{{Short description|Chemical compound}} {{Drugbox | Verifiedfields = | Watchedfields = | verifiedrevid = | IUPAC_name = (3''S'',8''S'',9''S'',10''R'',13''R'',14''S'')-10,13-Dimethyl-2,3,6,7,8,9,11,12,14,15-decahydro-1''H''-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | image = 4,16-Androstadien-3β-ol.svg | image_class = skin-invert-image | width = 225px
<!--Clinical data--> | tradename = | pregnancy_AU = <!-- A / B1 / B2 / B3 / C / D / X --> | pregnancy_US = <!-- A / B / C / D / X --> | pregnancy_category = | legal_AU = <!-- Unscheduled / S2 / S3 / S4 / S5 / S6 / S7 / S8 / S9 --> | legal_CA = | legal_UK = | legal_US = | legal_status = | routes_of_administration = Intranasal | class = Vomeropherine
<!--Pharmacokinetic data--> | bioavailability = | protein_bound = | metabolism = | elimination_half-life = | excretion =
<!--Identifiers--> | CAS_number_Ref = | CAS_number = 23062-06-8 | CAS_supplemental = | UNII_Ref = {{fdacite|correct|FDA}} | UNII = DTW1NJ7IJH | ATC_prefix = None | ATC_suffix = | PubChem = 9925482 | DrugBank_Ref = | DrugBank = DB04968 | KEGG_Ref = {{keggcite|correct|kegg}} | KEGG = D12524 | ChemSpiderID_Ref = | ChemSpiderID = 8101117 | synonyms = PH94B; Aloradine; 4-Androstadienol; 3β-Androsta-4,16-dien-3-ol, Androsta-4,16-dien-3β-ol; Androstadienol
<!--Chemical data--> | C=19 | H=28 | O=1 | SMILES = C[C@]12CC[C@H]3[C@H]([C@@H]1CC=C2)CCC4=C[C@H](CC[C@]34C)O | StdInChI = 1S/C19H28O/c1-18-9-3-4-16(18)15-6-5-13-12-14(20)7-11-19(13,2)17(15)8-10-18/h3,9,12,14-17,20H,4-8,10-11H2,1-2H3/t14-,15-,16-,17-,18-,19-/m0/s1 | StdInChIKey = NYVFCEPOUVGTNP-DYKIIFRCSA-N }}
'''Fasedienol''' ({{Abbrlink|INN|International Nonproprietary Name}}; developmental code names '''PH94B''' and '''Aloradine'''), also known as '''4-androstadienol''' or as '''4,16-androstadien-3β-ol''', is a pherine which is under development by VistaGen Therapeutics<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vistagen.com/news-media/press-releases/detail/96/vistagen-therapeutics-acquires-worldwide-license-of-phase|title=VistaGen Therapeutics Acquires Worldwide License of Phase 3-Ready CNS Drug Candidate from Pherin Pharmaceuticals for As-Needed Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder :: VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VTGN)|website=VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc.|language=en|access-date=2019-12-19|archive-date=2019-12-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219174743/https://www.vistagen.com/news-media/press-releases/detail/96/vistagen-therapeutics-acquires-worldwide-license-of-phase|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | vauthors = Al Idrus A | date = 13 September 2018 |url=https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/vistagen-nabs-phase-3-ready-social-anxiety-med-from-pherin|title=VistaGen nabs phase 3-ready social anxiety drug from Pherin|website=FierceBiotech|language=en|access-date=2019-12-19}}</ref> in a nasal spray formulation used as needed(''PRN'') for the acute treatment of social anxiety disorder.<ref>{{Cite web | vauthors = Murphy J | date = 10 December 2019 |url= https://www.pharmacytimes.com/news/fda-grants-fast-track-designation-for-ph94b-for-treatment-of-social-anxiety-disorder|title=FDA Grants Fast Track Designation to PH94B for Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder|website=Pharmacy Times|access-date=2019-12-19}}</ref><ref name="GriebelHolmes2013">{{cite journal | vauthors = Griebel G, Holmes A | title = 50 years of hurdles and hope in anxiolytic drug discovery | journal = Nature Reviews. Drug Discovery | volume = 12 | issue = 9 | pages = 667–87 | date = September 2013 | pmid = 23989795 | pmc = 4176700 | doi = 10.1038/nrd4075 | url = http://ggriebel.chez-alice.fr/Pub127.pdf }}</ref><ref name="Monti-BlochJennings-White1994">{{cite journal | vauthors = Monti-Bloch L, Jennings-White C, Dolberg DS, Berliner DL | s2cid = 36129626 | title = The human vomeronasal system | journal = Psychoneuroendocrinology | volume = 19 | issue = 5–7 | pages = 673–86 | year = 1994 | pmid = 7938363 | doi = 10.1016/0306-4530(94)90049-3 }}</ref><ref name="Rolls2013">{{cite book| first = Edmund T. | last = Rolls | name-list-style = vanc |title=Emotion and Decision Making Explained|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fZWcAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA356|date=November 2013|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-965989-0|pages=356–}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=BioScan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L_5PAQAAIAAJ|year=2009|publisher=Oryx Press}}</ref><ref name="LiebowitzSalman2014">{{cite journal | vauthors = Liebowitz MR, Salman E, Nicolini H, Rosenthal N, Hanover R, Monti L | title = Effect of an acute intranasal aerosol dose of PH94B on social and performance anxiety in women with social anxiety disorder | journal = The American Journal of Psychiatry | volume = 171 | issue = 6 | pages = 675–82 | date = June 2014 | pmid = 24700254 | doi = 10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.12101342 | s2cid = 38510058 | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261511611 }}</ref><ref name="US8722652">{{cite patent | country = US | number = 8722652 | status = patent | title = Acute Treatment of Social Phobia | pubdate = 13 November 2012 | fdate = 9 September 2005 | pridate = 9 September 2005 | invent1 = Louis Monti-Bloch | assign1 = Pherin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.