TorreyPines Therapeutics (TPTX)

Cognitive Impairment Associated with Schizophrenia (CIAS)

Schizophrenia is a chronic and disabling mental illness that affects approximately 2.4 million adults in the United States. The illness is characterized by positive symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions as well as negative symptoms such as social isolation, withdrawal, and cognitive impairment. While there have been significant advances in the treatment of schizophrenia, the currently approved antipsychotic drugs primarily treat the positive symptoms. An emerging approach to improving the functional ability of patients with schizophrenia is to develop therapies that will improve their cognitive impairment. There are no current approved therapies for CIAS.

Market research conducted on our behalf supports our belief of the medical need and market opportunity for therapies to treat CIAS. According to this focus group research, more than half of adults diagnosed with schizophrenia have some form of cognitive impairment. In addition, physicians reported that a general assessment of cognitive function is routinely performed on approximately 80% of patients. Physicians cite poor working memory and reduced attention as the most common symptom of CIAS, and they confirm that the most significant unmet need in treating schizophrenia is improving work, school and social functionality for patients.