Ampakines or AMPAkines are a subgroup of AMPA receptor positive allosteric modulators with a benzamide or closely related chemical structure. They are also known as "CX compounds". Ampakines take their name from the AMPA receptor (AMPAR), a type of ionotropic glutamate receptor with which the ampakines interact and act as positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of. Although all ampakines are AMPAR PAMs, not all AMPAR PAMs are ampakines.
CX717 is an ampakine compound created by Christopher Marrs and Gary Rogers in 1996 at Cortex Pharmaceuticals. It affects the neurotransmitter glutamate, with trials showing the drug improves cognitive functioning and memory.
Racetams are a class of drugs that share a pyrrolidone nucleus. Some, such as piracetam, aniracetam, oxiracetam, pramiracetam and phenylpiracetam are considered nootropics. Others such as levetiracetam, brivaracetam, and seletracetam are anticonvulsants.
Farampator is an ampakine drug. It was developed by Cortex Pharmaceuticals, and licensed to Organon BioSciences for commercial development. Following the purchase of Organon by Schering-Plough in 2007, the development license to farampator was transferred. The development of farampator was eventually terminated, reportedly due to concerns about cardiac toxicity.
CX-614 is an ampakine drug developed by Cortex Pharmaceuticals. It has been investigated for its effect on AMPA receptors.
CX-546 is an ampakine drug developed by Cortex Pharmaceuticals.
IDRA-21 is a positive allosteric modulator of the AMPA receptor and a benzothiadiazine derivative. It is a chiral molecule, with (+)-IDRA-21 being the active form.
LY-503430 is an AMPA receptor positive allosteric modulator developed by Eli Lilly.
RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a pharmaceutical company based in Glen Rock, New Jersey specializing in positive allosteric modulators of the AMPA receptor known as Ampakines.
Cyclothiazide, sometimes abbreviated CTZ, is a benzothiadiazide (thiazide) diuretic and antihypertensive that was originally introduced in the United States in 1963 by Eli Lilly and was subsequently also marketed in Europe and Japan. Related drugs include diazoxide, hydrochlorothiazide, and chlorothiazide.
LY-404187 is an AMPA receptor positive allosteric modulator which was developed by Eli Lilly and Company. It is a member of the biarylpropylsulfonamide class of AMPA receptor potentiators.
In pharmacology and biochemistry, allosteric modulators are a group of substances that bind to a receptor to change that receptor's response to stimuli. Some of them, like benzodiazepines or alcohol, function as psychoactive drugs. The site that an allosteric modulator binds to is not the same one to which an endogenous agonist of the receptor would bind. Modulators and agonists can both be called receptor ligands.
CDPPB is a drug used in scientific research which acts as a positive allosteric modulator selective for the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype mGluR5. It has antipsychotic effects in animal models, and mGluR5 modulators are under investigation as potential drugs for the treatment of schizophrenia, as well as other applications.
Unifiram is an experimental drug. that has antiamnesic and other effects in animal studies with far greater potency than piracetam. A number of related compounds are known, such as sunifiram (DM-235) and sapunifiram (MN-19). Unifiram has two enantiomers, with the dextro form being the more active isomer. It has been shown to reduce the duration of hypnosis induced by pentobarbital, without impairing motor coordination. As of 2015, no formal human studies with unifiram have been conducted. Unifiram is not patented and, despite the lack of human and long-term toxicity studies, it is commonly sold online.
S-18986 is a positive allosteric modulator of the AMPA receptor related to cyclothiazide. It has nootropic and neuroprotective effects in animal studies, and induces both production of BDNF and AMPA-mediated release of noradrenaline and acetylcholine in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of the brain.
ORG-26576 is an ampakine originally developed by Cortex Pharmaceuticals and then licensed to Organon International for development. In animal studies it has been shown to effectively potentiate AMPA receptor function, leading to increased BDNF release and enhanced neuronal differentiation and survival, as well as producing nootropic effects in standardised assays. Development as an antidepressant has been halted due to a failed Phase II trial for major depressive disorder.
Pesampator is a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of the AMPA receptor (AMPAR), an ionotropic glutamate receptor, which is under development by Pfizer for the treatment of cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia. It was also under development for the treatment of age-related sensorineural hearing loss, but development for this indication was terminated due to insufficient effectiveness. As of July 2018, pesampator is in phase II clinical trials for cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia.
Mibampator is a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of the AMPA receptor (AMPAR), an ionotropic glutamate receptor, which was under development by Eli Lilly for the treatment of agitation/aggression in Alzheimer's disease but was never marketed. It reached phase II clinical trials prior to the discontinuation of its development.
Tulrampator is a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of the AMPA receptor (AMPAR), an ionotropic glutamate receptor, which is under development by RespireRx Pharmaceuticals and Servier for the treatment of major depressive disorder, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and mild cognitive impairment. Tulrampator was in phase II clinical trial for depression, but failed to show superiority over placebo. There are also phase II clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease and phase I trials for dementia and mild cognitive impairment.
AMPA receptor positive allosteric modulators are positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of the AMPA receptor (AMPR), a type of ionotropic glutamate receptor which mediates most fast synaptic neurotransmission in the central nervous system.
