Anti-Apoptotic Compounds

When studying the effects of galantamine and other allosteric potentiating ligands (APLs) the founders of Galantos Pharma discovered in the late 1990s that APLs are involved in regulating apoptosis and cell survival via several secondary messenger systems that are activated or enhanced by APLs.

Moreover, APLs can affect the expression and activity of certain protein kinases, which are key regulators of cell function. Proteins involved in the control of apoptosis, including BCL-2 and certain growth factors, are up-regulated, and others are down-regulated in the presence of APL.

Therefore, APLs can protect nAChR expressing cells from cell death induced e. g. by exposure to Aß or excessive glutamate, both common neurotoxins in the brain of AD patients.

Galantos has lead structures showing direct correlation between anti-apoptotic activity and APL potency. These compounds are now being used for the improvement of lead molecules with anti-apoptotic potential.