drinabant

Drinabant (AVE1625) is a small molecule, selective cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist originally developed by Sanofi. It acts by inhibiting agonist-stimulated calcium signaling at the CB1 receptor, with high affinity for both human and rat receptors, while showing no significant activity at CB2 receptors. Initially investigated for a broad range of neurological and metabolic conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, obesity, schizophrenia, and Parkinson's disease, its development for these chronic indications was largely halted due to the psychiatric side-effect profile associated with the CB1 antagonist class. In 2018, Sanofi outlicensed the compound to Opiant Pharmaceuticals, which is currently developing an injectable formulation for the treatment of acute cannabinoid overdose.

Other names

drinabant