ANS-6637 is in Clinical Development to Treat Substance Use Disorders

Amygdala Neurosciences is developing ANS-6637 a new chemical entity with a novel MOA for treating substance use disorder and behavior based addictions. Based on a mechanism of action in the brain (published in Nature Medicine) that prevents pathophysiologic dopamine surge without changes to basal dopamine, ANS-6637 has the potential to prevent drug seeking behavior, craving and relapse. 

In pre-clinical studies, ALDH2 inhibition reduced self-administration, cue- and drug-primed relapse in nicotine, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and binge eating models and also demonstrated anxiolytic properties in models of stress. ANS-6637 has completed extensive Phase 1 studies and is ready for Phase 2 efficacy studies.

In 2019, NIH will be funding and conducting 2 Phase 2 proof-of-concept studies with ANS-6637: one for Alcohol Use Disorder and a second for Opioid Use Disorder. Amygdala is also making plans for additional Phase 2 proof-of-concept studies for Opioid Use Disorder and Smoking Cessation.

AMYGDALA PRESS RELEASE: Sept 12, 2018

Amygdala Neurosciences and NIAAA will Conduct a Phase 2 Clinical Study of ANS-6637 for the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder​

In addition to Lou Lange, Ivan Diamond, and Peter Strumph, the BOD includes:

​Improved Public Health from Reduced Substance Abuse
Develop and Commercialize Safe, Effective, and Widely Used Pharmacotherapies to Treat and Prevent Addiction

Ivan Diamond, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer and Founder

• Former Senior Advisor, Gilead Sciences; VP Neurology Research, CVT;  Vice Chair, UCSF Department of Neurology; Founding Director, UCSF Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center

AMYGDALA PRESS RELEASE: Aug 1, 2017

​Amygdala Neurosciences Initiates Phase 1b Clinical Study of ANS-6637, the First-In-Class Selective ALDH2 Inhibitor in Development as a Treatment for Substance Use Disorder​

Lou Lange, MD, PhD, Executive Chairman and Founder

• General Partner Asset Management; Senior Advisor to CEO, Gilead Sciences
• Former Founder Chairman & CEO, CV Therapeutics; Chief of Cardiology and Professor of Medicine at Jewish Hospital Washington University

The Team

Adrienne MacMillan, Chief Financial Officer and Founder

• Former CFO, Rapidscan Pharma Solutions; VP Finance, CVT

AMYGDALA PRESS RELEASE: Feb 16, 2017

Amygdala Neurosciences Acquires GS-6637 from Gilead

Peter Strumph, President and Chief Executive Officer and Founder

• Former SVP Operations, Portola Pharmaceuticals; CEO, Codexis; CEO, Nile Therapeutics; SVP Operations, CVT; Operations Planning, Biogen; Lieutenant, US Navy

AMYGDALA PRESS RELEASE: ​Sept 19, 2018

Amygdala Neurosciences Announces the $12.4 Million HEAL Initiative Sponsored SEARCH (Safety and Efficacy of ANS-6637 to Reduce Drug Craving and Harm in People with Opioid Use Disorder) Program of Phase 2 Clinical Studies​

Brent Blackburn, PhD, Chief Development Officer and Founder

• Former CEO, Rapidscan Pharma; SVP R&D, CVT

NIH/IHV PRESS RELEASE: ​Sept 19, 2018

Institute of Human Virology (IHV) Awarded $12M to Combat Opioid Epidemic Through Clinical Research Trials 

The Board of Directors

News

William Lee, PhD, Executive Vice President Research, Gilead Sciences
Mack Mitchell, MD, VP Medical Affairs & EVP Health System UTSW; CMO Southwestern HRPN
Howard Jaffe, MD, President and COB of the Gilead Foundation. Former CMO Gilead Sciences

The Amygdala founders have deep and varied expertise in drug development and the addiction space. In addition to our individual experiences, we are all former members of the executive management team that built CV Therapeutics into a FIPCO and developed two first-in-class NCEs approved in the US and EU and achieved guideline status in both territories with current global revenues over $1.6B.

NIH PRESS RELEASE: March 21, 2019

NIH to test experimental drug to curb opioid cravings