AZ-1080 (AZD-1080) is an inhibitor of GSK-beta which was developed by AstraZeneca and initially tested in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (phase I). The drug was discontinued for the aforementioned condition, but now it is being investigated as a potential therapy for ovarina cancer and emdometrial carcinoma (basic research).

LM11A-31 is a small, nonpeptide, monomeric ligand of p75 neutrophin receptor (p75NTR). The compound promotes neuron survival in vitro. PharmatrophiX is developing a modified version of LM11A-31 (LM11A 31 BHS) for the oral treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

LM11A-31 is a small, nonpeptide, monomeric ligand of p75 neutrophin receptor (p75NTR). The compound promotes neuron survival in vitro. PharmatrophiX is developing a modified version of LM11A-31 (LM11A 31 BHS) for the oral treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Tubastatin A is a potent and selective HDAC6 inhibitor with IC50 of 15 nM in a cell-free assay. Tubastatin A is a very selective HDAC6 inhibitor with 100 to over 1000-fold selectivity for HDAC6 over other HDAC classes. Tubastatin A increases the total numbers of mitochondria and restores the number of moving mitochondria in DRG neurons. It reverses the axonal loss in peripheral neurons in the mouse model of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Tubastatin A inhibits the deacetylation of α-tubulin in murine myoblasts.

Coptisine (COP), a protoberberine alkaloid, is widely found in Chinese medicinal plants (family Berberidaceae, Ranunculaceae and Papaveraceae). It is reported that COP has a wide range of pharmacological and biological activities, including antibacterial, hypoglycemic, anti-tumorigenic, and gastric-mucous membrane protection. Considerable attention has been focused on its activity against central nervous system disorders, such as improving the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and even preventing its onset, by exerting antidepressant effects as a potent type A monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Coptisine was found to be an efficient uncompetitive Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase inhibitor. Coptisine is a potent inhibitor of human organic cation transporters.

PHA-543613 was discovered by Pfizer and has been under development primarily as a potential treatment of schizophrenia. PHA-543613 acts as an agonist to the Neuronal acetylcholine receptor protein alpha-7 subunit. A single human trial was conducted in healthy human volunteers, but the compound has been studied extensively in rat models for schizophrenia as well as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

WIN 55212-2 is the synthetic cannabimimetic compound. It is a potent aminoalkylindole cannabinoid receptor agonist. WIN 55,212-2 increases expression of anti-oxidant Cu/Zn SOD and is able to prevent inflammation induced by Aβ1-42 in cultured astrocytes. It exerts neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory actions against Aβ damage through both CB₁ and CB₂ receptors. WIN 55212-2 attenuates hyperalgesia and allodynia in a rat model of neuropathic pain. In the clinical trial, it was revealed that WIN 55212-2, applied topically, decreases the intraocular pressure of human glaucoma resistant to conventional therapies within the first 30 min.

Pifithrin-alpha is a small molecule p53 functional inhibitor reported to behave like an antiapoptotic agent in neurodegenerative models. Pifithrin-alpha is a prodrug that under physiological conditions spontaneously undergoes ring closure to yield pifithrin-beta. Pifithrin-beta demonstrated antiproliferative and neuroprotective effects in vitro. Pifithrin-beta is able to activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in a complete independent way of the p53 inhibition.

NPS-2143 is a novel potent and selective antagonist of Ca(2+) receptor with IC50 of 43 nM. Blockage of CaSR with NPS-2143 has being shown to prevent the development of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy in animal models of pulmonary hypertension. The use of calcilytics, antagonists of CaSR, may be a novel therapeutic approach for PAH patients. Calcilytic drugs have been researched as potential treatments for osteoporosis, and as the first such compound developed, NPS-2143 is still widely used in research into the CaSR receptor as well as design of newer calcilytic agents. When administered together with an antiresorptive agent (estradiol), NPS 2143 causes an increase in trabecular bone volume and bone mineral density in osteopenic rats.

A-582941 was found to exhibit high-affinity binding and agonism at alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR), with acceptable pharmacokinetic properties and excellent distribution to the central nervous system. In vitro and in vivo studies indicated that A-582941 activates signaling pathways known to be involved in cognitive function such as ERK1/2 and CREB phosphorylation. A-582941 enhanced cognitive performance in behavioral assays including the monkey delayed matching-to-sample, rat social recognition, and mouse inhibitory avoidance models that capture domains of working memory, short-term recognition memory, and long-term memory consolidation, respectively. AbbVie is developing α7-nAChR agonists including A-582941 as neuroprotective agents for the treatment of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. Development is at the preclinical stage.