Fasoracetam for ADHD
Fasoracetam (NFC-1, AEVI-001) is a racetam.
Fasoracetam is a non-stimulatory modulator (agonist) of all 3 groups of metabotropic glutamate receptors.
Fasoracetam is bioavailable when taken orally and is largely excreted unchanged in the urine.
In studies with rodents, it improved cognitive functions.
Fasoracetam was unsuccessful in Phase 3 trials for the treatment of vascular dementia. Studies in primates and rodents found no signs of dependence or addiction.1
Fasoracetam may be effective in the treatment of ADHD in people with ADHD with certain mGluR mutations. This applies to about 10% of all ADHD cases. In all other cases, fasoracetam is probably ineffective.
A 5-week, open-label, single-blind, placebo-controlled and registered study of 30 adolescents aged 12-17 years with ADHD and mutations in mGluR network genes showed significant improvement in ADHD symptoms without increased side effects.2
Two other registered studies found no improvements in ADHD symptoms in persons with ADHD without and with glutamate receptor gene mutations.3
Connolly, Glessner, Elia, Hakonarson (2015): ADHD & Pharmacotherapy: Past, Present and Future: A Review of the Changing Landscape of Drug Therapy for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2015 Sep;49(5):632-642. doi: 10.1177/2168479015599811. PMID: 26366330; PMCID: PMC4564067. ↥
Elia, Ungal, Kao, Ambrosini, De Jesus-Rosario, Larsen, Chiavacci, Wang T, Kurian, Titchen, Sykes, Hwang S, Kumar, Potts, Davis J, Malatack, Slattery, Moorthy, Zuppa, Weller, Byrne, Li YR, Kraft, Hakonarson (2018): Fasoracetam in adolescents with ADHD and glutamatergic gene network variants disrupting mGluR neurotransmitter signaling. Nat Commun. 2018 Jan 16;9(1):4. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-02244-2. PMID: 29339723; PMCID: PMC5770454. n = 30 ↥
Nageye, Cortese (2019): Beyond stimulants: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials assessing novel compounds for ADHD. Expert Rev Neurother. 2019 Jul;19(7):707-717. doi: 10.1080/14737175.2019.1628640. PMID: 31167583.) ↥