Finnish study uses SMVT vitamin transporter to deliver creatine drugs to neurons

Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland showed that the SMVT transporter can ferry creatine-based prodrugs across the blood-brain barrier into neurons. The approach bypasses the defective CRT1 transporter in creatine transporter deficiency syndrome, which has no disease-modifying therapy.

• SMVT naturally imports biotin, pantothenic acid and alpha-lipoic acid
• CTDS is caused by SLC6A8 mutations, while SMVT is encoded by SLC5A6
• Prodrugs disguise creatine as vitamin-like cargo for SMVT
• CTDS affects about 1 in 100,000 boys and has no approved therapy