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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ben on May 23, 2002, at 14:37:45
LOS ANGELES, May 22 (Reuters) - An experimental antidepressant reduces symptoms of anxiety in depressed patients, Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE:LLY - News), which is developing the drug said on Wednesday.
At a meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in Philadelphia, the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company also presented trial results for the drug, called duloxetine, showing that it has the same affect on weight gain as placebo.
Lilly said duloxetine, which works by inhibiting the brain's reuptake of messenger chemicals serotonin and norepinephrine, taken once daily at a standard starting dose of 60 milligrams, significantly reduced anxiety symptoms compared to placebo based on a commonly-used scale.
"Because anxiety is common in major depression, any first-line antidepressant must show efficacy in treating anxiety symptoms," said Dr. Michael Detke, a research physician at the company.
Some 60 percent of patients with major depressive disorder report symptoms of anxiety. These patients have a higher risk of recurrence and suicide when compared to patients with only depression.
Lilly, which saw its blockbuster antidepressant Prozac go off-patent last August, filed late last year for U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of duloxetine and hopes to launch the drug commercially late this year.
The drug is unique because it works to alleviate physical pain -- like backache and headache -- as well as the usual emotional symptoms of depression, Detke said.
In other clinical trials up to 12 weeks long, data showed duloxetine had little effect on body weight, Lilly said.
The company said aggregated data from several clinical trials suggest that patients taking duloxetine did not experience clinically significant weight gain.
Duloxetine-treated patients, in these trials, experienced an average weight loss of 1.11 pounds, while patients on placebo experienced an average weight gain of 0.55 pounds. In a one-year study, the average weight increase for patients on duloxetine was 2.46 pounds.
"That's about what you see in the general population," Detke said.
Posted by ben on May 23, 2002, at 14:46:49
In reply to NEWS about Duloxetine, posted by ben on May 23, 2002, at 14:37:45
Posted by Bob on May 23, 2002, at 15:22:45
In reply to NEWS about Duloxetine, posted by ben on May 23, 2002, at 14:37:45
There is no mention of sexual side-effects. That must mean they're nasty, otherwise they'd be yelling about it from the highest mountaintop. I also have to worry about withdrawal from a drug that is so similar in action to Effexor. It has the potential to be quite serious. Of course, we won't now about getting off of a drug like that after 1+ year of treatment for years to come.
Posted by Judy on May 28, 2002, at 16:41:35
In reply to Re: NEWS about Duloxetine » ben, posted by Bob on May 23, 2002, at 15:22:45
You missed this, Bob:
In terms of sexual dysfunction there were no differences in overall sexual function results between patients treated with Cymbalta and those receiving placebo; however, in men there was a significant difference in delayed orgasm. Sexual dysfunction was measured by the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), a prospective solicited measure.
And thanks, Ben, for the updates.
> There is no mention of sexual side-effects. That must mean they're nasty, otherwise they'd be yelling about it from the highest mountaintop. I also have to worry about withdrawal from a drug that is so similar in action to Effexor. It has the potential to be quite serious. Of course, we won't now about getting off of a drug like that after 1+ year of treatment for years to come.
Posted by Bob on May 28, 2002, at 23:11:34
In reply to Re: NEWS about Duloxetine-Bob Ben, posted by Judy on May 28, 2002, at 16:41:35
> You missed this, Bob:
>
> In terms of sexual dysfunction there were no differences in overall sexual function results between patients treated with Cymbalta and those receiving placebo; however, in men there was a significant difference in delayed orgasm. Sexual dysfunction was measured by the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), a prospective solicited measure.
>
So they're saying that there's negligible dysfunction for women, but significant problems for men?
Posted by Judy on May 29, 2002, at 9:31:20
In reply to Re: NEWS about Duloxetine-Bob Ben » Judy, posted by Bob on May 28, 2002, at 23:11:34
Well, yeah - it looks that way - BUT it says the problem is with *delay* not total dysfunction.
There's not enough info available yet - nothing even comes up on a search of Cymbalta and just the info we've already seen comes up when searching Duloxetine.
I suppose the whole point is moot if it doesn't work as an AD first and foremost.
Cymbalta? Strange choice of name. Sounds like a third world country, doesn't it?
> > You missed this, Bob:
> >
> > In terms of sexual dysfunction there were no differences in overall sexual function results between patients treated with Cymbalta and those receiving placebo; however, in men there was a significant difference in delayed orgasm. Sexual dysfunction was measured by the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), a prospective solicited measure.
> >
>
>
> So they're saying that there's negligible dysfunction for women, but significant problems for men?
Posted by Bob on May 29, 2002, at 13:53:10
In reply to Re: NEWS about Duloxetine-Bob Ben » Bob, posted by Judy on May 29, 2002, at 9:31:20
> Cymbalta? Strange choice of name. Sounds like a third world country, doesn't it?
>Actually, to me it sounds like the name of a character from a Disney movie... like, "Lion King".
This is the end of the thread.
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