Pharmacological Profile of the 5-HT 2C Receptor Agonist WAY-163909; Therapeutic Potential in Multiple Indications

The 5-HT2C receptor subtype has been implicated in a wide variety of conditions including obesity, anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, migraine and erectile dysfunction and as a consequence has received considerable attention as a target for drug discovery. Here we review the pharmacological, pharmacokinetic and toxicological profile of WAY-163909 {(7bR,10aR)-1,2,3,4,8,9,10,10a-octahydro-7bH-cyclopenta-[b][1,4]diazepino[6,7,1hi]indole}, a novel 5-HT2C receptor selective agonist. Consistent with a potential therapeutic utility in obesity, schizophrenia and depression WAY-163909 was found to have robust dose-dependent effects in animal models of obesity, psychotic-like behavior or depression.