Icagen just may have a new drug for the treatment of 2.5 million Americans who suffer from some form of epilepsy.
Icagan said Tuesday that it has filed an investigational new drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a compound that the company said had shown promise in animal trials.
The drug is called ICA-105665. Icagen is developing compounds that work on ion channels that are fundamental to such processes as muscular movement.
According to the Epilepsy Foundation, epilepsy affects some 2.5 million Americans. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes seizures.
ICA-105665 was “active” in animal models, indicating “efficacy for the treatment of partial seizures, generalized seizures and treatment-resistant seizures,” Icagen said in a statement. “In addition, ICA-105665 has also been shown to have activity in models of neuropathic and inflammatory pain.”
The drug would be administered orally. Phase I human trials to determine safety and tolerability could being this fall if the FDA accepts the application.
Earlier this year, Icagen (NASDAQ: ICGN) withdrew a potential sickle cell anemia drug from development after poor testing results. That drug had been Icagen’s lead candidate.
