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Gozzo L, Spina E, Drago F. Editorial: Innovative treatments for neuro-psychiatric diseases. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1247681. [PMID: 37483343 PMCID: PMC10362339 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1247681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Gozzo
- Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Policlinico “G. Rodolico–S. Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Edoardo Spina
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Filippo Drago
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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The D-amino acid oxidase inhibitor luvadaxistat improves mismatch negativity in patients with schizophrenia in a randomized trial. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1052-1059. [PMID: 36928351 PMCID: PMC10018616 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01560-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Several attempts have been made to enhance N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor function in schizophrenia, but they have yielded mixed results. Luvadaxistat, a D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) inhibitor that increases the glutamate co-agonist D-serine levels, is being developed for the treatment of cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia. We conducted a biomarker study in patients, assessing several endpoints related to physiological outcomes of NMDA receptor modulation to determine whether luvadaxistat affects neural circuitry biomarkers relevant to NMDA receptor function and schizophrenia. This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, two-period crossover phase 2a study assessing luvadaxistat 50 mg and 500 mg for 8 days in 31 patients with schizophrenia. There were no treatment effects of luvadaxistat at either dose in eyeblink conditioning, a cerebellar-dependent learning measure, compared with placebo. We observed a nominally significant improvement in mismatch negativity (MMN) and a statistical trend to improvement for auditory steady-state response at 40 Hz, in both cases with 50 mg, but not with 500 mg, compared with placebo. Although the data should be interpreted cautiously owing to the small sample size, they suggest that luvadaxistat can improve an illness-related circuitry biomarker at doses associated with partial DAAO inhibition. These results are consistent with 50 mg, but not higher doses, showing a signal of efficacy in cognitive endpoints in a larger phase 2, 12-week study conducted in parallel. Thus, MMN responses after a short treatment period may predict cognitive function improvement. MMN and ASSR should be considered as biomarkers in early trials addressing NMDA receptor hypofunction.
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Ferreira GS, Dijkstra FM, Veening-Griffioen DH, Boon WPC, Schellekens H, Moors EHM, van Meer PJK, Stuurman FE, van Gerven JMA. Translatability of preclinical to early clinical tolerable and pharmacologically active dose ranges for central nervous system active drugs. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:74. [PMID: 36859342 PMCID: PMC9977891 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02353-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The primary purpose of this study was to assess the translatability of preclinical to early clinical tolerable and pharmacologically active dose ranges for central nervous system (CNS) active drugs. As a part of this, IBs were reviewed on reporting quality. Investigator's Brochures (IBs) of studies performed at the Centre for Human Drug Research (CHDR) reporting statistically significant results of CNS activity related to the drug's mechanism of action were included. The quality of IBs was assessed based on the presence of a rationale for the chosen animal model, completeness of pharmacokinetic (PK) results in reporting and internal validity information of the preclinical evidence. The IB-derisk tool was used to generate preclinical and early clinical data overviews data. For each compound, the overlap between pharmacologically active dose ranges and well-tolerated levels was calculated for three pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters: human equivalent dose (HED), maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the curve (AUC). Twenty-five IBs were included. In general, the quality of reporting in IBs was assessed as poor. About a third of studies did not explore the entire concentration-effect curve (pre)clinically. Single dose tolerability ranges were most accurately predicted by Cmax. Human equivalent dose and AUC were the best predictors of pharmacologically active ranges. Tolerable and pharmacologically active dose ranges in healthy volunteers can be reasonably well predicted from preclinical data with the IB-derisk tool. The translatability of preclinical studies can be improved by applying a higher reporting standard in IBs including comparable PK measurements across all preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme S Ferreira
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Francis M Dijkstra
- Centre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Désirée H Veening-Griffioen
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter P C Boon
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Innovation Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Huub Schellekens
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen H M Moors
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Innovation Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter J K van Meer
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Medicines Evaluation Board (CBG), Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Frederik E Stuurman
- Centre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Joop M A van Gerven
- Centre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects (CCMO), Leiden, The Netherlands
