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Siegel JS, Cohen AS, Szabo ST, Tomioka S, Opler M, Kirkpatrick B, Hopkins S. Enrichment using speech latencies improves treatment effect size in a clinical trial of bipolar depression. Psychiatry Res 2024; 340:116105. [PMID: 39151277 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Clinical trials in depression lack objective measures. Speech latencies are an objective measure of psychomotor slowing with face validity and empirical support. 'Turn latency' is the response time between speakers. Retrospective analysis was carried-out on the utility of turn latencies as an enrichment tool in a clinical trial of bipolar I depression. Speech data was obtained from 274 participants during 1,352 Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) recordings in a randomized, placebo controlled, 6-week clinical trial of SEP-4199 (200 mg or 400 mg). Post-randomization turn latencies were compared between patients with moderate to severe depression and patients whose depression had remitted. A cutoff was determined and applied to turn latencies pre-randomization to classify individuals into two groups: Speech Latencies Slow (SL-Slow) and Speech Latencies Normal (SL-Normal). At week 6, SL-Slow (N = 172) showed significant separation in MADRS scores between placebo and treatment arms. SL-Normal (N = 102) showed larger MADRS improvements and no significant separation between placebo and treatment arms. Excluding SL-Normal increased primary outcome effect size by 52 % and 100 % for the treatment arms. Turn latencies are an objective measure available from standard clinical assessments and may assess the severity of symptoms more accurately and screen out placebo responders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua S Siegel
- Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Inc; Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Psychiatry
| | - Alex S Cohen
- Louisiana State University, Department of Psychology, Baton Rouge, LA 70803; Louisiana State University, Center for Computation and Technology; Quantic Innovation, Inc.
| | | | | | | | - Brian Kirkpatrick
- Quantic Innovation, Inc; Psychiatric Research Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
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Cohen AS, Rodriguez Z, Opler M, Kirkpatrick B, Milanovic S, Piacentino D, Szabo ST, Tomioka S, Ogirala A, Koblan KS, Siegel JS, Hopkins S. Evaluating speech latencies during structured psychiatric interviews as an automated objective measure of psychomotor slowing. Psychiatry Res 2024; 340:116104. [PMID: 39137558 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
We sought to derive an objective measure of psychomotor slowing from speech analytics during a psychiatric interview to avoid potential burden of dedicated neurophysiological testing. Speech latency, which reflects response time between speakers, shows promise from the literature. Speech data was obtained from 274 subjects with a diagnosis of bipolar I depression enrolled in a randomized, doubleblind, 6-week phase 2 clinical trial. Audio recordings of structured Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) interviews at 6 time points were examined (k = 1,352). We evaluated speech latencies, and other aspects of speech, for temporal stability, convergent validity, sensitivity/responsivity to clinical change, and generalization across seven socio-linguistically diverse countries. Speech latency was minimally associated with demographic features, and explained nearly a third of the variance in depression (categorically defined). Speech latency significantly decreased as depression symptoms improved over time, explaining nearly 20 % of variance in depression remission. Classification for differentiating people with versus without concurrent depression was high (AUCs > 0.85) both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Results replicated across countries. Other speech features offered modest incremental contribution. Neurophysiological speech parameters with face validity can be derived from psychiatric interviews without the added patient burden of additional testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex S Cohen
- Louisiana State University, Department of Psychology, USA; Louisiana State University, Center for Computation and Technology, USA; Quantic Innovation, Inc, USA.
