Rationale for ROCK2 in rare neurological disorders

The target behind this week’s deal between Ovid and Samuel Waksal start-up Graviton — ROCK2 — is one that the partners believe could address a wide range of indications, but it’s attracted few competitors.

The challenges have been achieving selective inhibition of ROCK2 without blocking activity of its nearly identical ROCK1 isoform, and for CNS indications, achieving blood-brain barrier penetration...