The Safety and Clinical Benefits of Seroquel XR Will Need to Be Demonstrated for it to Be Approved as a Monotherapy for Major Depressive Disorder, According to New Findings from Decision Resources
January 27, 2010 – Waltham, Mass. – Decision Resources, one of the world’s leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that the recent decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grant approval of AstraZeneca’s Seroquel XR for adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder will not change Decision Resources’ market forecast for the indication. As previously forecasted, Seroquel and Seroquel XR will garner nearly one quarter of antipsychotics sales as adjunctive treatments for major depressive disorder in 2013 in the world’s major pharmaceutical markets.
The Pharmacor 2010 finding from the topic entitled Major Depressive Disorder shows that, although the FDA approved Seroquel XR as an adjunctive therapy, AstraZeneca will need to further demonstrate the safety and clinical benefits of Seroquel XR in order for the drug to gain approval as a monotherapy for the indication.
“After reviewing Seroquel XR’s safety and efficacy data, the FDA’s Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee concluded that the drug was effective as both a monotherapy and an adjunctive therapy but was not acceptably safe as a monotherapy for broad treatment of major depressive disorder,” said Decision Resources Analyst Alana Simorellis, Ph.D. “The committee further recommended that the agent be used as supplemental treatment for patients with depression who do not achieve symptom relief from currently approved therapies.”
The Pharmacor findings also reveal that, despite positive Phase II clinical trial results for Targacept’s nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) antagonist TC-5214, the safety and efficacy of TC-5214 has yet to be definitively established in Phase III clinical trials. The drug exhibited a favorable tolerability profile in the Phase II trial, with the most common side effects being dizziness, constipation and headache.
About Pharmacor 2010
The newly redesigned Pharmacor advisory service offers clients in the biopharmaceutical industry the most up-to-date information available on commercially significant disease topics.
About Decision Resources
Decision Resources (www.decisionresources.com) is a world leader in market research publications, advisory services and consulting designed to help clients shape strategy, allocate resources and master their chosen markets. Decision Resources is a Decision Resources, Inc. company.
About Decision Resources, Inc.
Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources, Inc. at www.DecisionResourcesInc.com.
###
All company, brand or product names contained in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.