| | - Zachary Rodriguez
- Louisiana State University, Department of Psychology, USA; Louisiana State University, Center for Computation and Technology, USA
| | - Mark Opler
- Quantic Innovation, Inc, USA; WCG, Inc, USA
| | - Brian Kirkpatrick
- Quantic Innovation, Inc, USA; Psychiatric Research Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Joshua S Siegel
- Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Inc, USA; Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Psychiatry, USA
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Hopkins SC, Tomioka S, Szabo ST, Koblan KS. A clinical trial inclusion criteria to enrich for patients presenting with canonical symptom structure in bipolar depression. Contemp Clin Trials 2024; 145:107644. [PMID: 39098761 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2024.107644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Clinical drug development in psychiatry is challenging due to heterogeneous patient populations and the uncertainty of measuring neuropsychiatric constructs with symptom rating scales. Here we describe the development and implementation of an enrichment algorithm that identifies canonical versus anomalous symptom presentations, at the individual subject level, based on MADRS ratings obtained at screening and baseline. Data from 5 randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trials in bipolar I disorder was used (N = 2026 subjects and 15,239 MADRS assessments). A variance-covariance difference (VCD) vector was developed to encode individual symptom structure using the 10 items of MADRS from the two sequential assessments. An anomaly score, calculated from each subject's VCD vector was derived by isolation forest to quantify the degree of disparity from the hypothesized canonical item structure. A retrospective application of the algorithm reliably identified a threshold anomaly score above which the psychometric properties of MADRS deteriorate. Consistent with increasing the certainty of MADRS ratings, subjects with a canonical symptom structure at baseline demonstrated greater effect sizes post-baseline in a phase 2 placebo-controlled trial of non-racemic amisulpride (SEP-4199) for bipolar depression, analyzed retrospectively. Our analyses show that the developed algorithm can reduce the symptom structure heterogeneity at baseline and thus improve the measurement certainty of psychiatric symptoms in clinical trials. This novel enrichment method has been prospectively implemented in a Phase 3 clinical study of SEP-4199 and is consistent with regulatory guidelines aimed at increasing the statistical power and lowering patient-burden in clinical trials. Clinical Trials Registry: NCT00868452, NCT00868699, NCT01284517, NCT01986101, NCT03543410, NCT05169710.
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Hopkins SC, Toongsuwan S, Corriveau TJ, Watanabe T, Tsushima Y, Asada T, Lew R, Shi L, Zann V, Snowden TJ, van der Graaf PH, Darpo B, Searle GE, Rabiner EA, Wilding I, Szabo ST, Galluppi GR, Koblan KS. Discovery and Model-Informed Drug Development of a Controlled-Release Formulation of Nonracemic Amisulpride that Reduces Plasma Exposure but Achieves Pharmacodynamic Bioequivalence in the Brain. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2024; 116:460-470. [PMID: 38822554 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.3311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Nonracemic amisulpride (SEP-4199) is an investigational 85:15 ratio of aramisulpride to esamisulpride and currently in clinical trials for the treatment of bipolar depression. During testing of SEP-4199, a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) disconnect was discovered that prompted the development of a controlled-release (CR) formulation with improved therapeutic index for QT prolongation. Observations that supported the development of a CR formulation included (i) plasma concentrations of amisulpride enantiomers were cleared within 24-hours, but brain dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) occupancies, although achieving stable levels during this time, required 5 days to return to baseline; (ii) nonracemic amisulpride administered to non-human primates produced significantly greater D2R occupancies during a gradual 6-hour administration compared with a single bolus; (iii) concentration-occupancy curves were left-shifted in humans when nonracemic amisulpride was gradually administered over 3 and 6 hours compared with immediate delivery; (iv) CR solid oral dose formulations of nonracemic amisulpride were able to slow drug dissolution in vitro and reduce peak plasma exposures in vivo in human subjects. By mathematically solving for a drug distribution step into an effect compartment, and for binding to target receptors, the discovery of a novel PK/PD model (termed here as Distribution Model) accounted for hysteresis between plasma and brain, a lack of receptor saturation, and an absence of accumulation of drug occupancy with daily doses. The PK/PD disconnect solved by the Distribution Model provided model-informed drug development to continue in Phase III using the non-bioequivalent CR formulation with diminished QT prolongation as dose-equivalent to the immediate release (IR) formulation utilized in Phase II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth C Hopkins
- Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - Takao Watanabe
- Drug Research Division, Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuki Tsushima
- Technology Research & Development Division, Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
| | - Takumi Asada
- Technology Research & Development Division, Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
