Marvel Biosciences Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Marvel Biotechnology Inc. announced that it has initiated its 7-day dose-ranging, toxicology study, using rats, for its lead molecule MB-204. This is a vital step in preparation to initiate FDA Phase I human clinical trials.

After completing the maximum tolerated single dose studies, the FDA requires another short study before entering the industry standard Good Lab Practice (GLP) toxicology studies. This study requires toxicology studies in two species, typically rats and dogs, to test the safety of new drugs before being able to run trials on humans. MB-204 is a fluorinated derivative of the U.S. FDA approved adenosine A2a receptor antagonist, Istradefylline.

Both Istradefylline and MB-204 are highly active derivatives of caffeine, the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world. Caffeine consumption has been associated with a reduced risk for developing Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and improving mood and concentration.