New target, new mechanism, rapid antidepressant candidate YH-200

Yong-He Zhang, Professor, PhD, Department of pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Science, Peking University, Beijing, China

Inspired by the mechanism of ES ketamine, we are developing a novel antidepressant, YH-200, which is designed to address the slow onset of commonly used antidepressants in clinical practice. YH-200 showed a rapid antidepressant effect by maintaining glutamate system balance and enhancing the synaptic plasticity. As an alternative treatment for ketamine, it has a slower onset of action than ketamine, but faster than common antidepressants, without the side effects of resistance, addiction and drug dependence which are common for ketamine. YH-200 is a new type of antidepressant that is safer and more rapidly acting. The rapid antidepressant effects and safety of YH-200 have been demonstrated in preclinical animal studies to relieve many of the core symptoms of depression, including despair, anhedonia, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. YH-200 is selected from natural products and obtained by structural modification, which could be synthesized simply and environmental- friendly. YH-200 has been authorized by United States patent and China patent license. We are currently raising funds to verify the previous safety tests, establish the quality standards of the synthesis process and preparation production standards for YH-200, and complete the pre-clinical trial study according to the requirements of FDA.