Marvel Biosciences Reports MB-204 as Highly Effective at Treating Autism Behaviours in Shank3 Mouse Model

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Postmedia has not reviewed the content. by GlobeNewswire Marvel Biosciences Reports MB-204 as Highly Effective at Treating Autism Behaviours in Shank3 Mouse ModelAuthor of the article:CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MarvelBiosciencesCorp.(TSXV:MRVL|OTCQB:MBCOF), and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Marvel Biotechnology Inc. (collectively the “Company” or “Marvel”), a drug discovery company developing novel therapeutics for autism spectrum disorder (“ASD”) and related neurodevelopmental disorders, is pleased to announce preliminary results from its preclinical study of MB-204 in the Shank3Δex13-16 mouse model, a model associated with Phelan-McDermid syndrome. The study was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Julie Le Merrer and Dr. Jérôme Becker at the iBraiN Institute in Tours, France, and evaluated MB-204 at oral doses of 1 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg compared with Istradefylline at 1 mg/kg, the highest dose tested that did not affect locomotion. Animals were studied for one to three hours post dosing. Istradefylline is a clinically approved drug for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Preliminary Results Demonstrate Broad Activity of MB-204Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThe preliminary results indicate that MB-204 produced improvements across multiple behavioural endpoints associated with repetitive and abnormal behaviours in the Shank3 model. MB-204 continues to demonstrate activity across increasingly diverse genetic models, supported by the emerging Shank3 data, potentially advancing a broader therapeutic opportunity as the company approaches human clinical development.Low-dose MB-204 (1 mg/kg) matched or exceeded Istradefylline across the majority of measured endpoints: performance was matched on the number and time of nose contacts, number and time of paw contacts, the number of grooming episodes and number of same arm returns (SARs) in the Y-maze test of repetitive behaviour.Low dose of MB-204 demonstrated superior performance to Istradefylline on the mean duration of paw contacts, number of following episodes and the number of spontaneous and alternate arm returns (AARs) in the Y-maze. Only the number of rearing episodes was Istradefylline more effective than low dose MB-204.High-dose MB-204 (2.5 mg/kg) was superior to Istradefylline across the majority of measured endpoints: performance was matched only in the number of grooming episodes, rearing episodes and SARs. On all other endpoints as per above, MB-204 was superior to Istradefylline.All treatments showed demonstrable improvement in multiple behavioural endpoints over untreated Shank3 animals except for the number of following episodes and AARs in the Istradefylline treated animals.The study also provides a direct head-to-head comparison between MB-204 and its parent compound, Istradefylline, supporting the Company’s objective of demonstrating differentiated activity for its proprietary fluorinated derivative.Final statistical analyses and additional endpoints remain pending.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.* The Company cautions that these are preliminary preclinical findings and that additional analyses may modify the interpretation of individual endpoints.“This is the third model where MB-204 has had a profound effect on socialization and repetitive behaviours,” said Drs. Le Merrer and Becker,“which are the key hallmarks of autism. MB-204 nearly reversed all the social deficits and repetitive behaviours in the Shank3 model as we previously saw in the Oprm1 mouse model and Rett syndrome models. This study also confirms the superiority of MB-204over the parental drug Istradefylline in a head-to-head study. Together with the recent Fragile X results, the data suggests MB-204 may be a pan-spectrum treatment for autism. We look forward to presenting the data in upcoming conferences and publishing the data on MB-204 for the wider scientific community to review.”Expanding Evidence Across Genetically Distinct Neurodevelopmental ModelsThe Shank3 findings add to a growing body of preclinical evidence generated for MB-204 across genetically distinct models of neurodevelopmental disorders.This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Marvel has previously reported positive preclinical results in:Oprm1: an autism model in which MB-204 demonstrated restoration of social interaction and improvements in repetitive behaviours following oral administration. Mecp2/Rett syndrome: MB-204 demonstrated near-reversal of social and behavioural deficits and outperformed Trofinetide across multiple endpoints in the Company’s disclosed preclinical study. Fragile X (Fmr1): MB-204 produced statistically significant improvements in behavioural and cognitive function, including a carry-over effect after treatment cessation. Shank3: representing another genetically distinct model associated with autism and Phelan-McDermid syndrome.The Company believes that the emergence of consistent behavioural activity across models associated with different underlying genetic causes may be important in evaluating the potential breadth of MB-204’s mechanism and therapeutic application.“The Shank3 results are particularly encouraging because they add another genetically distinct model to the growing body of evidence supporting MB-204,” said Dr. Mark Williams, President and Chief Science Officer of Marvel Biosciences. “Together with our previously reported Oprm1, Mecp2 and Fragile X results, these findings continue to support our hypothesis that targeting the adenosine A2A receptor may address behavioural and social deficits across multiple neurodevelopmental disorders. We look forward to completing the statistical analysis and presenting the full dataset to the scientific community.”This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.AboutMarvelBiosciencesCorp.Marvel Biosciences Corp. (TSXV:MRVL | OTCQB:MBCOF), and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Marvel Biotechnology Inc., is a Calgary-based pre-clinical stage pharmaceutical development biotechnology company. The Company is developing MB-204, a novel fluorinated derivative of the approved anti-Parkinson’s drug Istradefylline, the only clinically approved adenosine A2a antagonist. A significant and growing body of scientific evidence suggests drugs that block the adenosine A2a receptor, such as MB-204, could be useful in treating other neurological diseases such as autism, depression and Alzheimer’s Disease. The Company is actively investigating its potential in addressing other neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Rett Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome, to expand its therapeutic reach.Contact Information: MarvelBiosciencesCorp.J. Roderick (Rod) Matheson, Chief Executive Officer Email: rod@marvelbiosciences.comDr. Mark Williams, President and Chief Science OfficerEmail: mark@marvelbiosciences.comTel: 403 770 2469This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policiesof the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. All information contained in this news release with respect to the Company and its subsidiary,(collectively, the “Parties”)weresuppliedby Marvel,respectively,forinclusionhereinandeachparties’directorsandofficershavereliedoneachother forany informationconcerningsuchParty.Thisnewsreleasemaycontainforward-lookingstatementsandotherstatementsthatarenothistorical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “will”, “may”, “should”, “anticipate”, “expects”andsimilarexpressions.Allstatementsotherthanstatementsofhistoricalfact,includedinthisrelease, including,withoutlimitation,statementsregardingthefutureplansandobjectivesoftheCompanyareforward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual resultsand future events could differ materially from those anticipatedinsuch statements.Importantfactorsthatcouldcauseactualresultstodiffermateriallyfrom theexpectationsof the Company and include other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company under securities regulations.This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Thereaderiscautionedthatassumptionsusedinthepreparationofanyforward-lookinginformationmayprove tobeincorrect.Eventsorcircumstancesmay causeactualresultstodiffermaterially fromthose predicted,asa resultofnumerousknownandunknownrisks,uncertainties,andotherfactors,manyofwhich are beyond the control ofthe Company. Asa result, the Company cannotguarantee thatthe above eventson the terms will occurandwithinthetimedisclosedhereinoratall. Thereaderiscautionednottoplaceunduerelianceonany forward-lookinginformation.Suchinformation,althoughconsidered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results maydiffer materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statementscontainedinthisnewsreleaseareexpresslyqualifiedbythiscautionarystatement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news releasearemadeasofthe dateofthisnewsrelease and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly requiredbyCanadiansecuritieslaw.This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.