Australian biotechnology company Actinogen Medical Limited (ASX:ACW) announced on Wednesday that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has granted the non-proprietary name of 'emestedastat' to Actinogen for its Xanamem/UE2343 once-a-day small molecule.

This is in accordance with the WHO's Procedure for the Selection of Recommended International Non-proprietary Names (INN) for Pharmaceutical Substances.

The declaration of the new and unique suffix '-stedastat' identifies a new class of drugs that are 11 beta-HSD1 enzyme inhibitors. Xanamem's mechanism of action is to target and block the 11 beta-HSD1 enzyme in the brain and thus control levels of cortisol (also known as the 'stress hormone'). This means that Xanamem is a unique orally administered molecule in its own class as a 'tissue cortisol synthesis inhibitor' and it is the first drug to be named by the WHO in that class.

Dr Steven Gourlay, Actinogen's CEO and managing director, said: "It is pleasing to have emestedastat (Xanamem or UE2343) recognised as first-in-class with the award of an INN name with a new and unique suffix. The suffix used in the name highlights Actinogen's leading position in the field of 11 beta-HSD1 enzyme inhibition which is designed to control brain cortisol and result in clinically meaningful benefits for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and major depressive disorder (MDD)."