GPR85 agonists

Unlocking the hidden potential of the orphan receptor GPR85 as a novel therapeutic target: Finding lead compounds, structure-activity relationship study and pharmacological evaluation

01.01.2025 bis 31.12.2028

Receptors present in the brain such as G protein coupled receptors (GPCR) are instrumental to
normal human cognitive processes. Their dysfunction, induced notably by perturbed signalling
process, may contribute to a wide variety of neurodegenerative diseases or mental disorders. For
instance, dopamine and glutamate systems, notably in the hippocampus, are thought to
contribute to the pathogenesis of psychosis such as schizophrenia, a debilitating condition
characterised by abnormal behaviour, disconnection from reality, delusions and hallucinations.1,2
The pathophysiology of this disease is not well understood but increasing evidence points to
genetic mutations associated with phenotypic perturbations, mainly in the dopamine and
glutamate networks.3 Current antipsychotics treatments based on dopamine receptor D2
antagonists suffer from important drawbacks and severe side effects. The important unmet
medical need in this area warrants research efforts to identify novel receptors that could affect
brain function and play a role in schizophrenia