PE-22-28
July 18, 2023Incremental
4/10
Purrptide digest
PE-22-28 is a small fragment derived from spadin, designed to inhibit the TREK-1 potassium channel — a target implicated in mood regulation and antidepressant response. Animal studies show fast-acting antidepressant-like effects, comparable in speed to ketamine but through a completely different mechanism, without ketamine's dissociative side effects. This remains squarely a research compound. No human trials yet, but the mechanism is novel enough that several academic labs are actively pursuing it.
What this means for you
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If you care about weight/health
Purely a research compound right now — promising mechanism, zero human safety data, not something to self-experiment with.
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If you're a clinician
TREK-1 channel inhibition as a fast-acting antidepressant mechanism distinct from both SSRIs and ketamine is genuinely novel pharmacology worth tracking.
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If you're a researcher
Fast-onset antidepressant action without ketamine's dissociative profile would be a meaningful clinical advance if it translates to humans.
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If you follow biotech
Fast-acting antidepressants are a massive unmet need. A non-dissociative mechanism would be commercially enormous if it clears trials.
YE
Ye et al.
Université Côte d'Azur
For the nerds
Spadin produces rapid antidepressant effects through TREK-1 channel inhibition
Molecular Psychiatry · DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.65
Read full paper on PubMed →