DHA-clozapine explained

DHA-clozapine (tentative trade name Clozaprexin)^[1] is an atypical antipsychotic drug candidate that was created and originally tested by chemists at Protarga, a small pharmaceutical in Pennsylvania, and scientists at Harvard University.^[2]

It is a prodrug of clozapine; the fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was added to clozapine in order to increase penetration of the blood–brain barrier.^[3]

Protarga was purchased by Luitpold Pharmaceuticals in 2003 and development was discontinued in 2007.^[1]

Notes and References

1. News: DHA-clozapine. 17 March 2017. AdisInsight. en.
2. Rosack. Jim. Targaceuticals Point Way To Developing Safer Drugs. Psychiatric News. 4 May 2001. 36 . 9 . 36–37 . en. 10.1176/pn.36.9.0036.
3. Baldessarini RJ, Campbell A, Webb NL, Swindell CS, Flood JG, Shashoua VE, Kula NS, Hemamalini S, Bradley MO . 6 . Fatty acid derivatives of clozapine: prolonged antidopaminergic activity of docosahexaenoylclozapine in the rat . Neuropsychopharmacology . 24 . 1 . 55–65 . January 2001 . 11106876 . 10.1016/S0893-133X(00)00173-1 . free .