Wyeth says venlafaxine helps prevent depression for up to two years

New York, May 23 - Wyeth Pharmaceuticals said that new clinical trial data shows venlafaxine extended release helped patients prevent new episodes of depression for up to two years.

Results from the Prevention of Recurrent Episodes of Depression with VENlafaxine XR for Two Years (Prevent) study were presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in Toronto.

The findings came from two consecutive 12-month phases.

In the first maintenance phase, the probability of recurrence was 23.1% among 164 patients given venlafaxine extended release compared to 42.0% among 172 patients given a placebo.

The difference was even more pronounced in the second maintenance phase, the company said, with an 8.0% likelihood of recurrence among the 43 people given venlafaxine extended release versus 44.8% among the 40 given a placebo.

Patients were 18 years or older and had a history of two or more episodes of major depression during the past five years, including their current episode. Additionally, the patients experienced at least three episodes of depression during their lifetime. Eighty percent had received antidepressant therapy during the course of their illness.

Madison, N.J.-based Wyeth Pharmaceuticals develops products in the areas of women's health care, cardiovascular disease, central nervous system, inflammation, transplantation, hemophilia, oncology, vaccines and nutritional products.

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