Columbia Technology Ventures

Serotonin targeting in the gut to treat anxiety and depression

This technology is a method to target gut epithelial transporters as a therapeutic target for more efficient and safer anti-depressive and anti-anxiety treatments.

Unmet Need: Efficient serotonin targeting for anxiety and depression treatment

Current methods for the treatment of anxiety and depression involve Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). However, SSRIs are limited in their efficacy and safety, and cannot be used during pregnancy. There is currently no treatment that efficiently targets anxiety and depression.

The Technology: Serotonin targeting in the gut for mood disorders treatment

This technology targets serotonin signaling in the gut, targeted specifically to the gut epithelium, as a more efficient treatment for anxiety and depression. By limiting the serotonin modulation to the gut epithelium, it can promote anti-depressive and anti-anxiety effects while also preventing side effects usually observed with systemic SSRIs such as anxiety, abdominal pain and diarrhea. As such, it offers a safer way to treat anxiety and depression in patients. This technology also highly limits systemic circulation that prevents placental transfer to a fetus and thus limit or eliminate the potential adverse effects of SSRIs on fetal development, including issues with mood, cognition and disorders of gut-brain interaction.

This technology has been validated in a mouse model.

Applications:

  • Treatment for mood disorders including anxiety, MDD, PTSD, and OCD
  • Treatment for gut disorders including gastrointestinal and brain-gut axis disorders
  • Treatment for chronic disorders like fibromyalgia and chronic pain
  • Biomarkers and diagnostic tool for mood disorders *A safer alternative treatment for all of the above noted disorders in pregnant women
  • Research tool to study gut-brain axis in mood disorders

Advantages:

  • Less side effects
  • Less invasive
  • Compatible with other treatments

Lead Inventor:

Kara Margolis, MD

Patent Information:

Related Publications:

Tech Ventures Reference:

  • IR CU21281, CU22265, CU23350

  • Licensing Contact: Sara Gusik