SATT Aquitaine is supporting a major project co-led by Guillaume Lucas, an Inserm researcher at INCIA, aimed at revolutionizing the treatment of depression. Named ADAD, the project seeks to develop a new class of fast-acting antidepressants that are more effective and better tolerated than current treatments.
Guillaume Lucas
A Breakthrough at the Heart of Neuroscience and Molecular Chemistry Research
Traditional antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), have a therapeutic latency of 3 to 4 weeks before clinical effects appear. This delay complicates patient adherence, postpones therapeutic adjustments, and early side effects can lead to treatment discontinuation and relapse.
The ADAD project introduces a novel pharmacological approach based on an unprecedented chemical structure of molecules capable of acting much more rapidly on the mechanisms of depression. This breakthrough stems from the collaboration between Guillaume Lucas, Research Associate at the Institute of Cognitive and Integrative Neurosciences of Aquitaine (University of Bordeaux, CNRS), an expert in the neurobiological mechanisms of depression, and Jean-Luc Pozzo, University Professor at the Institute of Molecular Sciences (ISM – University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP), a specialist in the design and synthesis of new chemical entities for therapeutic purposes.
ADAD paves the way for more tailored treatments, including for patients resistant to conventional antidepressants. Beyond its efficacy, its rapid action will have a major impact on quality of life, social and professional reintegration, and the reduction of suicidal risk in individuals suffering from severe depression.
€398,670 Investment to Accelerate Project Maturation
To advance this invention from the research lab to patients, SATT Aquitaine is investing €398,670 in this maturation program, including €40,000 dedicated to intellectual property, with the goal of validating the first candidate molecules.
To increase the likelihood of identifying one or more drug candidates, the program aims to target a new class of molecules with a highly promising pharmacological profile, assess their pharmacokinetics and efficacy to select the most active and best-tolerated candidates, and ultimately demonstrate their faster onset of action compared to existing antidepressants on the market.
Upon completion of the maturation phase, the creation of a start-up is planned to continue preclinical and clinical development and bring this innovative antidepressant to market.
This project has already received support from the University of Bordeaux through the “Pre-maturation” call for projects.