Vanoxerine

Vanoxerine (GBR-12909) is a piperazine derivative which is a potent and selective dopamine reuptake inhibitor (DRI). GBR-12909 binds to the target site on the dopamine transporter (DAT) ~ 50 times more strongly than cocaine, but simultaneously inhibits the release of dopamine. This combined effect only slightly elevates dopamine levels, giving vanoxerine only mild stimulant effects. Vanoxerine has also been observed to be a potent blocker of the IKr (hERG) channel. GBR-12909 also binds with nanomolar affinity to the serotonin transporter. Vanoxerine (GBR-12909) is a piperazine derivative which is a potent and selective dopamine reuptake inhibitor (DRI). GBR-12909 binds to the target site on the dopamine transporter (DAT) ~ 50 times more strongly than cocaine, but simultaneously inhibits the release of dopamine. This combined effect only slightly elevates dopamine levels, giving vanoxerine only mild stimulant effects. Vanoxerine has also been observed to be a potent blocker of the IKr (hERG) channel. GBR-12909 also binds with nanomolar affinity to the serotonin transporter. Vanoxerine has been researched for use in treating cocaine dependence both as a substitute for cocaine and to block the rewarding effects. This strategy of using a competing agonist with a longer half-life has been successfully used to treat addiction to opiates such as heroin by substituting with methadone. It was hoped that vanoxerine would be of similar use in treating cocaine addiction. Research also indicates that vanoxerine may have additional mechanisms of action including antagonist action at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, and it has also been shown to reduce the consumption of alcohol in animal models of alcohol abuse. Vanoxerine has been through human trials up to Phase II, but development was stopped due to observed QTc effects in the context of cocaine use. This article refers to vanoxerine as GBR 12909. However, GBR 12909 analogs continue to be studied as treatments for cocaine addiction. As an example, GBR compounds are piperazine based and contain a proximal and a distal nitrogen. It was found that piperidine analogs are still fully active DRIs, although they do not have any affinity for the 'piperazine binding site' unlike the GBR compounds. Further SAR revealed that while there are 4 atoms connecting the two fluorophenyl rings to the piperazine, the ether in the chain could be omitted in exchange for a tertiary nitrogen. Vanoxerine, a blocker of the dopamine carrier devoid of action on the noradrenaline carrier, while fully increasing dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, is ineffective in raising extracellular dopamine in the prefrontal cortex. Vanoxerine is a drug that was in the midst of recruiting participants for a phase III human clinical trial for its use as a cardiac antiarrhythmic when safety concerns arose. It had passed phase IIb human trials without any concerns but the company, Laguna Pharmaceuticals, found safety issues which prompted them to shut down their company and the $30 million effort to produce a new heart medication. It was previously indicated as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease and depression; however, it had no significant benefit with these diseases. Vanoxerine is a potentially effective treatment for abnormal heart rhythms. A significant cause of abnormal heart rhythms is reentry, an electrophysiologic event in which the proliferating signal refuses to terminate, and endures to reexcite the heart after the refractory period. It is likely that vanoxerine acts to prevent reentrant circuits. Vanoxerine terminates atrial flutters and atrial fibrillations (both cardiac abnormal heart rhythms) by blocking the recirculating electrical signal, and preventing the reformation of the reentrant circuit. Vanoxerine has also shown a tendency to reduce the recurrence of cardiac arrhythmias, as it was exceedingly difficult to reproduce an atrial flutter or fibrillation in a subject that had been taking vanoxerine. Experiments have successfully been performed on cell cultures, canine hosts, and testing has moved towards human trials.