title: Neuropeptide receptor ligands as drugs for psychiatric diseases: the end of the beginning?
abstract: The search for novel drugs for treating psychiatric disorders is driven by the growing medical need to improve on the effectiveness and side-effect profile of currently available therapies. Given the wealth of preclinical data supporting the role of neuropeptides in modulating behaviour, pharmaceutical companies have been attempting to target neuropeptide receptors for over two decades. However, clinical studies with synthetic neuropeptide ligands have been unable to confirm the promise predicted by studies in animal models. Here, we analyse preclinical and clinical results for neuropeptide receptor ligands that have been studied in clinical trials for psychiatric diseases, including agents that target the receptors for tachykinins, corticotropin-releasing factor, vasopressin and neurotensin, and suggest new ways to exploit the full potential of these candidate drugs.
authors.affiliation: Sanofi, Exploratory Unit, 91385 Chilly-Mazarin, France. guy.griebel@sanofi.com
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Griebel
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Holsboer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000502:physiology; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide / Q000502:physiology*; D018028:Receptors, Neurotensin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018039:Receptors, Tachykinin / Q000502:physiology; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015320:Tachykinins / Q000502:physiology; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide; D018028:Receptors, Neurotensin; D018039:Receptors, Tachykinin; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin; D015320:Tachykinins; D014667:Vasopressins; D009496:Neurotensin; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone