Levomilnacipran Performs Well in New Study - Drug Discovery and Development

NEW YORK (AP) – Forest Laboratories Inc. said a potential depression treatment that failed in a late-stage clinical trial announced earlier this year did well in another study of adults with major depressive disorder.

The New York drugmaker and its partner, Pierre Fabre Medicament, said preliminary results from a late-stage study of levomilnacipran showed statistically significant improvement was achieved for patients in all dose groups compared to those taking a placebo. Results are still being analyzed from the study, which involved 724 people.

The companies also said the drug was generally well-tolerated in the study.

In January, the companies said patients treated with levomilnacipran and those treated with a placebo had similar results in another trial, and the difference between them was not statistically significant. That trial involved 362 patients.

The companies expect results from two more late-stage studies at the end of this year and next spring.

Forest also makes the depression and anxiety drug Lexapro and the Alzheimer’s disease treatment Namenda.

Date: July 18, 2011
Source: Associated Press