Wyeth: study shows DVS-233 improves symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder

By Lisa Kerner

Erie, Pa., May 25 - Wyeth Pharmaceuticals said data shows that desvenlafaxine succinate improved depressive symptoms in adult patients compared to a placebo, according to a news release.

The company presented the phase 3 data and other study results for desvenlafaxine succinate (DVS-233), a novel serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, indicated for major depressive disorder at the 2006 American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting in Toronto.

"The phase 3 data showed that desvenlafaxine succinate can help improve symptoms in adult patients suffering with depression," principal investigator of the clinical trial Nicholas A. DeMartinis said in a company news release.

"Because a substantial number of patients with depression do not respond to current antidepressant treatments, it is important that new treatments continue to be developed to provide patients and physicians with additional treatment options."

In the first multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial of 461 adult patients with major depressive disorder, significant reduction in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17) scores were achieved for the desvenlafaxine succinate 100 mg and 400 mg dose groups versus the placebo group.

For the 200 mg dose group, reduction in the HAM-D17 trended towards significance, while all desvenlafaxine succinate dose groups showed significant improvement on the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale versus placebo, Wyeth said.

A second study of 375 patients with major depressive disorder achieved similar results. Using HAM-D17 scores as the primary efficacy measure, both desvenlafaxine succinate groups (200 mg and 400 mg) achieved better results compared to placebo.

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals is a division of Wyeth, a pharmaceutical and health care products company based in Madison, N.J.

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