Myosin Therapeutics Secures $3M NIH Grant for MT-110 Methamphetamine Disorder Trial

Myosin Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology firm located in Jupiter, Florida, announced a significant development in its mission to combat methamphetamine use disorder (MUD). The company has been awarded a $3 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which is a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This funding will support the launch of a Phase 1 clinical trial aimed at evaluating MT-110, a groundbreaking treatment option for MUD.

MUD is a severe and escalating public health issue with no existing FDA-approved treatments. It affects over 2.5 million individuals in the United States, and the number of methamphetamine-related overdose deaths has risen in recent years, contrary to the trend seen with opioids. The grant from NIDA falls under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which aids early-stage companies in advancing promising health technologies. This program is crucial for accelerating research and development in sectors with significant unmet medical needs, including substance use disorders.

Dr. Pat Griffin, a co-founder of Myosin Therapeutics, expressed gratitude for NIDA's support, highlighting the lack of FDA-approved medications for MUD and the potential of MT-110 to address this gap. MT-110 was developed through the NIH's Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network, a collaborative initiative that helped bring the drug from initial discovery to preclinical stages. The drug targets a specific molecular nanomotor protein, aiming to decrease the urge for stimulants and prevent relapses without affecting natural reward pathways. Preclinical trials have demonstrated the drug’s safety and effectiveness, paving the way for its progression to human trials.

Myosin Therapeutics' Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Smith, emphasized the devastating impact of MUD on individuals and communities, noting the current reliance on behavior modification therapies as the primary treatment. MT-110 offers a promising alternative due to its long-lasting effects observed in preclinical studies following a single dose, which is particularly beneficial given the challenges associated with daily medication for this patient population.

Myosin Therapeutics was established in 2020 by Drs. Courtney Miller, Patrick Griffin, and Theodore Kamenecka as a spin-off from The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute. The company focuses on developing novel therapies for neuroscience and oncology, leveraging a discovery platform centered on molecular nanomotor proteins.

This funding and the subsequent clinical trials represent a significant step forward in addressing the pressing issue of methamphetamine addiction. The development of MT-110 has the potential to transform the treatment landscape for MUD, providing a much-needed therapeutic option for those affected by this disorder.