Seaside Therapeutics, Vanderbilt University Enter Into Collaborative Research Agreement

Seaside Therapeutics has entered into a collaborative research agreement with Vanderbilt University Medical Center to discover and develop small molecules targeting neurologic receptors implicated in disorders of brain development, such as Fragile X Syndrome and autism.

Scientists at Vanderbilt, led by Jeffrey Conn, director of the Vanderbilt Program in drug discovery and a member of Seaside’s Scientific Advisory Board, have identified novel small molecule compounds that are M1 antagonists. Vanderbilt will work exclusively with Seaside on the discovery, development, optimization and eventual selection of lead compounds for continued study in disorders of brain development.

Randall Carpenter, president and chief executive officer of Seaside Therapeutics, said: “Our focus on identifying the molecular pathophysiology of single-gene disorders associated with autism has provided insights for developing targeted therapeutics with the potential to correct or fundamentally alter the course of brain development and function.

“We believe this focused approach offers patients suffering from these disorders the best opportunity for successful treatment. Vanderbilt’s expertise in drug discovery and their continued commitment to developing novel therapeutics for brain development disorders makes them an exceptional partner in this initiative and we look forward to this latest project with Dr Conn and his team.”

This agreement is the second collaborative project between Seaside and Vanderbilt. In early 2008, Seaside entered into a collaboration with Dr. Conn and other investigators in the Vanderbilt Program in drug discovery to develop compounds that inhibit excessive signaling through the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGluR5), which Seaside believes may be responsible for the neurological and psychiatric consequences of Fragile X Syndrome.