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Drug discovery

Breakthrough in Insomnia and Neuropathic Pain Relief: Quebec Consortium Makes Groundbreaking Discoveries

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A pioneering collaboration between McGill University, the Quebec government, and private industry has led to significant progress in the development of a novel drug to alleviate insomnia and neuropathic pain. This outstanding achievement was made possible by a generous grant of $658,422 from the Quebec government (MEIE) and $453,125 from Brain Canada, in addition to a combined grant from Delmar Chemicals (now Minakem Montreal) and CIHR amounting to $1.6 million. The research journey began in 2007, with a groundbreaking scientific discovery made at McGill and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC).

Key Takeaways:

  • The unique collaboration between McGill University, the Quebec government, and private industry has resulted in the development of a novel drug with potential to alleviate insomnia and neuropathic pain.
  • The $1.6 million grant from the Quebec government (MEIE), Brain Canada, Delmar Chemicals (now Minakem Montreal), and CIHR has enabled the research to make significant progress.
  • The scientific discovery made in 2007 by Gabriella Gobbi, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Psychiatry at McGill University, and scientist at the RI-MUHC, was a key factor in this breakthrough.
  • The compound tested had an unexpected effect on a melatonin receptor in the brain, inducing deep sleep and increasing non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.
  • The compound's interaction with the MT2 receptor in the brain is seen as a major breakthrough in understanding the regulation of circadian rhythms and its potential to alleviate insomnia and neuropathic pain.
  • Dr. Gobbi's research at the RI-MUHC has contributed significantly to the development of this novel drug.

Statistics:

  • $658,422 grant from the Quebec government (MEIE) for the research
  • $453,125 grant from Brain Canada for the research
  • $1.6 million combined grant from Delmar Chemicals (now Minakem Montreal) and CIHR for the research
  • The research began in 2007
  • The compound tested had a significant effect on the MT2 receptor in the brain

Sources:

  • Consortium Quebecois sur la Decouverte du Medicament (CQDM)
  • Brain Canada
  • Quebec-based Delmar Chemicals (now Minakem Montreal)
  • CIHR
  • "Melatonin and the Circadian System" by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (Source: National Institutes of Health)
  • Dr. Gabriella Gobbi's research at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC)

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