| | - Robert Lew
- Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lei Shi
- Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Thomas J Snowden
- Certara QSP, University of Kent Innovation Centre, Canterbury, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Ian Wilding
- Ian Wilding Associates Limited, Nottingham, UK
| | - Steven T Szabo
- Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA
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Kitaichi M, Kato T, Oki H, Tatara A, Kawada T, Miyazaki K, Ishikawa C, Kaneda K, Shimizu I. DSP-6745, a novel 5-hydroxytryptamine modulator with rapid antidepressant, anxiolytic, antipsychotic and procognitive effects. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00213-024-06629-2. [PMID: 38856765 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06629-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current treatment of major depressive disorder is facing challenges, including a low remission rate, late onset of efficacy, and worsening severity due to comorbid symptoms such as psychosis and cognitive dysfunction. Serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission is involved in a wide variety of psychiatric diseases and its potential as a drug target continues to attract attention. OBJECTIVES The present study elucidates the effects of a novel 5-HT modulator, DSP-6745, on depression and its comorbid symptoms. RESULTS In vitro radioligand binding and functional assays showed that DSP-6745 is a potent inhibitor of 5-HT transporter and 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C, and 5-HT7 receptors. In vivo, DSP-6745 (6.4 and 19.1 mg/kg as free base, p.o.) increased the release of not only 5-HT, norepinephrine, and dopamine, but also glutamate in the medial prefrontal cortex. The results of in vivo mouse phenotypic screening by SmartCube® suggested that DSP-6745 has a behavioral signature combined with antidepressant-, anxiolytic-, and antipsychotic-like signals. A single oral dose of DSP-6745 (6.4 and 19.1 mg/kg) showed rapid antidepressant-like efficacy in the rat forced swim test, even at 24 h post-dosing, and anxiolytic activity in the rat social interaction test. Moreover, DSP-6745 (12.7 mg/kg, p.o.) led to an improvement in the apomorphine-induced prepulse inhibition deficit in rats. In the marmoset object retrieval with detour task, which is used to assess cognitive functions such as attention and behavioral inhibition, DSP-6745 (7.8 mg/kg, p.o.) enhanced cognition. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that DSP-6745 is a multimodal 5-HT receptor antagonist and a 5-HT transporter inhibitor and has the potential to be a rapid acting antidepressant with efficacies in mitigating the comorbid symptoms of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiko Kitaichi
- Drug Research Division, Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Osaka, 554-0022, Japan
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Taro Kato
- Drug Research Division, Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Osaka, 554-0022, Japan.
| | - Hitomi Oki
- Drug Research Division, Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Osaka, 554-0022, Japan
| | - Ayaka Tatara
- Drug Research Division, Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Osaka, 554-0022, Japan
| | - Takuya Kawada
- Drug Research Division, Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Osaka, 554-0022, Japan
| | - Kenji Miyazaki
- Drug Research Division, Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Osaka, 554-0022, Japan
| | - Chihiro Ishikawa
- Drug Research Division, Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Osaka, 554-0022, Japan
| | - Katsuyuki Kaneda
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Isao Shimizu
- Drug Research Division, Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Osaka, 554-0022, Japan
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Gomeni R, Hopkins S, Bressolle-Gomeni F, Fava M. Interpreting clinical trial outcomes complicated by placebo response with an assessment of false-negative and true-negative clinical trials in depression using propensity-weighting. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:388. [PMID: 38097546 PMCID: PMC10721911 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02685-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the performances of the propensity score weighted (PSW) methodology in a post-hoc re-analysis of a failed and a negative RCTs in depressive disorders. The conventional study designs, randomizations, and statistical approaches do not account for the baseline distribution of major non-specific prognostic and confounding factors such as the individual propensity to show a placebo effect (PE). Therefore, the conventional analysis approaches implicitly assume that the baseline PE is the same for all subjects in the trial even if this assumption is not supported by our knowledge on the impact of PE on the estimated treatment effect (TE). The consequence of this assumption is an inflation of false negative results (type II error) in presence of a high proportion of subjects with high PE and an inflation of false positive (type I error) in presence of a high proportion of subjects with low PE value. Differently from conventional approaches, the inverse of the PE probability was used as weight in the mixed-effects analysis to assess TE in the PSW analysis. The results of this analysis indicated an enhanced signal of drug response in a failed trial and confirmed the absence of drug effect in a negative trial. This approach can be considered as a reference prospective or post-hoc analysis approach that minimize the risk of inflating either type I or type II error in contrast to what happens in the analyses of RCT studies conducted with the conventional statistical methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Seth Hopkins
