Pharmaceutical agents known as alpha-2 drugs are used as tranquilizers and anaesthetic premedication for animals. They activate alpha-2 adrenoreceptors in the body. Their effect, targeted at the central nervous system, is to reduce alertness and pain sensation. In addition to their desired effect, alpha-2 drugs have less desired effects: For example, they constrict the blood vessels, slow down the heart rate and gut motility, interfere the blood glucose balance and increase urine production.
A research project conducted by the research group was aimed at identifying a means to prevent or alleviate the adverse effects of alpha-2 drugs. As a result, we found an antagonist, vatinoxan, which inhibits the activation of the alpha-2 adrenoreceptors located outside the central nervous system. Our group has demonstrated that the antagonist can prevent or eliminate adverse effects associated with alpha-2 drugs without markedly reducing their sedative or pain-relieving effects. Several international articles have been published on the project concerning studies carried out on, for example, dogs, horses and sheep, and several doctoral theses have been written about it.
Our drug invention has been patented, and the University of Helsinki has sold its rights of exploitation to a business that has commercialized the invention. European medicine agency (EMA) and food and drug agency of the USA (FDA) have accepted marketing authorization for the pharmaceutical product generated from our innovation, to be used for sedation in dogs.
We will carry on our research on the effects of our drug discovery in a range of indications in many animal species, including dogs, horses, rodents and wildlife. Our productive research efforts and drug discovery will improve the safety of sedation and anaesthesia in several species.