Novel Macrocyclic Drug Candidates Targeting the Delta Opioid Receptor for Therapeutic Applications

Increased awareness of the issues associated with using opioids such as morphine that target the mu-opioid receptor – namely, that these drugs tend to lead to dependency and significant, often life-threatening, side effects – have led researchers to identify the delta opioid receptor as an alternative, and potentially safer, target for the management of chronic pain, which may avoid the addictiveness of the mu subtype. Drug candidates that interact with the delta receptor and exhibit biased functional activation can also be investigated for applications in the treatment of other medical conditions such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. In collaboration with Professors Yves Dory and Louis Gendron at Université de Sherbrooke, Cyclenium Pharma has identified a lead series of novel macrocyclic agents able to target this receptor in a highly specific manner. The main objective of this project is to design, synthesize, and thoroughly characterize the pharmacological properties of additional lead candidates, thereby driving the development of these promising pharmaceutical agents towards clinical trials, potentially for multiple therapeutic applications. In the long term, these macrocyclic drug candidates may offer positive strategies for mitigating the current opioid crisis and addressing unmet medical needs in mental healthcare in Canada.

Faculty Supervisor:

Yves Dory

Student:

Partner:

Cyclenium

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Pharmaceuticals; Health and Related Sciences & Technology; Biotechnology

University:

Université de Sherbrooke

Program: