Trigemina Publishes Data Demonstrating that the Activation of Oxytocin Receptors May Provide Clinical Benefit to Migraine Patients

MORAGA, Calif., Dec. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Trigemina, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of targeted neurological drug therapies, announced today the publication of preclinical data demonstrating that the activation of oxytocin receptors in the brain may provide therapeutic benefit in patients with migraine and other primary head pain disorders. The data were published in the November 20, 2015 issue of the journal Cephalalgia. David Yeomans, Ph.D., founder and consulting chief scientist at Trigemina, as well as director of pain research and a tenured associate professor of anesthesia at Stanford School of Medicine, was the primary author of the paper entitled "Oxytocin receptor: Expression in the trigeminal nociceptive system and potential role in the treatment of headache disorders."

"We are pleased to announce this publication today which adds to the growing body of data we are building which demonstrate the positive benefit oxytocin has on patients with migraine and other headache disorders," stated Charles Yeomans, president and chief executive officer of Trigemina. "Our primary focus is on developing our lead product, a nose-to-brain formulation of oxytocin, which is demonstrating the potential to treat a large spectrum of chronic and acute neurological disorders. We expect to initiate pivotal studies for this product candidate in 2016 or 2017."

In the publication, Trigemina's studies investigated the location of oxytocin receptors in the peripheral trigeminal sensory system and determined their role in trigeminal pain. It was found that oxytocin receptors were present on the vast majority of calcitonin-gene related-peptide (CGRP)-positive trigeminal ganglia neurons (a group of pain-sensing nerve cells). This is significant because, as this paper shows, Trigemina's lead product is a site-specific blocker of CGRP release in the peripheral and central nervous systems. This was demonstrated by the blockade of capsaicin-induced CGRP release from trigeminal neurons innervating the meninges, a tissue layer overlying the brain that has been shown to be important in migraine. Additionally oxytocin receptors were upregulated in the trigeminal ganglion after noxious stimulation of the face, suggesting that oxytocin may be more effective in long lasting painful conditions.

About Trigemina
Trigemina (pronounced Tri-jem'-in-uh) is a privately owned, clinical stage company focused on the discovery and development of highly targeted neurological drug therapies. Trigemina's lead product candidate, TI-001, is a clinical stage, patented new drug candidate that includes oxytocin. TI-001 has shown promising results for use as a safe and effective therapy for most forms of chronic or subacute head pain, and is currently in development for the prevention of high frequency migraine. Further information is available on the Company's website, trigemina.com. 

Contacts:
Charles Yeomans
President and CEO, Trigemina
925-377-0664

Jennifer Williams
Cook Williams Communications, Inc.
360-668-3701
[email protected]

SOURCE Trigemina

Related Links

http://trigemina.com