Bright Minds Biosciences has debuted glowing phase 2 results for its lead anti-seizure asset, giving the biotech’s stock a jolt and setting up future registrational trials for the serotonin receptor agonist.
The New York-based neuro outfit’s BMB-101, designed to bind to and activate a serotonin receptor subtype called 5-HT2C, significantly reduced the number of seizures experienced by patients with drug-resistant absence seizures and developmental and encephalopathic epilepsies (DEEs), according to a Jan. 6 release.
In the phase 2 open-label trial, 11 patients with absence seizures given oral BMB-101 twice daily for three months had an average of 73.1% fewer seizures. Over a 24-hour period, the amount of time these patients spent in seizures lasting longer than three seconds dropped by 74.4% after treatment.
Absence seizures are brief losses of consciousness that resemble staring into space or daydreaming but are actually caused by bursts of electricity in the brain. Eyelid fluttering or repetitive motions like nodding or lip smacking can also accompany them.
The six patients with DEEs included four with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, one with Dravet syndrome and one with Rett syndrome. This group’s seizure frequency fell by 63.3% after BMB-101 treatment, according to the release.
BMB-101 was generally well tolerated, Bright Minds said, with most adverse events mild or moderate. There were three severe adverse events, including a case of dry mouth and one patient who suffered a fractured shoulder and opiate-related drowsiness unrelated to treatment.
Investors basked in the glow of Bright Minds’ phase 2 win, sending the biotech’s stock up from $88 per share at Monday’s close to a high of $120 at 9:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Jan. 6, before settling at around the $100 mark.
Founded in 2017, Bright Minds launched a program in Prader-Willi syndrome last November, with plans to kick off a phase 2 trial of BMB-101 in the indication in the first quarter of 2026. This trial is meant as a proof of concept to clear the way for a similar 5-HT2C receptor agonist, BMB-105, to become the lead compound for Prader-Willi, a rare genetic disease marked by constant hunger and a suite of other physical and behavioral symptoms.