Evenamide

Evenamide (INN) (developmental code names NW-3509, NW-3509A) is a selective voltage-gated sodium channel blocker, including (and not limited to) subtypes Nav1.3, Nav1.7, and Nav1.8, which is described as an antipsychotic and is under development by Newron Pharmaceuticals as an add-on therapy for the treatment of schizophrenia. The drug has shown efficacy in animal models of psychosis, mania, depression, and aggression. It has completed phase I clinical trials, and phase II clinical trials will be commenced in the third quarter of 2015.

The drug was discovered by Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA, a pharmaceutical company located in Italy and according to the company, it shows benefit to the management of schizophrenia to poorly responded treatment with antipsychotics. It acts exclusively through glutamatergic inhibition.

Clinical studies
In a randomized study with treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients, evenamide was added to the treatment regimen, with the psychological assessors being blinded to whether evenamide was taken. 70% of the participants reported a significant lowering of their impairments; and in 25%, schizophrenia went in full remission. A full double-blind phase III study with treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients is in preparation as of January 2023.

The 4 week placebo trial of 2021 to evaluate the safety, tolerability and preliminary evidence of efficacy of evenamide for people with chronic schizophrenia was selected to address patients who are receiving treatment at constant doses of one of the following atypical antipsychotics: aripiprazole, clozapine, quetiapine, olanzapine, paliperidone or risperidone.