If you were designing a lozenge for people who wanted to protect their brain, reduce damage from free-radicals, extend their lifespan and improve their cognitive performance, it would probably look like this.

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued an approvable letter relating to a new drug application for a product called Zelapar.

A proprietary formulation of selegiline, Zelapar is an oral tablet that dissolves in the mouth in seconds and is quickly absorbed.

London-based Amarin has the exclusive option to acquire the US rights to the tablet, which it wants to market as an adjunct treatment to levodopa for symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

"We look forward to the remaining requirements of the FDA being expeditiously fulfilled," says Rick Stewart, Amarin's chief executive.

Brain protection, life extension

But Transhumanists take note: The medical ingredient in Zelapar, selegiline, has been touted for far more than just movement disorders.

Also known as l-deprenyl and deprenyl, selegiline is a selective MAO-B inhibitor with potentially wide-ranging benefits.

These include the following:

Brain protection: It has anti-neurodegenerative effects, defending the brain's dopamine cells from oxidative stress.

Cellular protection: It protects cells from damaging free-radicals, stimulating the release of the enzyme superoxide dismutase.

Life extension: In low doses, it has extended the lives of rats by about 20%.

Cognitive enhancement: In Alzheimer's patients and some healthy people it has proven to enhance cognitive performance.

Sounds promising.

And if you don't like lozenges, you may have another option: Selegiline can be administered with a transdermal patch, which could be produced by Somerset Pharmaceuticals upon FDA approval.

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