BrainCells Depression Drug Reaches Goal

Luke Timmerman7/27/09

BrainCells Inc., the San Diego-based developer of treatments for neurological disorders, said today that its experimental drug for depression showed promising results in a clinical trial of 142 patients. The company’s drug, BCI-952, a combination of low-dose buspirone and melatonin, is designed to work differently than other depression drugs, by stimulating growth of new brain cells. The drug showed statistically significant results on some, but not all measurements of depression. Data were presented at NCDEU, a meeting co-sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology.

Luke Timmerman is the National Biotech Editor of Xconomy, and the Editor of Xconomy Seattle. E-mail him at ltimmerman@xconomy.com or follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ldtimmerman.