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At the 2023 Kv7 Symposium in Naples, Italy, Xyzagen Founder and CEO Christopher Crean presented research highlighting the company’s work on Kv7 prodrug development for neurological disorders. The symposium brought together leading experts in ion channel pharmacology to discuss emerging science and therapeutic strategies targeting Kv7 channels.
Christopher Crean’s presentation focused on Xyzagen’s Kv7 prodrug programs designed to address limitations of first-generation Kv7 channel modulators in the treatment of epilepsy, chronic pain, and other ion channel–related neurological conditions.
Scientific Focus and Program Overview
Mr. Crean’s presentation focused on Xyzagen’s development of Kv7 prodrugs—a new class of compounds designed to treat neurological conditions including epilepsy, chronic pain, and other ion channel–related disorders. In preclinical studies, these prodrugs demonstrated promising potential to enhance both the efficacy and specificity of Kv7 channel modulation.
The Kv7 prodrug programs are based on ezogabine, a first-in-class antiepileptic drug targeting Kv7.2/7.3 channels. Although ezogabine demonstrated clinical benefit, it was ultimately removed from the market due to limited adoption in the adjunctive epilepsy setting, driven in part by a three-times-daily dosing requirement in a therapeutic landscape increasingly favoring once-daily therapies.
Xyzagen’s prodrug approach re-engineers the pharmacokinetic profile of ezogabine to address these limitations. The programs enable injectable formulations for acute use while also modifying first-pass metabolism to increase the proportion of active drug absorbed. Together, these advances are designed to reduce overall drug burden and expand the clinical utility of Kv7-targeted therapies across multiple neurological indications.
Key Scientific Highlights
- Development of Kv7 prodrugs derived from ezogabine with altered PK profiles
- Strategies to support acute injectable use in neurological emergencies
- Improved absorption and reduced dosing burden through modulation of first-pass metabolism
- Preclinical data supporting enhanced efficacy and specificity of Kv7 channel modulation
Executive Quote
“We were excited to present our research at the Kv7 Symposium, where we had the opportunity to showcase the potential of Kv7 prodrugs to significantly impact the treatment of neurological disorders,” said Christopher Crean, Founder and CEO of Xyzagen. “Our work represents a major step toward advancing therapies that could offer new hope to patients with conditions that have few effective treatment options.”
Final Takeaways
Xyzagen’s presentation at the Kv7 Symposium underscores the company’s long-standing focus on Kv7 biology and its ability to translate mechanistic pharmacology into differentiated therapeutic strategies. By applying integrated clinical pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and translational modeling, Xyzagen continues to advance innovative approaches to neurological drug development.
If you’re exploring Kv7-targeted therapies or need support integrating clinical pharmacology and PK strategy into your CNS development program, Xyzagen can help. Contact us today to learn more.
About Xyzagen, Inc.
Xyzagen augments a client’s pharmacology and pharmacokinetics drug development team. As a leading pharmacokinetics consultancy and contract research organization with wet lab and rodent vivarium facilities, Xyzagen is able to push model informed drug development into its First-in-Rat® and First-in-Mouse® discovery platforms as well as support late stage clinical noncompartmental PK, PopPK and Quantitative Medicine. Our knowledge in pharmacology and pharmacokinetics allows the client to expand their core scientific team during the critical period of candidate selection up to the PreIND meeting and through clinical development and the preNDA meeting. Xyzagen’s a boutique organization which allows small clients to work directly and strategically with experts during their drug development programs.
Media Contact:
Christopher Crean
Founder & CEO
Xyzagen, Inc.
Phone: (919)-762-2072
Email: [email protected]
