Discovering New Therapeutic Uses for Existing Molecules

Indiana University, Indianapolis
Alan Breier, M.D.

Audio Clip Transcript

Schizophrenia is a serious lifelong brain disorder associated with substantial unmet medical need. It’s been known for decades that estrogen has a positive effect on brain, that it’s neuroprotective and, in the case of schizophrenia, has positive therapeutic effects. But, because of the side effects of estrogen, it’s not been a practical treatment. Less than 10 years ago, a brain receptor for estrogen was discovered. We and our partner Eli Lilly and Company will test a highly selective drug for the brain receptor associated with estrogen’s effects in schizophrenia for the very first time. We hypothesize that this new agent will improve the cognitive deficits of schizophrenia and lead to higher levels of functional status.