RESEARCH MONOGRAPH · KDC-MN-031

Fasoracetam

May 9, 2026 Kodiac biolabs Research Revised May 30, 2026 3 min read

Our opinion on this compound

62/100

The mGluR/GABA-B racetam with one of the only modern clinical signals in the family

Fasoracetam (NS-105) is one of the more interesting recent racetams because it actually went through a real modern clinical program. Nippon Shinyaku developed it for cognitive impairment in the late 1990s with disappointing Alzheimer's trial results, but then a NeuroFix and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia collaboration repurposed it in the 2010s for pediatric ADHD specifically in patients with mGluR-pathway mutations identified through genomic screening, with promising preliminary results.

The pharmacology is what makes this story interesting. Fasoracetam appears to upregulate metabotropic glutamate receptor expression (specifically mGluR1, mGluR5, and possibly other group I receptors) following chronic administration, alongside modest GABA-B receptor effects. The Hakan and Hakonarson group at CHOP made the genomic case that ADHD patients with copy number variations or rare variants in mGluR network genes might respond particularly well, which is the kind of precision-medicine framing that the racetam class doesn't usually get.

The clinical evidence is genuinely modern by racetam standards. Aevi Medical (formerly Medgenics) ran trials specifically in mGluR-variant pediatric ADHD populations through 2017-2019, with reasonable methodology and some positive results in subgroups. The compound never got to FDA approval (the trials were small and the regulatory path was difficult for the precision-medicine framing), but the work was substantially more rigorous than typical racetam clinical literature.

Mechanism work is partial. The mGluR upregulation effect requires chronic dosing to develop, which is unlike most acute-acting nootropics, and the molecular details of how a small pyrrolidinone produces metabotropic receptor upregulation aren't clear. There's some evidence for direct GABA-B activity, but the binding studies haven't pinned down receptor affinity at the levels you'd want.

What we like about fasoracetam is that it's one of the few racetams with a coherent modern pharmacological hypothesis tied to a specific patient population and a contemporary clinical program. That's rare in this class. What we don't like is that the program stalled, the clinical evidence remains preliminary, and most users who buy fasoracetam in the research-supplier market are not in the mGluR-variant population that the clinical work targeted.

Sourcing is moderately variable. The compound is a relatively complex cyclohexyl-carbonyl pyrrolidinone; not all vendors synthesize it cleanly. HPLC and mass-spec verification is needed. Storage stability is reasonable.

Most interesting modern racetam pharmacologically. Watch the mGluR field.

Evidence: 55
Mechanism: 65
Reliability: 60
Safety: 70
Sourcing: 65
Value: 60
Signal: 60
Staying power: 60

Plain-language summary Intrigue 48 / 100

Fasoracetam is a cyclohexyl-carbonyl racetam developed for ADHD with the mGluR1 mechanism. Phase 2 trials by Aevi Medical did not reach approval. Not stocked by Kodiac. This monograph is provided for research and educational reference.

Intrigue 0–100 blends mechanism novelty, evidence strength, and translational potential. Kodiac editorial, not peer-reviewed.

Cyclohexyl-carbonyl pyrrolidinone racetam

A cyclohexyl-carbonyl racetam originally developed by Nippon Shinyaku, advanced by NeuroNetPharma for ADHD with mGluR involvement, with Phase 3 trials in pediatric ADHD.

Abstract

Fasoracetam (NS-105, LAM-105, AEVI-001; (5R)-5-oxo-D-prolinepiperidinamide; CAS 110958-19-5; molecular formula C10H16N2O2; molecular weight 196.25) is a cyclohexyl-carbonyl racetam originally developed by Nippon Shinyaku in Japan in the 1990s for cognitive impairment in elderly patients and subsequently licensed to NeuroNetPharma (now Aevi Medical, then Cerecor) for development in pediatric attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) Network gene mutations. The structural innovation is replacement of the simple acetamide side chain with a 1-piperidine-carbonyl group, producing a more lipophilic compound with longer plasma half-life than the open-chain racetams. The mechanism includes upregulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor expression (group I mGluRs), modulation of GABA-B receptor function, and indirect cholinergic effects. The compound's distinctive selling point is the apparent activity in patients with copy number variants in the mGluR network genes, identified through genomic screening at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia by Hakon Hakonarson's group. Phase 2 trials in mGluR-positive pediatric ADHD showed modest to moderate effect sizes; Phase 3 was attempted but the program faced challenges in patient selection. The compound is not approved by any regulatory authority. Pharmacokinetics: plasma half-life 4 to 6 hours; high oral bioavailability; renal excretion. Reported research dose ranges in the literature span 50 to 800 mg. The compound is sold as a research chemical in jurisdictions where it is not specifically scheduled.

Mechanism of action

Upregulation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptor expression; modulation of GABA-B; indirect cholinergic facilitation. Selective activity in subjects with mGluR network copy number variants.

Reported research dose ranges

50 to 800 mg, as reported research dose ranges in the literature.

References

Hirohashi A, et al. NS-105: a novel agent for the treatment of senile dementia. Behav Brain Res 1991.
Elia J, et al. Fasoracetam in adolescents with ADHD and glutamatergic gene network variants disrupting mGluR neurotransmitter signaling. Nat Commun 2018.
Connor DF, et al. Fasoracetam in pediatric ADHD: NCT03234374 Phase 2 results.

Read the full monograph

The full reference document covers compound identification, discovery and developmental history, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, reported research dose ranges, sourcing and quality verification, reconstitution and handling, stack interaction considerations, and a curated reference list. Available as a research-use-only PDF download.

KDC-MN-031

The full reference document is provided strictly for research use only. It reports research dose ranges from the published literature, not instructions for use in humans or animals.

Download PDF →

FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY. Not for medical, diagnostic, or therapeutic purposes. Not for human consumption. All information is provided for research and educational purposes only.

Kodiac sells research compounds for investigative use only.

Fasoracetam

Abstract

Mechanism of action

Reported research dose ranges

References

Read the full monograph

Quick actions

Categories

Help and policies

Abstract

Mechanism of action

Reported research dose ranges

References

Read the full monograph

Adjacent monographs