Safer RIMA

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are some of the oldest antidepressants, although they are used sparingly because of potentially lethal dietary and drug interactions. CeNeRx BioPharma Inc. believes Tyrima, an MAO-A inhibitor that just entered Phase I studies, will avoid those side effects and be more effective than first-line antidepressants such as reuptake inhibitors that affect only one or two neurotransmitters.

For more than 30 years, it has been theorized that depression is caused by low levels of monoamines, such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, in the brain. Non-selective MAO inhibitors increase the levels of all three, but also result in a buildup of tyramine, a compound that is prevalent in foods such as aged meats and cheeses. Elevated tyramine can result in hypertensive crisis. ...