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(-)-Cotinine (COTININE)

Phase 2 active Small molecule ✓ Verified May 2026

(-)-Cotinine (generic name: COTININE) is a cotinine drug. It is currently in Phase 2 development.

(-)-Cotinine works by binding to and activating the neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha-2.

(-)-Cotinine is a small molecule compound with synonyms including cotinine, cotinina, and nicotine-related compound C. It is a metabolite of nicotine, related to the compound.

Likelihood of approval
12.3% vs 15.3% industry baseline
If approved by FDA: likely 2031–2034
Steps remaining: Phase 3 → NDA/BLA submission
Confidence: Medium
Why this estimate
  • Baseline phase 2 → approval rate +15.3pp
    Industry-wide phase 2 drugs reach approval ~15.3% of the time (BIO/Informa 2023 industry benchmark across all therapeutic areas).
  • CNS / neurology attrition -3.0pp
    CNS drugs have historically high Phase 3 failure rates (notably in Alzheimer disease + major depression).
Predicted approval windows by jurisdiction (conditional on FDA approval)
Regulator Country Likely year Lag vs FDA
FDA US 2031–2034
EMA EU 2032–2035 +0.7 yr
MHRA GB 2032–2035 +0.7 yr
Health Canada CA 2032–2036 +0.9 yr
TGA AU 2032–2036 +1.2 yr
PMDA JP 2032–2036 +1.5 yr
NMPA CN 2033–2037 +2.3 yr
MFDS KR 2032–2036 +1.4 yr
CDSCO IN 2032–2037 +1.8 yr
ANVISA BR 2033–2037 +2.3 yr

Hover any row for the lag rationale. Lag estimates are reduced when the drug has FDA Breakthrough or EMA PRIME designation (sponsors file globally in parallel).

Estimate based on the BIO/Informa industry phase transition rates plus per-drug modifiers for therapeutic area, sponsor type, FDA designations, mechanism, and trial design. Per-jurisdiction lags from Tufts CSDD international approval studies. Not investment, clinical or regulatory advice. Methodology: /methodology#likelihood.

At a glance

Generic nameCOTININE
Drug classcotinine
TargetNeuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha-2
ModalitySmall molecule
Therapeutic areaNeuroscience
PhasePhase 2

Mechanism of action

Imagine your brain cells have locks on them, and (-)-Cotinine has a key that fits into those locks. When it binds, it helps to activate the cells, which can help to regulate various bodily functions. This can be beneficial for people with certain conditions, but more research is needed to fully understand its effects.

Approved indications

No approved indications tracked.

Common side effects

No common side effects on file.

Key clinical trials

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.

SourceUsed for
ClinicalTrials.govTrial enrolment, design, endpoints, results

Competitive intelligence

For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:

Frequently asked questions about (-)-Cotinine

What is (-)-Cotinine?

(-)-Cotinine (COTININE) is a cotinine drug.

How does (-)-Cotinine work?

(-)-Cotinine works by binding to and activating the neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha-2.

What is the generic name of (-)-Cotinine?

COTININE is the generic (nonproprietary) name of (-)-Cotinine.

What drug class is (-)-Cotinine in?

(-)-Cotinine belongs to the cotinine class. See all cotinine drugs at /class/cotinine.

What development phase is (-)-Cotinine in?

(-)-Cotinine is in Phase 2.

What does (-)-Cotinine target?

(-)-Cotinine targets Neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha-2 and is a cotinine.

Related

Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing