For pain, depression and obesity Novel remedies for all three ailments

German biochemists are developing a new approach to treating people's ailments

A research team of the TU Darmstadt is currently working on active substances that are to be used against widespread people suffering from depression, chronic pain and obesity. Here are the most important research results in brief:

• A particular protein is associated with chronic pain, obesity and depression.
• The inhibition of the protein resulted in animal experiments for disease relief.
• The active ingredient could help millions of people.
• Trials on humans are still pending.

The scientists, led by Felix Hausch, Professor of Structure-Based Drug Discovery at the TU Darmstadt, discover a biochemical link between chronic pain, obesity and depression. It is a protein called FKBP5 that plays a key role in energy metabolism, depression and chronic pain. The scientists are working on an active ingredient that blocks this protein molecule and thus reduces the suffering of the complaints mentioned. The study results were recently published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

New drug gives hope for effective medication for depression, obesity and chronic pain. (Image: Photographee.eu/fotolia.com)

New ingredient could help millions of people

The new drugs could be a major breakthrough in the fight against disease and help many people. For in Germany, about four million people are affected by depression, according to the German Pain Society, 16 million people suffer from chronic pain and on average every sixth German is affected by obesity (obesity).

Point of attack for drugs

Felix Hausch wants to use the protein FKBP51 as a drug target. "Blocking FKBP51 would reduce the tendency to depression, obesity and chronic pain," explains Hausch. The already approved active pharmaceutical ingredient tacrolimus should serve as a starting point for the development of inhibitors. Tacrolimus is a substance that is derived from bacteria and is already known to bind, inter alia, the protein FKBP51.

Modification of the active ingredients

The scientists chemically modified the substance tacrolimus so that the protein is even better inhibited. In addition, the researchers made the change that only the protein FKBP51 is blocked and not similar protein molecules.

Two different drug variants in production

Currently, scientists are working with two different variants of the drug. An active ingredient should aim to overcome the blood-brain barrier and thus be effective against depression and chronic pain. The other variant should not get into the brain and be optimized for use against obesity.

The first series of tests show positive results

The first series of tests on mice yielded promising results and so far showed no side effects. In some mice, the researchers completely eliminated the protein production of FKBP51. Even these mice are doing surprisingly well, the researchers report. "They live similarly long, move the same and eat just as much as their non-manipulated conspecifics," it says in the press release of the TU Darmstadt on the study results.

Switch off chronic pain specifically

According to Hausch, the scientists succeeded in animal experiments to specifically inhibit the chronic pain caused by FKBP51. The normal acute pain sensation was not affected. "That's very important, because otherwise you burn your hand on the hot stove," adds Hausch.

When is it ready for the market??

The results so far are promising, but the drug development is far from complete, according to the researchers. "We still have to improve a few molecular properties," says Hausch. It will probably take a while until the substance is ready for the market, especially since the development effort is now growing exponentially. These include clinical trials on thousands of subjects that are a prerequisite for each drug approval. (Vb)