According to a story from finanznachrichten.de, the biopharmaceutical company Theranexus has recently released preliminary results from a Phase II clinical trial that is testing the company’s experimental product THN102. This investigational drug is in development for the treatment of narcolepsy. Theranexus is dedicated to developing therapies for neurological illnesses that focus on the interaction between neurons and glial cells.
About Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that affects sleep. Patient’s with narcolepsy have a decreased ability to regulate their cycles of sleeping and wakefulness. The exact cause of narcolespy is not well known. There are a number of risk factors for the condition however, such as family history, exposure to pesticides, or prior brain injury, such as a stroke or tumor. The most well known symptom of narcolepsy is excessive sleepiness during the day, often to the extent that a patient may fall asleep suddenly during their regular activities. This can occur even after a full night of sleep; patients are unable to sleep as deeply as an unaffected person. Other symptoms include cataplexy, hallucinations, sleep paralysis, insomnia, and unexpected weight gain. There is no cure for narcolepsy. Treatments for the condition include stimulants such as amphetamines and modafinil. Most patients cannot control their symptoms entirely. To learn more about narcolepsy, click here.
Study Results So Far
THN102 is a combination of modafinil and flecainide, and was tested in this study in comparison to modafinil on its own. The ongoing trial included narcolepsy patients who were unable to fully control their symptoms with modafinil. So far, the results of the trial have been inconclusive; using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale as a measure, the effect of modafinil and THN102 was fairly similar.
The Future of THN102
Despite the inconclusive results so far, Theranexus still plans to continue the trial until its completion. THN102 is also being tested in a Phase II trial as a therapy for Parkinson’s disease. The drug is intended to help treat non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s, such as sleepiness and cognitive problems. This is an unmet medical need for patients with this disease.
