Multiple Ascending Dose Putative Cognitive Enhancer VU319

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a chronic and irreversible neurodegenerative disease characterized by the deterioration of memory and other cognitive functions, progressive impairments in normal daily living, and severe neuropsychiatric symptoms and behavioral disturbances. Currently, there is no available prevention or cure for AD. Therapeutic strategies for the cognitive impairments in AD involve only symptomatic treatments, primarily through enhancement of cholinergic neurotransmission using AChEIs. Primary objectives To establish the safety and tolerability of multiple dose (up to VU319 steady state) VU319 administration in healthy volunteers To establish the maximum tolerated dose of multiple dose (up to VU319 steady state) VU319 administration in healthy volunteers To characterize the plasma pharmacokinetics and urinary excretion of VU319 and metabolite after single dose oral administration in healthy volunteers Secondary objectives To establish the effect of food on the bioavailability and pharmacokinetic parameters of VU319 in healthy volunteers Exploratory Objectives To gain preliminary evidence that tolerable doses of VU319 engage central M1 receptors by 1) altering/enhancing cognitive performance, and 2) enhancing cortical event related potentials (ERP) as a measure of increased cognitive function in healthy volunteers This will be a double blind, randomized, placebo controlled, and sequential dose escalation in male or female healthy volunteers. Gender will be balanced to the extent possible. Volunteers will receive oral VU319 multiple dose administration in the fasted state. Subjects meeting entry criteria will be enrolled in successive dose escalating cohorts of 8 subjects each (2 placebo and 6 active drug per dose level). The dose levels will be tested sequentially until the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) is reached, or saturation of exposure occurs, or sustained VU319 plasma level above the safe daily exposure determined from animal toxicokinetic studies is achieved. Clinical safety endpoints include adverse event and symptoms data, vital signs (HR, BP, Respiratory Rate, body weight), 12-lead ECG changes, and laboratory safety assessments (hematology, plasma biochemistry, coagulation, urinalysis).