New drugs for ADHD in development
An article by researchers at Reykjavík University and 3Z appeared recently in the Nature journal Neuropsychopharmacology. The article describes new drugs for ADHD that are in development.
ADHD is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder. "The first-line therapeutic for ADHD, methylphenidate, can cause serious side effects including weight loss, insomnia, and hypertension. In addition, some of those who have been diagnosed with ADHD cannot take any medication. Therefore, the development of non-stimulant-based therapeutics has been prioritized," says Karl Ægir Karlsson, professor of Biomedical Engineering in the Department of Engineering at RU.
In recent years, researchers at RU have developed a genetically modified model of ADHD in zebrafish that was used in an organized search for a drug for ADHD. Five novel ADHD candidate therapeutics were identified; four repurposed and one novel.
"The drugs are undergoing further testing and are being developed for the market," says Karl Ægir.
Here is a link to the article in Neuropsychopharmacology .
Here is a radio interview on Rás 1 about the new drugs.
