Gabriel Sciences Receives National Institutes of Health (NIH) SBIR Grant for Development of Antidepressant

BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gabriel Sciences, a Maryland biotech company founded by David Pickar MD, enters into a collaborative project, “Triple Re-Uptake Inhibitors: Potential Antidepressants.” Candidate compounds synthesized by the research team of Professor Paul Carlier PhD at Virginia Tech, and tested by the research team of Professor Elliott Richelson MD at Mayo Clinic, show activity in preclinical tests that are predictive of antidepressant activity in humans. The grant will allow the selection of a lead compound to continue into preclinical toxicology testing for initial studies in humans. These potential antidepressant compounds have a novel mechanism of action – blockade of transporters for the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. This novel “triple reuptake blockade” approach holds promise for a more effective and rapidly-acting antidepressant.