Antidepressant News and Research

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Antidepressants are medicines that treat depression. Your doctor can prescribe them for you. They can improve your mood, sleep, appetite and concentration. It may take several weeks for them to help. There are several types of antidepressants. You and your doctor may have to try several before finding what works best for you.

Biomarkers for rapid identification of treatment effectiveness in major depression

Now, based on the final results of a nationwide study led by UCLA, clinicians may be able to accurately predict within a week whether a particular drug will be effective by using a non-invasive test that takes less than 15 minutes to administer. The test will allow physicians to quickly switch patients to a more effective treatment, if necessary.

11 Sep 2009

Labopharm to present its novel trazodone formulation data

Labopharm Inc. today announced that three separate posters will be presented at three upcoming internationally prestigious medical meetings showcasing data on its novel trazodone formulation.

10 Sep 2009

Ketamine shows rapid antidepressant effects

Researchers have now explored ketamine's effects on suicidality in patients with treatment-resistant depression, and are publishing their results in the September 1st issue of Biological Psychiatry. Ketamine acutely reduced suicidal thoughts when patients were assessed 24 hours after a single infusion. This reduction in suicidality was maintained when patients received repeated doses over the next two weeks.

10 Sep 2009

Research study examines the depression rate in chronic kidney disease patients

One in five patients with chronic kidney disease is depressed, even before beginning long-term dialysis therapy or developing end-stage renal disease, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.

9 Sep 2009

Neuronetics raises funds to expand sales team for NeuroStar TMS Therapy

New Leaf Venture Partners (NLV Partners) announced today it has led a $30 million Series D financing round in Neuronetics, Inc., maker of NeuroStar TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Therapy® for the treatment of depression.

3 Sep 2009

IntelGenx Technologies shareholder conference call to update shareholders on CPI-300

Horst G. Zerbe, President and CEO of IntelGenx Technologies Corp. ("IntelGenx") will be holding a shareholder conference call to update shareholders on the company's CPI-300 product and remark on related legal proceedings. The call will be held on Tuesday September 1, 2009 at 2.30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

31 Aug 2009

FDA accepts Labopharm's response for its novel trazodone formulation

Labopharm Inc. (TSX: DDS; NASDAQ: DDSS) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted Labopharm's response regarding its novel formulation of the antidepressant trazodone as complete and designated it as a Class 2 resubmission. The FDA has assigned Labopharm a new Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of February 11, 2010.

26 Aug 2009

Venlafaxine alleviates depressive symptoms

The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) was commissioned by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) to investigate whether patients with depression benefit from taking drugs belonging to the selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) drug class.

25 Aug 2009

Biovail's patent infringement lawsuit against Cary Pharma may affect IntelGenx revenues

IntelGenx Corp. (TSX VENTURE:IGX)(OTCBB:IGXT) ("IntelGenx") previously announced that the New Drug Application (NDA) filing for the antidepressant CPI-300, which it developed with Cary Pharmaceuticals ("Cary Pharma") had been accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for standard review. CPI-300 is a novel, high strength of Bupropion HCl, the active ingredient in Wellbutrin XL®.

24 Aug 2009

Herbal supplements aren't always safe!

Natural doesn’t always mean safe when it comes to herbal supplements, according to the August issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter.

13 Aug 2009

Sleep patterns can identify adolescents at greatest risk for depression

Sleep patterns can help predict which adolescents might be at greatest risk for developing depression, a researcher at UT Southwestern Medical Center has found in a five-year study.

13 Aug 2009

Labopharm submits response to FDA for formulation of the antidepressant trazodone

Labopharm Inc. (TSX: DDS; NASDAQ: DDSS) today announced that it has submitted its response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) complete response letter regarding the Company's novel formulation of the antidepressant trazodone.

11 Aug 2009

Mental health care costs soar

A new report finds mental health care costs are exploding, according to U.S. News & World Report.

7 Aug 2009

Antidepressant use becoming more common in the United States

A marked and broad expansion in antidepressant treatment occurred among Americans older than 6 years between 1996 and 2005, although treatment rates remain low among racial and ethnic minorities, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

4 Aug 2009

Too many Australians abusing prescription drugs

The demise of yet another pop icon from the use and abuse of pharmaceutical drugs has again put the spotlight on an increasing addiction to prescription medication among the general public.

13 Jul 2009

Antidepressants aid electroconvulsive therapy in treating severe depression

Combining antidepressant drugs with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) does a better job of reducing symptoms of severe depression and causes less memory loss than using ECT alone, according to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues.

6 Jul 2009

Chantix and Zyban to get boxed warnings on serious mental health events

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that it is requiring manufacturers to put a Boxed Warning on the prescribing information for the smoking cessation drugs Chantix (varenicline) and Zyban (bupropion). The warning will highlight the risk of serious mental health events including changes in behavior, depressed mood, hostility, and suicidal thoughts when taking these drugs.

1 Jul 2009

Major depression, antidepressant medication and the risk of obesity

Cross-sectional studies have reported an association between major depressive episode (MDE) and obesity. The objective of this longitudinal analysis was to determine whether MDE increase the risk of becoming obese over a 10-year period.

23 Jun 2009

Lilly resubmits Cymbalta supplemental NDA for chronic pain to FDA

Eli Lilly and Company has resubmitted its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl) for the management of chronic pain to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

3 Jun 2009

FDA antidepressant warnings led to unintended changes in depression diagnosis

Government warnings about suicidality among children taking antidepressants appear to be associated with unintended and persistent changes in the diagnosis and treatment of depression in children and adults, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

1 Jun 2009