- Sumitomo Pharma America. Inc, Marlborough, MA, USA
| | | | - Maurizio Fava
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Wu J, Kwan AT, Rhee TG, Ho R, d'Andrea G, Martinotti G, Teopiz KM, Ceban F, McIntyre RS. A narrative review of non-racemic amisulpride (SEP-4199) for treatment of depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder and LB-102 for treatment of schizophrenia. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2023; 16:1085-1092. [PMID: 37864424 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2023.2274538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The challenges posed by treatment-resistant schizophrenia and depressive symptoms have led to ongoing difficulties despite the availability of antipsychotics and antidepressants. This review addresses the potential of amisulpride analogs, particularly SEP-4199, in addressing these challenges through enhanced efficacy and reduced side effects. AREAS COVERED This review focuses on the pharmacological profile of amisulpride analogs, exemplified by LB-102 and its derivative SEP-4199. PubMed gathered articles (up to 10 March 2023) on 'amisulpride,' 'schizophrenia,' 'bipolar disorder,' and 'major depressive disorder;' ClinicalTrials.gov tracked SEP-4199 and LB-102 trials. LB-102, a newly identified N-methylated analog of amisulpride, exhibits enhanced lipophilicity at lower doses, as demonstrated in a phase 1 study, indicating significant promise for therapeutic applications. The discovery of SEP-4199, a non-racemic analog composed of R- and S-enantiomers in an 85:15 ratio, is discussed, emphasizing its potential to enhance antidepressant effects while minimizing extrapyramidal side effects via selective D2 receptor binding. Recent phase 2 trials have demonstrated SEP-4199's efficacy in treating depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder I, capitalizing on D2-mediated anti-anhedonic and D3-mediated reward effects. EXPERT OPINION The development of SEP-4199 presents a potential breakthrough for managing depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder I. Further exploration of D2 and D3 receptor-mediated effects could lead to improved treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Angela Th Kwan
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Taeho Greg Rhee
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- VA New England Mental Illness, Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Roger Ho
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Giacomo d'Andrea
- Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinotti
- Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
- Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
| | - Kayla M Teopiz
- Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Felicia Ceban
- Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Roger S McIntyre
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Correll CU, Solmi M, Cortese S, Fava M, Højlund M, Kraemer HC, McIntyre RS, Pine DS, Schneider LS, Kane JM. The future of psychopharmacology: a critical appraisal of ongoing phase 2/3 trials, and of some current trends aiming to de-risk trial programmes of novel agents. World Psychiatry 2023; 22:48-74. [PMID: 36640403 PMCID: PMC9840514 DOI: 10.1002/wps.21056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite considerable progress in pharmacotherapy over the past seven decades, many mental disorders remain insufficiently treated. This situation is in part due to the limited knowledge of the pathophysiology of these disorders and the lack of biological markers to stratify and individualize patient selection, but also to a still restricted number of mechanisms of action being targeted in monotherapy or combination/augmentation treatment, as well as to a variety of challenges threatening the successful development and testing of new drugs. In this paper, we first provide an overview of the most promising drugs with innovative mechanisms of action that are undergoing phase 2 or 3 testing for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, anxiety and trauma-related disorders, substance use disorders, and dementia. Promising repurposing of established medications for new psychiatric indications, as well as variations in the modulation of dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin receptor functioning, are also considered. We then critically discuss the clinical trial parameters that need to be considered in depth when developing and testing new pharmacological agents for the treatment of mental disorders. Hurdles and perils threatening success of new drug development and testing include inadequacy and imprecision of inclusion/exclusion criteria and ratings, sub-optimally suited clinical trial participants, multiple factors contributing to a large/increasing placebo effect, and problems with statistical analyses. This information should be considered in order to de-risk trial programmes of novel agents or known agents for novel psychiatric indications, increasing their chances of success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph U Correll
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, Glen Oaks, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Molecular Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Marco Solmi
