• Clinically validated mechanism of action for PD-LID
• Second Phase IIa trial to begin this quarter with Addex allosteric modulators
• Trial funded in part by Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

Geneva, Switzerland, March 31 – Allosteric modulation company Addex Pharmaceuticals (SIX:ADXN) announced today the initiation of a Phase IIa clinical trial to evaluate dipraglurant in patients with Parkinson’s disease levodopa-induced dyskinesia (PD-LID), a debilitating movement disorder caused by long-term treatment with levodopa, the gold standard therapy for Parkinson’s disease. The U.S. and European study is supported in part by a grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson Research. Results are expected to be announced during the first half of 2012.

Dipraglurant (ADX48621) is a metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) negative allosteric modulator (NAM). The immediate-release formulation of dipraglurant (dipraglurant-IR), which has a pharmacokinetic profile similar to that of immediate release levodopa, achieved satisfactory safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics in Phase I testing.

“This PD-LID Phase IIa study with dipraglurant is the second clinical trial involving Addex allosteric modulators to begin in 2011. We announced that our partner Ortho-McNeil-Janssen started Phase IIa testing of ADX71149, an mGluR2 PAM, for the treatment of schizophrenia earlier this week. These milestones strengthen the validation of the allosteric approach,” stated Vincent Mutel, CEO of Addex.

“We believe mGluR5 inhibition is a promising approach to alleviating the disabling side effects of levodopa, which are experienced by the majority of Parkinson’s patients as their disease progresses,” said Todd Sherer, chief program officer at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. “We have been driving the therapeutic development of mGluR5 since 2005 and are excited that the field has matured to the point where the inhibitor dipraglurant-IR is ready for clinical testing.”