Preclinical characterization of WAY‐211612: a dual 5‐HT uptake inhibitor and 5‐HT1A receptor antagonist and potential novel antidepressant

Background and purpose:  As a combination of 5-HT selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) with 5-HT1A receptor antagonism may yield a rapidly acting antidepressant, WAY-211612, a compound with both SSRI and 5-HT1A receptor antagonist activities, was evaluated in preclinical models. Experimental approach:  Occupancy studies confirmed the mechanism of action of WAY-211612, while its in vivo profile was characterized in microdialysis and behavioural models. Key results:  WAY-211612 inhibited 5-HT reuptake (Ki = 1.5 nmol·L−1; KB = 17.7 nmol·L−1) and exhibited full 5-HT1A receptor antagonist activity (Ki = 1.2 nmol·L−1; KB = 6.3 nmol·L−1; Imax 100% in adenyl cyclase assays; KB = 19.8 nmol·L−1; Imax 100% in GTPγS). WAY-211612 (3 and 30 mg·kg−1, po) occupied 5-HT reuptake sites in rat prefrontal cortex (56.6% and 73.6% respectively) and hippocampus (52.2% and 78.5%), and 5-HT1A receptors in the prefrontal cortex (6.7% and 44.7%), hippocampus (8.3% and 48.6%) and dorsal raphe (15% and 83%). Acute or chronic treatment with WAY-211612 (3–30 mg·kg−1, po) raised levels of cortical 5-HT approximately twofold, as also observed with a combination of an SSRI (fluoxetine; 30 mg·kg−1, s.c.) and a 5-HT1A antagonist (WAY-100635; 0.3 mg·kg−1, s.c). WAY-211612 (3.3–30 mg·kg−1, s.c.) decreased aggressive behaviour in the resident-intruder model, while increasing the number of punished crossings (3–30 mg·kg−1, i.p. and 10–56 mg·kg−1, po) in the mouse four-plate model and decreased adjunctive drinking behaviour (56 mg·kg−1, i.p.) in the rat scheduled-induced polydipsia model. Conclusions and implications:  These findings suggest that WAY-211612 may represent a novel antidepressant.