Repositioning Candidate Details
| Candidate ID: | R1300 |
| Source ID: | DB09328 |
| Source Type: | approved; investigational |
| Compound Type: | biotech |
| Compound Name: | Vayarin |
| Synonyms: | Phosphatidylserine, DHA, and EPA |
| Molecular Formula: | -- |
| SMILES: | -- |
| DrugBank Description: | Vayarin is a prescription medical food for the clinical dietary management of certain lipid imbalances blamed to be associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Vayarin contains _Lipirinen_, a proprietary composition containing phosphatidylserine-omega 3, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) . Vayarin is currently available only by prescription in the USA . This drug has also been used for management of hypertriglyceridemia . Vayarin is an orally administered prescription medical food for the clinical dietary management of complex lipid imbalances thought to be associated with ADHD. Vayarin is a specially formulated and designed to address the distinct, previously determined lipid nutritional requirements of children with ADHD, the dietary management of which cannot be achieved with lifestyle modification . Vayarin is a novel therapy for ADHD that appears to be effective in several studies . Approximately 60% of the users who completed 12 weeks of therapy reported subjective benefits from treatment. A slow response time of 12 weeks is an impediment to successful management of ADHD as only 41.6% of subjects prescribed Vayarin remained compliant for the duration of the study. Cost of the drug and patient aversion to the taste of Vayarin were significant reasons for therapy failure . |
| CAS Number: | -- |
| Molecular Weight: | |
| DrugBank Indication: | ADHD in children, hypertriglyceridemia . |
| DrugBank Pharmacology: | Compared to healthy children of the same age, children with ADHD have lower circulating concentrations of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid. These lipids, found in the brain, play an essential role in central nervous system development and function. It has been reported that omega-3 fatty acid deficiency is directly associated with decreased brain phosphatidylserine, which is mainly in the form of phosphatidylserine-Omega-3 (Ps-Omega-3) . PS-Omega-3 such as Vayarin, are believed to be essential in the functioning of neuronal cell membranes, in activities such as signal transduction, secretory vesicle release, cell-to-cell communication, and cell growth regulation. Reduced levels of PS-Omega-3 and omega-3 fatty acids may play an important role in the pathogenesis of ADHD and other neuronal disorders. Vayarin is a proprietary lipid composition of phosphatidylserine-Omega-3 (PS-Omega-3), enriched with eicosapentaenoic acid. This formula has been designed to provide the essential lipids to brain tissues in order to support and maintain proper brain function. Additionally, the enrichment of EPA in the Vayarin medical food allows for better regulation of lipids and acts on the specific imbalances that are thought to be associated with ADHD . Current studies are underway for the efficacy of Vayarin in ADHD and autism spectrum disorder co-morbidity . In addition, studies of Vayarin in adults using MRI to study alterations in radiographic findings are currently underway, allowing for other possible benefits of this medication . |
| DrugBank MoA: | Phosphatidylserine (PS) in the mammalian nervous system, containing high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, has been implicated in numerous membrane-associated functions, such as maintaining the integrity of cell membranes, cell excitability and cell-to-cell recognition and communication. While the exact mechanism by which this medical food exerts its effects is not fully understood, PS has been found to regulate important proteins in neuronal cell membranes, including sodium/calcium ATPase and protein kinase C, which perform crucial functions in many signal transduction pathways. Similarly, PS interacts with Raf-1 protein kinase to promote a cascade of reactions that are believed to be involved in the survival of cells . Additionally, PS has been found to influence neurotransmitter activity, such as the release of acetylcholine (Ach), dopamine, and noradrenaline. In addition, it is also thought to increase brain glucose concentrations . Administration of specially processed formulations consisting of PS conjugated to omega-3 fatty acids was found to significantly increase DHA levels in the brain tissue of rats . |
| Targets: | -- |
| Inclusion Criteria: | Indication associated |
| Strategy ID | Strategy | Synonyms | Related Targets | Related Drugs |
|---|
| Target ID | Target Name | GENE | Action | Class | UniProtKB ID | Entry Name |
|---|