A new reuptake inhibitor for stimulant use disorder and depression
SVN-015 is a new compound, evaluated by the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) for cocaine and methamphetamine addiction, and the basis of a second programme in depression with anhedonia.
Preliminary preclinical findings do not establish the safety of SVN-015 in humans or whole animals.
A new cocaine and methamphetamine addiction candidate in further NIDA-funded studies, after encouraging initial screening
of U.S. overdose deaths (January 2021 to June 2024) involved stimulants. There is no FDA-approved medicine for cocaine or methamphetamine addiction.
NIDA conducts and funds the studies through its preclinical Addiction Treatment Discovery Program (ATDP). Solvonis retains ownership of SVN-015 and its intellectual property.
What has been announced
On the cardiac ion-channel measures assessed to date, SVN-015 shows a more favourable profile than GBR-12909.
GBR-12909, an earlier dopamine transporter (DAT) inhibitor evaluated by NIDA, is known to interact with several cardiac ion channels.
SVN-015 is investigational. Preliminary preclinical findings do not establish the safety of SVN-015 in humans or whole animals; further safety pharmacology, toxicology and clinical evaluation will be required. NIDA’s involvement does not necessarily represent the official views of NIH or NIDA. Sources: Solvonis RNS, 3 December 2025 and 6 August 2026; Tanz et al., MMWR 2025 (stimulant-involved overdose deaths, January 2021 to June 2024); GBR-12909: Obejero-Paz et al., Sci Rep 2015;5:17623; Company patent data.
Same molecule, second programme: an exploratory antidepressant-like signal
Anhedonia is an unmet need
Anhedonia, the loss of pleasure and motivation, is a core symptom of major depressive disorder (MDD).
Many patients do not achieve adequate symptom control on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SVN-015 is a serotonin-dopamine reuptake inhibitor, designed to engage pathways involved in mood, motivation and reward.
In one mouse study, treatment with SVN-015 reduced forced-swim immobility, as did fluoxetine, an approved SSRI antidepressant used as the positive control
Bars: means on a 0 to 200 s scale. One-way ANOVA P=.047 (Fisher LSD). 14 daily SC doses, tested 24 h after the last dose.
Single study, one dose, male mice. One vehicle outlier (182 s) and one under-dosed SVN-015 animal were excluded. This is a screen for antidepressant-like activity, not for anhedonia.
Preclinical animal data do not establish human safety or efficacy in depression, and the forced swim test does not itself measure anhedonia. Sources: Solvonis RNS, 28 January 2026; Ulysses Neuroscience study UNL094 (report dated 21 January 2026); Company data on file.