Our Science
Scopolamine, Our Platform Compound
DPI-386, our platform’s lead candidate, combines a novel scopolamine formulation with innovative intranasal delivery technology. Scopolamine has historically been used clinically to help the body’s parasympathetic nervous system respond effectively to motion sickness.1 We are leveraging the known benefits of scopolamine to potentially improve the health of patients suffering from a variety of conditions, including motion sickness. DPI-386 is an investigational compound in development for the prevention of symptoms associated with motion and is not yet FDA approved for any indication or use.
Mechanism of Action
Scopolamine acts as a competitive inhibitor at cholinergic receptor sites of the parasympathetic nervous system, a group of nerves that emerge directly from the brain. The parasympathetic nervous system plays a role in major depressive disorder, motion sickness, and other external threats.1 We are working to develop formulations with the potential to deliver pharmacologically diverse treatment alternatives.
Additional Therapeutic Opportunities
In addition to our work to develop scopolamine as a treatment for the prevention of symptoms associated with motion, we are evaluating scopolamine as a potential treatment for the following health conditions:
Chemical exposure accidents or attacks
Symptoms of traumatic brain injury
Virtual reality
sickness
syndrome
Strategic Relationships
We are working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the US Navy to develop an intranasal formulation of scopolamine to prevent the symptoms associated with motion. The Department of Veterans Affairs has recommended further research on the use of scopolamine for the treatment of suicidal ideation in MDD based on earlier studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).2 Given the challenging scenarios frequently encountered by both active military personnel and veterans, intranasal scopolamine has the potential to provide an important treatment alternative to a diverse patient population in a variety of circumstances.
Learn more about our specific therapeutic areas.
References
- McCorry LK. Physiology of the autonomic nervous system. Am J Pharm Educ. 2007;71(4):78. doi:10.5688/aj710478
- Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2022. H.R.4355 – 117th Congress (2021-2022). Congress.gov, Library of Congress, July 2, 2021. Accessed April 25, 2022. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4355
