Big conductance calcium‐activated potassium channel openers control spasticity without sedation

What is it about?

This study describes the drug-discovery pathway from invention to first in man studies of a new, well-tolerated, pharmaceutical drug that controls over-excited nerves. This was shown to inhibit spasticity, which is the muscle stiffness caused by nerve-overactivity due to nerve damage that occurs during multiple sclerosis and other conditions. This drug targets and helped us discover a new mechanism to treat nerves excitability, but importantly occurs without the sedating effects associated with all other currently used anti-spastic drugs. This study has allowed to exploit the benefits associated with medical cannabis, but moves us away from issues of recreational drug-use to the production of active and safe medicines.

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