RO-5166017 is a drug developed by
Hoffmann-La Roche which acts as a potent and selective agonist for the
trace amine-associated receptor 1, with no significant activity at other targets. This is important for the study of the TAAR1 receptor, as while numerous other compounds are known which act as TAAR1 agonists, such as
methamphetamine,
MDMA and
3-iodothyronamine, all previously known TAAR1 agonists are either weak and rapidly metabolized (endogenous ligands), or have strong pharmacological activity at other targets (amphetamines, thyronamines), making it very difficult to assess which effects are due to TAAR1 activation. The discovery of RO-5166017 allows purely TAAR1 mediated effects to be studied, and in animal studies it was shown to prevent stress-induced hyperthermia and block dopamine-dependent hyperlocomotion, as well as blocking the hyperactivity which would normally be induced by an
NMDA antagonist. The experiment was done in dopamine transporter knockout mice,[1] and since TAAR1 affects the dopamine transporter, the results could be very different in humans.[2]
† References for all endogenous human TAAR1 ligands are provided at
List of trace amines
‡ References for synthetic TAAR1 agonists can be found at
TAAR1 or in the associated compound articles. For TAAR2 and TAAR5 agonists and inverse agonists, see
TAAR for references.