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Namenda (MEMANTINE)
Namenda works by blocking the action of glutamate at the NMDA receptor, reducing excessive neural activity associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Namenda (Memantine) is a small molecule N-methyl-D-aspartate Receptor Antagonist developed by Forest Labs LLC and currently owned by Allergan. It targets the glutamate NMDA receptor, specifically GRIN1/GRIN2A, to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer's Type Dementia. Approved by the FDA in 2003, Namenda is now off-patent with 35 generic manufacturers. Its long half-life of 60 to 80 hours and high bioavailability of 99% contribute to its efficacy. As an off-patent medication, Namenda is widely available in the market.
At a glance
| Generic name | MEMANTINE |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | AbbVie |
| Drug class | N-methyl-D-aspartate Receptor Antagonist |
| Target | Glutamate NMDA receptor; GRIN1/GRIN2A |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Neuroscience |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
| First approval | 2003 |
Mechanism of action
Persistent activation of central nervous system N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors by the excitatory amino acid glutamate has been hypothesized to contribute to the symptomatology of Alzheimers disease. Memantine is postulated to exert its therapeutic effect through its action as low to moderate affinity uncompetitive (open-channel) NMDA receptor antagonist which binds preferentially to the NMDA receptor-operated cation channels. There is no evidence that memantine prevents or slows neurodegeneration in patients with Alzheimers disease.
Approved indications
- Moderate to Severe Alzheimer's Type Dementia
Common side effects
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Confusion
- Hypertension
- Coughing
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Back pain
- Somnolence
- Hallucination
- Syncope
- Cardiac failure
Key clinical trials
- Memantine +/- Raloxifene for Cognitive Preservation After Radiation Therapy to the Brain (PHASE2)
- Motor Neurone Disease - Systematic Multi-Arm Adaptive Randomised Trial (PHASE2,PHASE3)
- Pattern Separation in Major Depressive Disorder (PHASE1)
- Targeting Spreading Depolarization After Chronic Subdural Hematoma Surgery (TASD) (EARLY_PHASE1)
- Memantine for the Treatment of Social Deficits in Youth With Disorders of Impaired Social Interactions (PHASE3)
- Memory Avoidance Whole Brain Radiotherapy vs Hippocampal Avoidance Whole Brain Radiotherapy (Athena 2 Trial) (PHASE2)
- Satisfaction With Orodispersible vs Conventional Memantine in Moderate to Severe Alzheimer's Disease (PHASE4)
- Memantine for the Treatment of Cognitive Impairment in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (PHASE2)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| FDA label | Mechanism, indications, dosing, boxed warnings, drug interactions |
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |