Mavoglurant

Mavoglurant (developmental code name AFQ-056) is an experimental drug candidate for the treatment of fragile X syndrome and other conditions. It exerts its effect as an antagonist of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5).

Mavoglurant was under development by Novartis and reached phase II and phase III clinical trials. Phase IIb/III dose finding and evaluation trials for fragile X-syndrome were discontinued by the end of 2014. Otherwise, it would have been the first drug to treat the underlying disorder instead of the symptoms of fragile X syndrome. Mavoglurant was also in phase II clinical trials for Levodopa-induced dyskinesia. In 2007, Norvartis had conducted a clinical study to assess its ability of reducing cigarette smoking, but no results had been published up till now. Novartis was conducting a clinical trial with this drug on obsessive–compulsive disorder.

Novartis discontinued development of mavoglurant for fragile X syndrome in April 2014 following disappointing trial results. Development was discontinued for other indications by 2017.

Recently, Stalicla, a biotech company applying artificial intelligence to identify subgroups of high-responder patients, acquired worldwide rights from Novartis to progress the drug for substance-use and neurodevelopmental disorders.