}}</ref> It is also being investigated by VistaGen Therapeutics for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vistagen.com/pipeline/ph94b/generalized-anxiety-disorder|title=Generalized Anxiety Disorder :: VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VTGN)|website=VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc.|language=en|access-date=2019-12-19|archive-date=2019-12-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219174741/https://www.vistagen.com/pipeline/ph94b/generalized-anxiety-disorder|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vistagen.com/pipeline/ph94b/post-traumatic-stress-disorder|title=Post-traumatic Stress Disorder :: VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VTGN)|website=VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc.|language=en|access-date=2019-12-19|archive-date=2019-12-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219174741/https://www.vistagen.com/pipeline/ph94b/post-traumatic-stress-disorder|url-status=dead}}</ref> The pherine is a positional isomer of the endogenous pheromone androstadienol (5-androstadienol or 5,16-androstadien-3β-ol). Fasedienol failed to show effectiveness in phase 3 clinical trials.<ref name="Walters2025">{{cite web | last=Walters | first=Jessica | title=Fasedienol for Social Anxiety Disorder Does Not Demonstrate Significant Improvement in Phase 3 Study | website=Psychiatric Times | date=23 December 2025 | url=https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/fasedienol-for-social-anxiety-disorder-does-not-demonstrate-significant-improvement-in-phase-3-study | access-date=23 December 2025}}</ref><ref name="Kansteiner2025">{{cite web | last=Kansteiner | first=Fraiser | title=Vistagen phase 3 study sees placebo surprise, putting future of social anxiety asset into question: analyst | website=Fierce Biotech | date=17 December 2025 | url=https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/vistagens-ph3-flop-puts-future-fasedienol-social-anxiety-question-william-blair | access-date=23 December 2025}}</ref>
Fasedienol lacks affinity for steroid hormone receptors and has instead been found to directly activate isolated human vomeronasal receptor cells at nanomolar concentrations (EC<sub>50</sub> = 200{{nbsp}}nM).<ref name="LiebowitzSalman2014" />
The closely related pheromone androstenol (5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol) has been found to act as a potent positive allosteric modulator of the GABA<sub>A</sub> receptor, and it has been proposed that this action may mediate its pheromone effects.<ref name="Kaminski2006">{{cite journal | vauthors = Kaminski RM, Marini H, Ortinski PI, Vicini S, Rogawski MA | s2cid = 95393004 | title = The pheromone androstenol (5 alpha-androst-16-en-3 alpha-ol) is a neurosteroid positive modulator of GABAA receptors | journal = The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics | volume = 317 | issue = 2 | pages = 694–703 | date = May 2006 | pmid = 16415088 | doi = 10.1124/jpet.105.098319 }}</ref> It produces anxiolytic-like effects in animals.<ref name="Kaminski2006" /> Androstadienol, androstadienone, and androstenone, all of which are also pheromones, have been found to be converted into androstenol, and as such, it may be responsible for their pheromone effects.<ref name="Kaminski2006" /> As fasedienol is very closely related structurally to androstadienol, it might be converted into androstenol similarly and hence potentiation of the GABA<sub>A</sub> receptor could contribute to its mechanism of action.<ref name="Kaminski2006" />
==See also== * List of neurosteroids § Pheromones and pherines * List of investigational anxiolytics * Refisolone (PH80, Salubrin) * Itruvone (PH10)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.vistagen.com/pipeline/PH94B/overview Product Pipeline - VistaGen Therapeutics] * [http://adisinsight.springer.com/drugs/800014893 PH 94B - AdisInsight]
{{Anxiolytics}} {{Pheromones and pherines}}
Category:Androstanes Category:Anxiolytics Category:Pherines Category:Experimental anxiolytics