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Mental Health, Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) Clinical Epidemiology Program, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, School of Psychology, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Samuele Cortese
- Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, School of Psychology, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences (CNS and Psychiatry), Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Solent NHS Trust, Southampton, UK
- Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone, New York University Child Study Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maurizio Fava
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mikkel Højlund
- Department of Public Health, Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Mental Health Services in the Region of Southern Denmark, Department of Psychiatry Aabenraa, Aabenraa, Denmark
| | - Helena C Kraemer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Cupertino, CA, USA
| | - Roger S McIntyre
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Canadian Rapid Treatment Center of Excellence, Mississauga, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel S Pine
- Section on Developmental Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lon S Schneider
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, and L. Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John M Kane
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, Glen Oaks, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Molecular Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA
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9
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Darpo B, Borin M, Ferber G, Galluppi GR, Hopkins SC, Landry I, Lo A, Rege B, Reyderman L, Sun L, Watanabe T, Xue H, Yasuda S. ECG Evaluation as Part of the Clinical Pharmacology Strategy in the Development of New Drugs: A Review of Current Practices and Opportunities Based on Five Case Studies. J Clin Pharmacol 2022; 62:1480-1500. [PMID: 35665514 PMCID: PMC9796926 DOI: 10.1002/jcph.2095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) E14 document was revised in 2015 to allow concentration-corrected QT interval (C-QTc) analysis to be applied to data from early clinical pharmacology studies to exclude a small drug-induced effect on QTc. Provided sufficiently high concentrations of the drug are obtained in the first-in-human (FIH) study, this approach can be used to obviate the need for a designated thorough QT (TQT) study. The E14 revision has resulted in a steady reduction in the number of TQT studies and an increased use of FIH studies to evaluate electrocardiogram (ECG) effects of drugs in development. In this review, five examples from different sponsors are shared in which C-QTc analysis was performed on data from FIH studies. Case 1 illustrates a clearly negative C-QTc evaluation, despite observations of QTc prolongation at high concentrations in nonclinical studies. In case 2 C-QTc analysis of FIH data was performed prior to full pharmacokinetic characterization in patients, and the role of nonclinical assays in an integrated risk assessment is discussed. Case 3 illustrates a positive clinical C-QTc relationship, despite negative nonclinical assays. Case 4 demonstrates a strategy for characterizing the C-QTc relationship for a nonracemic therapy and formulation optimization, and case 5 highlights an approach to perform a preliminary C-QTc analysis early in development and postpone the definitive analysis until proof of efficacy is demonstrated. The strategy of collecting and storing ECG data from FIH studies to enable an informed decision on whether and when to apply C-QTc analysis to obviate the need for a TQT study is described.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marie Borin
- Clinical and Translational PharmacologyTheravance Biopharma US, Inc.South San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | | | | | | | - Ishani Landry
- Clinical Pharmacology and Translational MedicineEisaiNutleyNew JerseyUSA
| | - Arthur Lo
- Clinical and Translational PharmacologyTheravance Biopharma US, Inc.South San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Larisa Reyderman
- Clinical Pharmacology and Translational MedicineEisaiNutleyNew JerseyUSA
| | - Lei Sun
- Alkermes, Inc.WalthamMassachusettsUSA
| | - Takao Watanabe
- Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.MarlboroughMassachusettsUSA
| | | | - Sally Yasuda
- Clinical Pharmacology and Translational MedicineEisaiNutleyNew JerseyUSA
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Pochwat B, Krupa AJ, Siwek M, Szewczyk B. New investigational agents for the treatment of major depressive disorder. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2022; 31:1053-1066. [PMID: 35975761 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2022.2113376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pharmacotherapy of depression is characterized by the delayed onset of action, chronic treatment requirements, and insufficient effectiveness. Ketamine, with its rapid action and long-lasting effects, represents a breakthrough in the modern pharmacotherapy of depression. AREAS COVERED : The current review summarizes the latest findings on the mechanism of the antidepressant action of ketamine and its enantiomers and metabolites. Furthermore, the antidepressant potential of psychedelics, non-hallucinogenic serotonergic modulators and metabotropic glutamate receptor ligands was discussed. EXPERT OPINION Recent data indicated that to achieve fast and long-acting antidepressant-like effects, compounds must induce durable effects on the architecture and density of dendritic spines in brain regions engaged in mood regulation. Such mechanisms underlie the actions of ketamine and psychedelics. These compounds trigger hallucinations; however, it is thought that these effects might be essential for their antidepressant action. Behavioral studies with serotonergic modulators affecting 5-HT1A (biased agonists), 5-HT4 (agonists), and 5-HT-7 (antagonists) receptors exert rapid antidepressant-like activity, but they seem to be devoid of this effects. Another way to avoid psychomimetic effects and achieve the desired rapid antidepressant-like effects is combined therapy. In this respect, ligands of metabotropic receptors show some potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartłomiej Pochwat
- Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Anna Julia Krupa
- Department of Psychiatry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Marcin Siwek
- Department of Affective Disorders, Chair of Psychiatry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Bernadeta Szewczyk
- Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
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Vasiliu O. Investigational Drugs for the Treatment of Depression (Part 1): Monoaminergic, Orexinergic, GABA-Ergic, and Anti-Inflammatory Agents. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:884143. [PMID: 35774601 PMCID: PMC9237478 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.884143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic management of depression has currently important limitations, and its low efficacy is reflected in high rates of non-response even after multiple trials of antidepressants. Almost two-thirds of the patients diagnosed with major depression who received a 4–6 weeks trial of antidepressant could not reach remission, and more than 30% of these patients are considered treatment-resistant. In bipolar depression, the situation is also discouraging if we analyze the high suicide rate, the risk for the treatment-emergent affective switch when antidepressants are added, the high rate of treatment resistance (up to 25%), and the severe functional impairments associated with these episodes. Therefore, new therapeutic agents are needed, as well as new pathogenetic models for depression. The vast majority of the currently approved antidepressants are based on the monoamine hypothesis, although new drugs exploiting different neurotransmitter pathways have been recently approved by FDA. Brexanolone, an allopregnanolone analog, is an example of such new antidepressants, and its approval for post-partum depression inspired the search for a new generation of neurosteroids and GABA-ergic modulators, with an easier way of administration and superior tolerability profile. Orexin receptors antagonists are also extensively studied for different psychiatric disorders, depression included, in phase II trials. Antiinflammatory drugs, both cyclo-oxygenase 2 inhibitors and biological therapy, are investigated in patients with depressive disorders based on the proven correlation between inflammation and mood disorders in preclinical and clinical studies. Also, a new generation of monoamine-based investigational drugs is explored, ranging from triple reuptake inhibitors to atypical antipsychotics, in patients with major depression. In conclusion, there is hope for new treatments in uni- and bipolar depression, as it became clear, after almost seven decades, that new pathogenetic pathways should be targeted to increase these patients’ response rate.
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When to Use Amisulpride in Adolescents: A Retrospective Chart Examination of Inpatients. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2022; 42:247-253. [PMID: 35149609 DOI: 10.1097/jcp.0000000000001529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND Despite increasing interest in amisulpride, current knowledge about its use in the pediatric population is scarce. This chart review aimed to investigate the use of amisulpride in a naturalistic adolescent population. METHODS/PROCEDURES Electronic medical records of a tertiary care adolescent inpatient unit were screened between January 2015 and April 2021. Sociodemographic data and all clinical information were collected via data collection forms, and targeted symptoms were obtained from patients' files. Patients with early-onset psychotic disorders (n = 58), bipolar I disorder (n = 29), major depressive disorder (n = 14), and other psychiatric diagnoses (n = 9) were included. Treatment response was defined as a Clinical Global Impression-Improvement of at least much improvement after treatment. FINDINGS/RESULTS Median titration rate of amisulpride was 400 mg/wk, and the maximum administered daily dose ranged between 100 and 1200 mg/d. The maximum daily dose and number of previous antipsychotics were higher in the early-onset psychotic disorder group. Persistent positive symptoms and resistance to previous treatments were leading causes for amisulpride treatment. Other indications were also impulsive/disruptive behaviors, antipsychotic adverse effects, depressive symptoms, somatic complaints, and abnormalities in liver function tests. Finally, patients with lower daily treatment doses and more previous antipsychotic trials are less likely to benefit from the treatment. IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS Persistent psychotic/mood symptoms, impulsive/disruptive behaviors, and abnormalities in liver function tests were reasons for the amisulpride treatment in adolescents. Randomized placebo-controlled trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the treatment in adolescents.
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