New Super-Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Cipralex!!!

June 9, 2004

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=9284

New Super-Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Cipralex (Escitalopram), Shows

Superior Antidepressant Effect

09 Jun 2004

Tolerability and Speed of Effect Which May Be Explained By This

Antidepressant¡¯s Unique Pharmacological Mode of Action, Study Shows.

An analysis of randomised clinical trials shows consistently better efficacy

with escitalopram than with the conventional SSRI, citalopram, including higher

rates of response and remission, and faster time to symptom relief.

Novel antidepressant escitalopram has a unique pharmacological mode of action,

which may explain the superior results observed in patients to date compared to

a benchmark SSRI, a study published today has revealed.

The review, published in Psychopharmacology, outlines the collated results of

numerous pre-clinical and clinical studies into escitalopram, and concludes that

the superior results observed are partly due to the absence of a molecule (the

R-enantiomer) in the drug, which had previously been inhibiting the action of

the conventional SSRI, citalopram.

¡°Developing escitalopram without the R-enantiomer has really unleashed the true

potential of the drug and positions it as unique within the SSRI class,¡± said

Connie , study author and Senior Research Scientist at Lundbeck A/S.

¡°This study explores the fascinating and novel mechanism of action of

escitalopram and its subsequent ability to target depression and anxiety

effectively. It is pleasing that the real-world clinical experience of

escitalopram observed by doctors and patients to date is confirming evidence

provided by basic research,¡± she concluded.

The review paper refers to data comparing escitalopram with citalopram, which

demonstrates significant differences (p¡Ü0.05) in favour of escitalopram on the

primary efficacy endpoint (the change in MADRS1 total score, which measures

depression severity), and on another depression severity rating scale, the CGI

S2 scale, as well as in the proportion of patients responding to treatment, and

achieving remission.

In terms of tolerability and safety, citalopram is known ¨C from randomised

clinical trials and the experience of prescribing physicians ¨C to be a safe and

well-tolerated SSRI. Even here though, a study included in the review shows that

the percentage of patients withdrawing due to adverse events was lower with

escitalopram compared to citalopram, and in an analysis of the moderately ill

patients, statistically significantly more patients (p<0.01) withdrew from the

study in the citalopram group (31%) compared to the escitalopram group (12%).

¡°Now we have a more complete understanding of Cipralex mechanism of action¡±,

says Connie . ¡°Cipralex has the unique effect to self-potentiate its

binding to the human serotonin transporter protein. The latest findings confirm

that R-citalopram apparently antagonises this effect, explaining why

escitalopram alone is more effective than citalopram. These new findings help to

understand the positive results of Cipralex clinical development programme.¡±

- Ends -

1 Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale

2 Clinical Global Impression-Severity

For further information please contact:

Ross

Hill & Knowlton

Tel.: +44 207 413 3062

Mob.: +44 7793 563 066

Email: rwilliams@...

Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals

Hill & Knowlton (UK) Ltd

20 Soho Square

London

W1A PR1

t: +44 (0)20 7413 3015

f: +44 (0)20 7413 3112

lmitchell@...

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June 9, 2004