Addex publishes negative allosteric modulators data in Molecular Psychiatry

Addex Therapeutics (ADXN) announced publication of data in Molecular Psychiatry demonstrating that targeting metabotropic glutamate receptor 7 with negative allosteric modulators could be transformative in the treatment of anxiety and fear-related disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. In the study, scientists from the Center for Psychiatric Neurosciences in Lausanne, Switzerland, evaluated the effects of ADX71743, a highly selective mGlu7 NAM, in established models of fear learning and memory. The results demonstrated that mGlu7 modulation can selectively interfere with the reconsolidation of fear memories, the process in the brain that re-stabilizes a fear memory after it is recalled. This process is increasingly being recognized as a potential therapeutic intervention point in anxiety and trauma-related conditions. Electrophysiological analyses provided mechanistic support for mGlu7 target engagement. ADX71743 modulated glutamatergic transmission at thalamus-to-amygdala synapses. Under baseline conditions, the compound increased spontaneous excitatory signaling, while under high-stimulation conditions it prevented long-term potentiation, a cellular process associated with memory formation. Notably, similar synaptic effects were observed in human brain tissue, mirroring findings in rodent models.