Therapeutics: Neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor 2 (TrkB; NTRK2)

Rat studies suggest that brain-penetrating TrkB antagonists could help treat cocaine addiction. In a rat model of self-administered cocaine addiction, a peptide TrkB inhibitor tool compound fused to the transduction domain of the HIV-1 tat protein decreased both short- and long-access intake of cocaine and reinstatement of drug-taking after extinction compared with HIV tat alone. Next steps could include identifying and evaluating additional brain-penetrating TrkB inhibitors...