Pridopidine is a highly selective sigma-1 receptor (S1R) agonist in clinical development for Huntington's disease (HD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The S1R is a ubiquitous chaperone protei Show more
Pridopidine is a highly selective sigma-1 receptor (S1R) agonist in clinical development for Huntington's disease (HD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The S1R is a ubiquitous chaperone protein enriched in the central nervous system and regulates multiple pathways critical for neuronal cell function and survival, including cellular stress responses, mitochondrial function, calcium signaling, protein folding, and autophagy. S1R has a crucial role in the ER mitochondria-associated membrane (MAM), whose dysfunction is implicated in several neurodegenerative diseases. By activating the S1R, pridopidine corrects multiple cellular pathways necessary to the cell's ability to respond to stress, which are disrupted in neurodegenerative diseases. Pridopidine restores MAM integrity; rescues Ca Show less