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news.The University of California, Los Angeles' (UCLA's) Department of Family Medicine/Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine, and MediciNova have announced the National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA) approval and funding of a Phase 2 trial studying the use of MN-166 (ibudilast) for the treatment of methamphetamine addiction.
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The fund is intended for atistically powered Phase 2 outpatient study in methamphetamine addicts, for which MediciNova will provide drug supply and regulatory support.
UCLA Departments of Family Medicine and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences professor Steven Shoptaw said UCLA has long recognized the danger of methamphetamine abuse, and NIDA has supported the research on understanding methamphetamine’s effects on the brain and behavior in order to develop prevention and treatment strategies, including medications.
"Methamphetamine addiction is a tremendous societal burden and also contributes to healthcare costs from premature conditions such as heart attacks and strokes in relatively young patients to the increased transmission of infectious diseases, including HIV," Shoptaw added.
"We are pleased to partner with NIDA and MediciNova to help move forward this important study of MN-166 to test its potential utility in this devastating condition."
Preclinical studies have shown that MN-166 may prevent the activation of certain cells in the central nervous system, called glial cells, which have been linked to drug dependence.
MediciNova president and CEO Dr. Yuichi Iwaki said, "Along with our lead clinical program, MN-221 for acute exacerbation of asthma, the broad potential of MN-166 for drug addiction, progressive multiple sclerosis, and neuropathic pain represents a core focus of our development efforts."