Dodecyl creatine ester

Dodecyl creatine ester
Clinical data
Other namesDCE; CBT101; CBT-101
Drug classCentrally permeable creatine prodrug
Identifiers
  • dodecyl 2-[carbamimidoyl(methyl)amino]acetate
CAS Number
PubChem CID
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
ChEMBL
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC16H33N3O2
Molar mass299.459 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • CCCCCCCCCCCCOC(=O)CN(C)C(=N)N
  • InChI=1S/C16H33N3O2/c1-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-21-15(20)14-19(2)16(17)18/h3-14H2,1-2H3,(H3,17,18)
  • Key:AEKJLAYKIYFBGU-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Dodecyl creatine ester (DCE; developmental code name CBT101) is a lipophilic creatine ester and prodrug which is under development for the treatment of creatine transporter deficiency (CTD). It is more centrally permeable than creatine itself due to its much greater lipophilicity, and is also formulated for use via intranasal administration, which may further enhance brain permeation via the nose-to-brain pathway. As a result, DCE may be able to bypass the non-functional creatine transporter in CTD. Accordingly, unlike creatine, DCE has been found to increase brain creatine levels and improve symptoms such as cognitive impairment in rodents with CTD. The drug has also been found to increase dopamine levels and improve motor symptoms in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) model of parkinsonism in rodents. DCE was first described in the scientific literature by 2013. As of 2026, it is in phase 1 clinical trials, with the results of a phase 1 trial having been published in October 2026.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Disdier C, Lhotellier C, Guyot AC, Costa N, Théodoro F, Pruvost A, et al. (February 2025). "Dodecyl creatine ester, a promising treatment to deliver creatine to neurons, achieves pharmacology efficacy in creatine transporter deficiency". European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 284 117195. doi:10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.117195. PMID 39733481.
  2. 1 2 Disdier C, Lhotellier C, Wagner S, Andriambeloson E, Théodoro F, Pruvost A, et al. (2025). "Intranasal delivery of dodecyl creatine ester alleviates motor deficits and increases dopamine levels in a 6-OHDA rat model of parkinsonism". Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. 17 1597263. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2025.1597263. PMC 12289593. PMID 40717895.
  3. 1 2 Trotier-Faurion A, Dézard S, Taran F, Valayannopoulos V, de Lonlay P, Mabondzo A (June 2013). "Synthesis and biological evaluation of new creatine fatty esters revealed dodecyl creatine ester as a promising drug candidate for the treatment of the creatine transporter deficiency". Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 56 (12): 5173–5181. doi:10.1021/jm400545n. PMID 23697594.
  4. 1 2 3 Mabondzo A, van de Kamp J, Mercimek-Andrews S (April 2024). "Dodecyl creatine ester therapy: from promise to reality". Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 81 (1) 186. doi:10.1007/s00018-024-05218-y. PMC 11024018. PMID 38632116.
  5. 1 2 "Delving into the Latest Updates on Dodecyl Creatine Ester with Synapse". Synapse. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  6. ↑ Mabondzo A, Harati R, Broca-Brisson L, Guyot AC, Costa N, Cacciante F, et al. (2023). "Dodecyl creatine ester improves cognitive function and identifies key protein drivers including KIF1A and PLCB1 in a mouse model of creatine transporter deficiency". Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. 16 1118707. doi:10.3389/fnmol.2023.1118707. PMC 10103630. PMID 37063368.
  7. ↑ Benech H, Krebs-Drouot L, Viardot G, Bertaina-Anglade V, Lhotellier C, Flament V, et al. (22 October 2026). "Intranasal CBT101 demonstrates favorable safety and neurophysiological evidence of central activity in healthy male volunteers". Frontiers in Neurology. 17 1940627. doi:10.3389/fneur.2026.1940627. ISSN 1664-2295.