Knopp Biosciences receives key patent directed to ion channel activators for brain disorders

Issued claims are directed to a series of orally available small molecules and their use in treating epilepsy, neuropathic pain, and other neurological disorders.

The patent relates to the company's discovery program in neonatal epileptic encephalopathy and other seizure disorders, for which novel treatments are urgently needed. Issued claims are directed to a series of orally available small molecules and their use in treating epilepsy, neuropathic pain, and other neurological disorders.

“This initial patent awarded to our ion channels program greatly strengthens our efforts to develop novel treatments for epilepsy, focused initially on newborns and children with profound seizure disorders,” said Michael Bozik, president and CEO of Knopp. “The patent also recognizes the creativity and collaboration of our medicinal chemistry and biology teams, which work seamlessly to solve the complexity of Kv7 biology and pharmacology.”

Dysfunction of voltage-gated potassium channels of the Kv7 family is linked to nerve-cell excitability implicated in a range of diseases. Knopp expects initially to advance its lead Kv7 activators in a rare disorder associated with inherited mutations in the KCNQ2 gene, which provides instructions for making a brain Kv7 channel. Certain of these mutations cause severe epilepsy and profound developmental disability in newborns and infants, for whom conventional anti-seizure medications are insufficient or ineffective.

Knopp has pending a number of additional patents directed to compositions for activating ion channels.