Mitodicure GmbH, the company run by Klaus Wirth, has filed 3 patents for drugs aimed at the treatment of ME/CFS and related conditions. One drug is a THERAPEUTIC AGENT WITH SODIUM-HYDROGEN ANTIPORTER 1 INHIBITORY ACTIVITY, another is THERAPEUTIC AGENT WITH PHOSPHODIESTERASE-7 INHIBITORY ACTIVITY and the third patent is for SUBSTITUTED BENZOXAZOLE AND BENZOFURAN COMPOUNDS. The patents with explicit details can be found here: https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2024042160&_cid=P10-LUMW1S-77766-1 https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2024038089&_cid=P10-LUMW1S-77766-1 https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2024038090&_cid=P10-LUMW1S-77766-1
I'm not sure if there's much evidence for any of these things ("Lactate blood levels are increased in patients with chronic fatigue. Cellular energetic and mitochondrial dysfunction are present in chronic fatigue, particularly in skeletal muscles"), but it all seems to be built around the Muscle sodium content in patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome study which seemed interesting, but which no one seems to have replicated or is able to interpret meaningfully. Could be of interest to you @Murph.
I Just looked at one patent. It seems very broad scope claiming anything that acts as a NHE1 inhibitory agent. Claim 14 gets a bit more speciific but is still very broad [claims above 7 are not currently numbered but it should be 14]. Here are the key compounds listed in claim 14. As it's so broad I'm not going to dig into the coumpounds in the other two patents.
A bit more digging on the first patent. NHE1 is also known as SLC9A1. This particular gene was highlighted in the Wirth and Scheibenbogen papers: Pathophysiology of skeletal muscle disturbances in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Thread : https://www.s4me.info/threads/patho...ces-in-me-cfs-2021-wirth-scheibenbogen.20256/ Muscle sodium content in patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Thread : https://www.s4me.info/threads/muscl...-2022-petter-scheibenbogen-wirth-et-al.30853/ So the patents seem to be a follow on from their earlier research papers.
As a note: SLC9A1 expression was measured in the intramural study (without significant differences between ME and HC as far as I can see).
The second patent is about PDE7 inhibitors with seemingly the aim of raising cAMP levels in skeletal muscle as well as stimulating Na+/K+-ATPase and NCLX in skeletal muscle. PDE7 is an enzyme encoded by the PDE7A gene (it is not listed in the supplementary data 19 of the intramural study). The substance is a member selected from the group consisting of substances containing the structural units They don't list specific formulas but simply call them The third patent is also for a PDE7 inhibitor, but made up from different compounds which are all listed in the patent.
I have a breathing problem I treat with a herbal PDE4 inhibitor that raises cAMP. This goal has a wide application. It works well on my bronchospasms. I have been unable to experience any benefit for ME though.
ABOUT MDC002 MDC002 is a novel oral therapeutic being developed to treat all patients with ME/CFS. It has further potential in diseases where chronic fatigue is associated with Fibromyalgia, Gulf War syndrome, Lyme disease, ANCA vasculitis, Marfan syndrome, and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes. MDC002 could also be effective in curing an undisclosed rare disease (not related to fatigue). MDC002 is ready for GLP toxicity and GLP safety pharmacology studies. It is an orally applicable small molecule stimulating the sodium-potassium pump Na+/K+-ATPase and the mitochondrial sodium-calcium exchanger NCLX in skeletal muscle.
Also learned that they are not initiating at this moment any development of a new drug. They are focusing on repurposing approved drugs/ medications.
Oh, that's interesting. So the "novel oral therapeutic being developed" and "ready for GLP toxicity and GLP safety pharmacology studies" might be a new formulation or combination of existing drugs?
They said they are looking at approved drugs. Yes,Kitty, that is their plan. No timeline was offered, alas.
With regard to their timelines for the production of these meds, I have just learned that it will take "many years." My comment: no one out there seems to understand that more urgency is required in order to relieve people who are in utter daily hell with ME
Klaus Wirth knows about the urgency. I think, that's exaxtly why repurposing is important. It saves so much time in testing. Like Mestinon, it was already out there for Myasthenia Gravis, repurpose it for ME/CFS, and a whole portion of research can be skipped. That's used for POTS in ME/CFS and LC now; saves a lot of time. Patenting it means lower costs too (at least I hope so). When Big Pharma gets the patent it will cost a whole lot more. Klaus Wirth took about 12 to 18 months to read all the research about ME/CFS and now he works with the Scheibenbogen group. Who else is taking that much time to read it all? I have high hopes for his work.
Perhaps you've misunderstood me, Turtle: My comment was NOT directed at Dr. Wirth. I wrote: no one out there....It was a general comment that there is no warp speed initiative out there to help all these suffering young people. Yes, Dr. Wirth has worked and does with Scheibenbogen and understands the illness intimately. Their project is highly commendable. They have good minds, and I have always felt the Germans would come up with something. But I did ask them what sort of tentative time lines they had, and they said "many years." So, to me this means that there won't be anything for a long time. I won't quote the rest because they did not give me permission. I am just a mother of a severely ill adult daughter, and I am appalled that there hasn't been a concerted international focus on trying to solve this crippling disease. Daily I am in shock there there is really nothing out there to help, except pacing (which all sick people and old people have to do). I think you have taken my heartbreak to mean a criticism.
Dear @Perrier I really got what you were writing, having 33 years of lived experience myself. Frustration about ; more research is needed, lager groups of patients studied, found "something" in a third of patients. Not enough money to do further research. New medication takes 8+ years. Old medication even takes years. And the rest of the doctors, we don't have to know anything about ME/CFS/ because it is "psychological". Worst thing; no hope for your daughter and you for the immediate future. When she was young a kiss and a plaster from you could help and now when she's really sick the both of you are left empty handed by doctors. I didn't see criticism in your post, just frustration and hopelessness. I just wanted to add; the good ones are really trying to find something, and yes everything works slow as a turtle, you are completely right about that. Wirth saw a father with an ME/CFS son on tv and he started studying. At least he has very good ideas where others (NIH) are clueless. I can only give your daughter a and a for you too. I hope you will find the strength to keep caring for her.
Lovely message! Thank you. It’s heartbreaking to watch the children you birthed and nurtured to be struck down by an illness that has been neglected and dismissed. It’s just heartbreaking. xx
