CX1739 has similar pharmacological effects and favorable safety profile to older "Type II" ampakines such as CX516 and CX717, but with higher potency and improved bioavailability, unlike "Type I" ampakines such as CX614 which have been found to produce neurotoxicity at high doses.[6]
As with related ampakine compounds CX1739 has nootropic (memory enhancment) effects,[1] and was originally investigated for applications such as treatment of ADHD and dementia, but in the course of testing it was found to be effective as a respiratory stimulant and for facilitating nerve repair, so recent research has focused on potential use for conditions such as sleep apnoea and recovery from spinal cord injury.[7][8]
↑Xiao D, Xie F, Xu X, Zhou X (2020). "The Impact and Mechanism of Ampakine CX1739 on Protection Against Respiratory Depression in Rats". Future Medicinal Chemistry. 12 (23): 2093–2104. doi:10.4155/fmc-2020-0256. PMID33030058.
↑Ren J, Ding X, Greer JJ (2015). "Ampakines Enhance Weak Endogenous Respiratory Drive and Alleviate Apnea in Perinatal Rats". American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 191 (6): 704–710. doi:10.1164/rccm.201410-1898OC. PMID25594679.
↑Radin DP, Zhong S, Cerne R, Witkin JM, Lippa A (2024). "High Impact AMPAkines Induce a Gq-Protein Coupled Endoplasmic Calcium Release in Cortical Neurons: A Possible Mechanism for Explaining the Toxicity of High Impact AMPAkines". Synapse. 78 (5) e22310. New York, N.Y. doi:10.1002/syn.22310. PMID39304968.
Radin DP, Cerne R, Witkin JM, Lippa A (2025). "Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetic Profile of the Low-Impact Ampakine CX1739 in Young Healthy Volunteers". Clinical Pharmacology in Drug Development. 14 (1): 50–58. doi:10.1002/cpdd.1475. PMID39302241.