Our Scientific Foundation
At Murck-Neuroscience, we believe that precision medicine is the future of mental health treatment. Our approach is based on the discovery that aldosterone, a hormone traditionally associated with cardiovascular function, serves as a more specific biomarker for treatment-resistant depression than the commonly studied hormone cortisol.
This insight led to extensive human and preclinical studies showing strong correlations between aldosterone and:
- Autonomic nervous system markers (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate variability)
- Inflammation markers
- Structural brain changes
The Lead Compound: Enoxolone
Our lead candidate is enoxolone, a plant-derived compound with a unique neuroendocrine and anti-inflammatory profile. Enoxolone targets the biological pathways associated with antidepressants resistance, offering the potential to significantly improve outcomes in patients who do not benefit from existing therapies.
Key Highlights:
- Target population identified through biomarker profiling
- Patent protection covering use with or without antidepressants
- Positive data from a proof-of-concept extract trial
- Ongoing placebo-controlled trial with pure enoxolone showing successful target engagement in interim analysis
Clinical Development
Our lead candidate is enoxolone, a plant-derived compound with a unique neuroendocrine and anti-inflammatory profile. Enoxolone targets the biological pathways associated with antidepressants resistance, offering the potential to significantly improve outcomes in patients who do not benefit from existing therapies.
Key Highlights:
- Target population identified through biomarker profiling
- Patent protection covering use with or without antidepressants
- Positive data from a proof-of-concept extract trial
- Ongoing placebo-controlled trial with pure enoxolone showing successful target engagement in interim analysis
Strategic Vision
By focusing on biomarker-driven patient stratification, Murck-Neuroscience LLC, aims to pioneer precision medicine in psychiatry. Its patent covers the use of enoxolone and related compounds in specific patient populations, either as standalone treatments or in combination with antidepressants.
Publications and books
Murck-Neuroscience LLC is built on decades of scientific excellence and innovation. Our founder, Harald Murck, MD, PhD, has authored and co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, establishing himself as a recognized leader in the fields of neuroendocrinology, psychopharmacology, and translational neuroscience.
His research has made significant contributions to our understanding of:
- Aldosterone and its role in mood disorders
- The therapeutic potential of glycyrrhizin and its active metabolite enoxolone
- The neurobiological underpinnings of treatment-resistant depression
