
Our vision is to provide patients with specific and disease-modifying neurotherapeutics that precisely target the root cause of their disease without compromising sensory function and well-being.
OUR RESEARCH
The medication industry for neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders has been a longstanding barrier to modern pharmacological advancements lacking strategies to achieve precision medicine and personalized treatments. IonTX Inc. is leading a transformation of the drug discovery market in these fields by developing precise medications for neurology and psychiatry.
Neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders result from disrupted firing of neurons which are essential for appropriate behavioral responses, sensations, and cognitive function. Our objective is to develop novel drug treatments that fine-tune firing to normalized levels, restoring neuron activity to the resting state without impairing sensory functions or inducing addictive behaviors, ultimately assisting patients in regaining normalcy in their lives without unwanted side effects. These targeted and precise strategies will provide effective and activity-normalizing alternatives to modern prescriptions.
Established by academic leaders at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, IonTX Inc. brings together a team of scientific experts specialized in chemical science, molecular neuroscience, and pharmacology in collaboration with industry professionals in CNS drug discovery, as well as legal and business experts. Together, we drive groundbreaking advancements in research and development in the field of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.
LEADERSHIP & SCIENTIFIC BOARD
PUBLICATIONS
Dvorak NM, Wadsworth PA, Wang P, Zhou J, Laezza F. Development of Allosteric Modulators of Voltage-Gated Na+ Channels: A Novel Approach for an Old Target. Curr Top Med Chem. 2021;21(10):841-848. doi: 10.2174/1568026621666210525105359. PMID: 34036922; PMCID: PMC8272397.
Functional Modulation of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels
Ali SR, Liu Z, Nenov MN, Folorunso O, Singh A, Scala F, Chen H, James TF, Alshammari M, Panova-Elektronova NI, White MA, Zhou J, Laezza F. Functional Modulation of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels by a FGF14-Based Peptidomimetic. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2018 May 16;9(5):976-987. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.7b00399. Epub 2018 Feb 6. PMID: 29359916; PMCID: PMC6033619.
Bioluminescence Methodology for Ion Channel Studies
Wadsworth PA, Singh AK, Nguyen N, Stephan C, Laezza F. Bioluminescence Methodology for Ion Channel Studies. Methods Mol Biol. 2021;2188:191-228. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0818-0_10. PMID: 33119853.
Protein-Protein Interactions as New Targets for Ion Channel Drug Discovery
Stoilova-McPhie S, Ali S, Laezza F. Protein-Protein Interactions as New Targets for Ion Channel Drug Discovery. Austin J Pharmacol Ther. 2013 Dec 31;1(2):5. PMID: 25485305; PMCID: PMC4255474.