Reducing social deficits in autism: a role for Melanotan-II? – interview with Elena Minakova

Recent years have seen an increase in drug repurposing, an area which itself is fast becoming a hot topic. In this interview, we speak to Elena Minakova, a Fellow in Neonatology at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) who is investigating a role for Melanotan-II in reducing social deficits in autism. The drug is, as yet, unapproved by the US FDA, yet has sprung up repeatedly in recent years both in research and as a commercialized product, making this new research particularly interesting. Could you tell us a little about your background and what first sparked your interest in...