Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners Inc., has filed a provisional patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the use of GABA aminotransferase inhibitors, including CPP-109 and CPP-115, in the treatment of tourette syndrome. Catalyst, one of the inventors, through a license agreement with the co-inventors' respective institutions, has exclusive worldwide rights to GABA aminotransferase inhibitors for this use.

Catalyst's intellectual property is a method of treating tourette syndrome using GABA aminotransferase inhibitor drugs, including CPP-109 and CPP-115, which significantly increase presynaptically stored GABA, and enhance GABA signalling in the striatal-thalamo-cortical tracts involved in habit formation and motor control.

Catalyst has agreed to provide drug product and financial support for a proof-of-concept study at a prestigious academic institution in the United States. This study will evaluate the use of CPP-109 in treating tourette syndrome, and is expected to take approximately one year to complete.

“The filing of this provisional patent application represents another important step forward in advancing and maximizing the value of Catalyst's GABA aminotransferase inhibitor platform for the benefit of our patients and shareholders,” said Patrick J McEnany, CEO of Catalyst. “Our goal is to build a leading central nervous system (CNS) specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing drugs to address unmet medical needs and orphan diseases. The use of CPP-109 and CPP-115 in the treatment of Tourette Syndrome may provide us with significant CNS expansion opportunities while addressing an important medical need.”

Tourette syndrome is a neurobiological disorder characterized by multiple motor and vocal tics that are associated with considerable disability and reduction in quality of life. The tics are often involuntary, rapid, sudden movements and/or vocal outbursts that occur repeatedly. No definite cause has been established for tourette syndrome, although considerable evidence points to abnormal metabolism of dopamine in the brain.

The majority of clinically referred youth with tourette syndrome meet the criteria for comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), while young adults meet the criteria for additional anxiety, mood and substance abuse disorders. There is no cure for tourette syndrome and the only approved products for treatment are haloperidol and pimozide, with both having limited efficacy and significant side effects.

Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners Inc. is a development-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of prescription drugs targeting diseases of the central nervous system.