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| Formula | C11H8N2S |
| Molar mass | 200.26 g·mol−1 |
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3-((2-Methyl-4-thiazolyl)ethynyl)pyridine (MTEP) is a research drug that was developed by Merck & Co. as a selective allosteric antagonist of the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype mGluR5. Identified through structure-activity relationship studies on an older mGluR5 antagonist MPEP,[1] MTEP has subsequently itself acted as a lead compound for newer and even more improved drugs.[2][3]
MTEP is both more potent and more selective than MPEP as a mGluR5 antagonist,[4] and produces similar neuroprotective,[5][6][7] antidepressant,[8][9][10][11] analgesic,[12][13] and anxiolytic effects but with either similar or higher efficacy depending on the test used.[14][15][16][17]
MTEP also has similar efficacy to MPEP in reducing the symptoms of morphine withdrawal,[18][19][20] and has anti-addictive effects in a variety of animal models, both reducing ethanol self-administration,[21][22][23][24] and also decreasing the addictive effects of nicotine, cocaine and methamphetamine.[25][26][27][28][29]