Verucerfont

Verucerfont (GSK-561,679) is a drug developed by GlaxoSmithKline which acts as a CRF-1 antagonist. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), also known as Corticotropin releasing hormone, is an endogenous peptide hormone which is released in response to various triggers such as chronic stress, and activates the two corticotropin-releasing hormone receptors CRH-1 and CRH-2. This then triggers the release of corticotropin (ACTH), another hormone which is involved in the physiological response to stress.

Verucerfont

Clinical data
Routes of administration	Oral
ATC code	none
Identifiers
IUPAC name 3-(4-methoxy-2-methylphenyl)-2,5-dimethyl-N-[(1S)-1-(3-methyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)propyl]pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-amine
CAS Number	885220-61-1
PubChem CID	11596613
ChemSpider	28295024
UNII	X60608B091
KEGG	D09695
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID501032013
ECHA InfoCard	100.158.110
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C22H26N6O2
Molar mass	406.490 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
SMILES CC[C@@H](c1nc(no1)C)Nc2cc(nc3n2nc(c3c4ccc(cc4C)OC)C)C
InChI InChI=1S/C22H26N6O2/c1-7-17(22-24-15(5)27-30-22)25-19-11-12(2)23-21-20(14(4)26-28(19)21)16-9-8-10-18(29-6)13(16)3/h8-11,17,25H,7H2,1-6H3/t17-/m0/s1 Key:NZQAFTPOKINLRY-KRWDZBQOSA-N

Verucerfont blocks the CRH-1 receptor, and so reduces ACTH release following chronic stress. It is under investigation as a potential treatment for alcoholism, as chronic stress is often a factor in both development of alcoholism and relapse in recovering alcoholics. It has shown promising results in animal studies.^[1] However, human trials have shown that while the neuroendocrine effects translate from animal models, the alcohol anti-craving effects do not.^[2]

See also

• Antalarmin
• Corticotropin releasing hormone antagonists
• List of investigational anxiolytics
• Pexacerfont