Synapcell and University of Utah Mark 10 Years of Anti-Seizure Drug Collaboration

June 6, 2024 - SynapCell is celebrating a significant milestone: ten years of partnership with the University of Utah as the principal contract testing site for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s (NINDS) Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program (ETSP). This collaboration with the University of Utah, and specifically the Anticonvulsant Drug Development (ADD) Program under the leadership of Prof. Karen Wilcox, has been instrumental in exploring the anti-seizure potential of new compounds, particularly for refractory epilepsies that affect millions globally.

Despite the availability of over 20 antiseizure medications, approximately one-third of epilepsy cases are resistant to existing drugs, highlighting a critical need in the medical community. The joint effort between SynapCell and the ADD Program focuses on identifying promising molecules submitted by program participants that could address these pharmacoresistant epilepsies.

“We feel very grateful and humbled to remain the University of Utah’s partner for a decade,” stated Corinne Roucard, CEO of SynapCell. “We are committed to providing drug discoverers with the resources they need to make informed decisions about their molecules' efficacy. We extend our gratitude to the University of Utah for their trust and ongoing collaboration in discovering new anti-seizure medications.”

Professor Karen S. Wilcox, Director of the ADD Program, emphasized the persistent challenge posed by drug-resistant epilepsies and the necessity for translational models that support preclinical drug discovery. “SynapCell’s MTLE mouse model is clinically relevant because it closely mimics the physiopathological, electrophysiological, and pharmacological characteristics of human temporal lobe epilepsy. Having this model available in the ADD Program is a significant advantage for the ETSP,” she explained.

The collaboration enables the University of Utah’s ADD Program to evaluate the effects of new compounds on both a translational non-convulsive model and focal epilepsy. Over the course of this decade-long partnership, which has seen three contract renewals, more than 270 molecules have been assessed by SynapCell using its MTLE mouse model screening program.

SynapCell, a leading preclinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) specializing in the Central Nervous System (CNS), leverages 20 years of experience to aid the development of new drugs. The company provides essential information to drug developers, allowing them to make crucial Go/No Go decisions regarding a molecule's efficacy. SynapCell’s services include translational drug discovery solutions, integrating EEG biomarkers and relevant rodent models. In the field of Epilepsy, they have evaluated numerous compounds for international pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, resulting in several clinical leads. Since 2015, SynapCell has expanded its focus to other major CNS disorders, such as Movement disorders, Psychiatry, and Neurodegenerative Diseases, enhancing its global customer base's decision-making capabilities and accelerating drug discovery for brain-related conditions.

The University of Utah’s Anticonvulsant Drug Development (ADD) Program, which acts as the contract site for the NINDS-funded Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program, plays a critical role in the early identification and characterization of novel anticonvulsant drugs for epilepsy treatment. Utilizing preclinical seizure models and advanced neuroscience techniques, the program identifies promising compounds with a high level of therapeutic potential, guiding them through detailed toxicology studies and subsequent clinical trials in epileptic patients. Continuously funded since 1975, the ADD Program has evaluated every new anticonvulsant drug introduced to clinical use in the USA over the past 40 years.

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