic potential of the glutamatergic system.”
Moskal presented his findings at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Dec. 6. It has since been profiled by CBS News, U.S. News & World Report, and NewScientist.