May 05, 2008 - Targacept, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRGT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of drugs known as NNR Therapeutics (TM), announced the designation of a lead compound in its smoking cessation program, triggering a $500,000 milestone payment under its alliance agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)...... Neuronal nicotinic receptors (NNRs) are a class of proteins in the nervous system that modulate the levels of key chemical messengers, such as dopamine. Nicotine’s addictive effects have been linked to over-stimulation of dopamine release in brain regions involved in feelings of reward and pleasure.
Various NNR subtypes modulate dopamine release in these pathways and represent optimal targets for therapeutic intervention. Compounds that can normalize the activity of these NNR subtypes have the potential to decrease the rewarding effects of nicotine and, as a result, the desire to smoke... Targacept's Press Release -
