Clinical data | |
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Other names | PRAX114 |
Routes of administration | Oral[1][2] |
Drug class | Neurosteroid; GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulator[1][2] |
PRAX-114 is a neurosteroid and GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulator which is under development for the treatment of major depressive disorder, essential tremor, depressive disorders, and epilepsy.[2][3][1][4][5] It was also under development for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but development for this indication was discontinued.[2] The drug is taken by mouth.[1][2]
PRAX-114 is described as an extrasynaptic-preferring GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulator with a wider separation between antidepressant-like activity and sedative effects in preclinical research than related drugs like zuranolone.[4][1][5][6] It has 10.5-fold preference for potentation of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors over synaptic GABAA receptors in vitro.[4] Hence, the drug is theorized to have improved tolerability.[4][5][6] PRAX-114 shows antidepressant-like, anxiolytic-like, and, at higher doses, sedative effects in animals.[4][5][6]
As of March 2023, PRAX-114 is in phase 2/3 clinical trials for major depressive disorder and phase 2 clinical trials for essential tremor.[2][3][1] No recent development has been reported for treatment of depressive disorders and epilepsy.[2] In a June 2023 literature review, it was reported that PRAX-114 had failed to show effectiveness in the treatment of major depressive disorder in a phase 2/3 trial and that there were no further plans to develop PRAX-114 for treatment of psychiatric disorders.[1] The drug is or was under development by Praxis Pharmaceuticals.[2][3][1] Aside from being a small molecule and neurosteroid, the chemical structure of PRAX-114 does not seem to have been disclosed.[1][2][3]