Treating chronic pain, migraine & muscle spasticity through inhibition of neurot

[Guest guest]

Treating chronic pain, migraine & muscle spasticity through

inhibition of neurotransmitter glutamate

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-06/rpl-tcp062008.php

TorreyPines Therapeutics' CEO Neil Kurtz, M.D., to moderate

discussion following presentations by Tony Yaksh, Ph.D; Jerome

Goldstein, M.D.; and Alan J. Tuchman, M.D.

LA JOLLA, CA, June 20, 2008 – A Webinar hosted by TorreyPines

Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: TPTX) at 11 a.m. EDT on June 25 will

bring together industry experts to discuss the opportunity of

treating chronic pain, migraine and muscle spasticity through the

inhibition of the neurotransmitter glutamate.

The company's President and Chief Executive Officer, Neil Kurtz,

M.D., will moderate a discussion following brief presentations by:

Tony Yaksh, Ph.D., Professor and Vice Chairman for Research,

Department of Anesthesiology, and Professor of Pharmacology at the

University of California, San Diego

Dr. Yaksh will present information about glutamate receptors in the

central nervous system as a target for chronic pain therapy. The

focus of his research is the physiology and pharmacology of pain

processing. A member of numerous professional societies, Dr. Yaksh

has been a consultant to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and

serves on the editorial boards of several journals. He has received

many awards, including the FWL Kerr Award from the American Pain

Society and the American Society of Anesthesiology Award for

Excellence in Research.

Jerome Goldstein, M.D., Director of the San Francisco Headache Clinic

and a board-certified neurologist who focuses on the diagnosis,

treatment, prevention and cure of headache

Dr. Goldstein will present information about glutamate receptors in

the brain as a target for acute and prophylactic migraine therapy. He

is a member of the American Headache Society, The International

Headache Society and The National Headache Foundation. Dr. Goldstein

is a Board Certified Neurologist, a Fellow of the American Academy of

Neurology, and has special qualification for the treatment of

headache from the National Headache Foundation. He has received many

industry awards, published articles in industry journals and served

on advisory boards related to the development of a wide range of

headache therapies.

Alan J. Tuchman, M.D., Clinical Professor of Neurology and

Pharmacology at New York Medical College, Principal of a neuroscience-

focused consulting firm and a board-certified neurologist

Dr. Tuchman will present information about glutamate receptors in the

spinal cord as a target for muscle spasticity. He has served as Vice

Chairman of the Department of Neurology at New York Medical College

as well as Vice Dean of Clinical Affairs, which involved the

development and management of clinical care and medical education

policy for 29 affiliated hospitals. In addition, he was President of

the Epilepsy Society of Southern New York. Dr. Tuchman is a frequent

speaker about neuroscience topics at academic meetings.

" There's a growing body of scientific and clinical evidence that

supports the further development of drugs that block the glutamate

cascade, " said Dr. Kurtz. " As the American Headache Society prepares

to kick off its 50th Annual Scientific Meeting, we want to provide

patients as well as the medical community with industry experts'

perspectives as to what is clearly a promising approach for the

treatment of migraine and other conditions. "

TorreyPines Therapeutics' lead compound, tezampanel is the first

AMPA/kainate-type glutamate receptor antagonist to be studied in

clinical trials for chronic pain. Glutamate receptors mediate the

functioning of glutamate, an important excitatory neurotransmitter.

While normal glutamate production is essential, excess glutamate

production, either through injury or disease, can have a range of

pathological effects. By acting at both the AMPA and kainate receptor

site to competitively block the binding of glutamate, tezampanel and

its oral prodrug, NGX426, have the potential to treat a number of

diseases and disorders. These include migraine and other forms of

chronic pain such as neuropathic pain as well as muscle spasticity

and rigidity secondary to spinal cord trauma, stroke and multiple

sclerosis.