Cambridge, Mass. — Sensorium Therapeutics announced positive Phase 1a results for SNTX-2643, its investigational serotonin transporter modulator being developed for social anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. The data were presented at Psych Congress 2026 in New Orleans.
The Phase 1a study evaluated SNTX-2643 in 63 healthy adults and included single-ascending-dose cohorts, a randomized placebo-controlled target-engagement cohort and an open-label food-effect cohort.
Sensorium said SNTX-2643 was generally well tolerated and demonstrated predictable pharmacokinetics, with no clinically significant food effect. No serious adverse events, deaths or discontinuations due to adverse events were reported.
In the target-engagement portion of the study, 25 participants received either a single 3 mg dose of SNTX-2643 or placebo. Exploratory analyses showed measurable effects on brain activity beginning about two hours after dosing and remaining evident at 24 hours.
“We built Sensorium around the idea that human biology can tell us where to look for better medicines. With SNTX-2643, we started with a human observation, worked backward to understand what was different about the biology, and now our first clinical data are showing that differentiation in humans,” said Jacob Hooker, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sensorium Therapeutics. “Seeing measurable CNS activity within hours of a single dose, with effects still evident at 24 hours, gives us greater confidence in both the program and the approach that led us here. We now have a stronger foundation to ask whether this can translate into meaningful benefit for patients.”
The study used quantitative electroencephalography, or qEEG, to assess pharmacodynamic effects. Sensorium said SNTX-2643 increased beta activity and reduced relative delta activity beginning about two hours after dosing and continuing through 24 hours. The analyses were exploratory and were not designed to assess clinical efficacy.
Researchers also used an aversive-video challenge designed to produce a controlled psychological stress response. Sensorium said a single 3 mg dose of SNTX-2643 reduced the beta and gamma EEG response to the challenge at both two and 24 hours compared with placebo.
The company also reported that pharmacodynamic activity remained evident at 24 hours even as plasma concentrations declined from about 6.0 ng/mL at two hours to about 0.6 ng/mL. Sensorium said further studies will evaluate the duration and clinical significance of the finding.
Exploratory testing did not show clinically significant impairment in measures of attention, information processing or perceptual judgment.
SNTX-2643 is Sensorium’s lead investigational therapy from its SENS-01 program and is being developed for social anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, with potential applications in other central nervous system disorders.
