Bright Minds Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ: DRUG) has announced the appointment of Stephen D. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., as its Chief Medical Officer (CMO), effective January 7, 2025. Dr. Collins will be responsible for guiding the clinical development of Bright Minds' pipeline of novel compounds targeting central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including drug-resistant epilepsy and depression. Mark A. Smith M.D., Ph.D., will retire from his role as Acting CMO, but will continue to serve in an advisory capacity.
Ian McDonald, CEO and Co-founder of Bright Minds Biosciences, expressed enthusiasm about Dr. Collins's appointment, stating, "Throughout his distinguished career as an R&D leader, Steve has a demonstrated track record of leadership and strategic oversight from pre-clinical development through successful commercialization of several drugs across therapeutic areas. His experience advancing novel therapeutics in the CNS space aligns perfectly with our mission to develop the next generation of serotonin drugs to improve patient outcomes."
Collins's Background and Expertise
Dr. Collins brings a wealth of experience to Bright Minds, having previously served as CEO of Biscayne Neurotherapeutics and Biscayne Pharmaceuticals. His career also includes leadership positions at Neurotherapeutics Pharma, Ovation Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Lundbeck A/S), and Johnson & Johnson. Notably, during his tenure at Ovation Pharmaceuticals, three anti-convulsant therapies were developed and approved, including Sabril for Infantile Spasms and Frisium for Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome.
"I am delighted to join the Bright Minds team and to continue investigating new chemical entities to treat rare epilepsies, an important and underserved area of therapeutics," said Dr. Collins. He also mentioned the recent initiation of the BREAKTHROUGH Study, an open-label Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of BMB-101 in adult patients with classic Absence Epilepsy and Developmental Epileptic Encephalopathy (DEE).
BMB-101 and the BREAKTHROUGH Study
BMB-101, a novel scaffold 5-HT2CGq-protein biased agonist, is being developed by Bright Minds for the chronic treatment of neurological disorders. The drug is designed to minimize the risk of receptor desensitization and tolerance development by working exclusively via the Gq-protein signaling pathway and avoiding beta-arrestin activation. Preclinical studies have demonstrated efficacy in animal models of Dravet Syndrome and generalized seizures.
Bright Minds initiated the BREAKTHROUGH Study, a Phase 2 clinical trial, on September 12th. This study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of BMB-101 in adult patients with classic Absence Epilepsy and Developmental Epileptic Encephalopathy (DEE). Phase 1 clinical studies have shown BMB-101 to be safe and well-tolerated, with mild adverse events consistent with serotonergic drugs. Target engagement studies using fluid and physical biomarkers confirmed robust central target engagement and a qEEG signature typical for anti-epileptic drugs.
Bright Minds' Focus
Bright Minds Biosciences is focused on developing innovative treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders, particularly those with high unmet medical need. Their pipeline includes novel compounds targeting key receptors in the brain to address conditions such as epilepsy, depression, and other CNS disorders. The company's platform of highly selective serotonergic agonists offers a rich portfolio of new chemical entities (NCEs) within neurology and psychiatry.