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Gene set enrichment analysis of pathophysiological pathways highlights oxidative stress in psychosis. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:5135-5143. [PMID: 36131045 PMCID: PMC9763118 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01779-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Polygenic risk prediction remains an important aim of genetic association studies. Currently, the predictive power of schizophrenia polygenic risk scores (PRSs) is not large enough to allow highly accurate discrimination between cases and controls and thus is not adequate for clinical integration. Since PRSs are rarely used to reveal biological functions or to validate candidate pathways, to fill this gap, we investigated whether their predictive ability could be improved by building genome-wide (GW-PRSs) and pathway-specific PRSs, using distance- or expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs)- based mapping between genetic variants and genes. We focused on five pathways (glutamate, oxidative stress, GABA/interneurons, neuroimmune/neuroinflammation and myelin) which belong to a critical hub of schizophrenia pathophysiology, centred on redox dysregulation/oxidative stress. Analyses were first performed in the Lausanne Treatment and Early Intervention in Psychosis Program (TIPP) study (n = 340, cases/controls: 208/132), a sample of first-episode of psychosis patients and matched controls, and then validated in an independent study, the epidemiological and longitudinal intervention program of First-Episode Psychosis in Cantabria (PAFIP) (n = 352, 224/128). Our results highlighted two main findings. First, GW-PRSs for schizophrenia were significantly associated with early psychosis status. Second, oxidative stress was the only significantly associated pathway that showed an enrichment in both the TIPP (p = 0.03) and PAFIP samples (p = 0.002), and exclusively when gene-variant linking was done using eQTLs. The results suggest that the predictive accuracy of polygenic risk scores could be improved with the inclusion of information from functional annotations, and through a focus on specific pathways, emphasizing the need to build and study functionally informed risk scores.
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Cuenod M, Steullet P, Cabungcal JH, Dwir D, Khadimallah I, Klauser P, Conus P, Do KQ. Caught in vicious circles: a perspective on dynamic feed-forward loops driving oxidative stress in schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:1886-1897. [PMID: 34759358 PMCID: PMC9126811 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01374-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence has emerged demonstrating a pathological link between oxidative stress and schizophrenia. This evidence identifies oxidative stress as a convergence point or "central hub" for schizophrenia genetic and environmental risk factors. Here we review the existing experimental and translational research pinpointing the complex dynamics of oxidative stress mechanisms and their modulation in relation to schizophrenia pathophysiology. We focus on evidence supporting the crucial role of either redox dysregulation, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor hypofunction, neuroinflammation or mitochondria bioenergetics dysfunction, initiating "vicious circles" centered on oxidative stress during neurodevelopment. These processes would amplify one another in positive feed-forward loops, leading to persistent impairments of the maturation and function of local parvalbumin-GABAergic neurons microcircuits and myelinated fibers of long-range macrocircuitry. This is at the basis of neural circuit synchronization impairments and cognitive, emotional, social and sensory deficits characteristic of schizophrenia. Potential therapeutic approaches that aim at breaking these different vicious circles represent promising strategies for timely and safe interventions. In order to improve early detection and increase the signal-to-noise ratio for adjunctive trials of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and NMDAR modulator drugs, a reverse translation of validated circuitry approach is needed. The above presented processes allow to identify mechanism based biomarkers guiding stratification of homogenous patients groups and target engagement required for successful clinical trials, paving the way towards precision medicine in psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Cuenod
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Prilly, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Steullet
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Prilly, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jan-Harry Cabungcal
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Prilly, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniella Dwir
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Prilly, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ines Khadimallah
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Prilly, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Paul Klauser
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Prilly, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Service of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, Prilly, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Conus
- Service of General Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, Prilly, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kim Q Do
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Prilly, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Gozzo L, Romano GL, Brancati S, Cicciù M, Fiorillo L, Longo L, Vitale DC, Drago F. Access to Innovative Neurological Drugs in Europe: Alignment of Health Technology Assessments Among Three European Countries. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:823199. [PMID: 35185551 PMCID: PMC8854989 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.823199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Even for products centrally approved, each European country is responsible for national market access after European Medicines Agency (EMA) approval. This step can result in inequalities in terms of access, due to different opinions about the therapeutic value assessed by Health Technology Assessment (HTA) bodies. This study aims to provide a comparative analysis of HTA recommendations issued by EU countries (France, Germany, and Italy) for new neurological drugs following EMA approval. In the reference period, we identified 11 innovative medicines authorized in Europe for five neurological diseases (cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, metachromatic leukodystrophy, migraine, and polyneuropathy in patients with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis), including eight drugs for genetic rare diseases. We found no agreement on the therapeutic value (in particular the “added value” compared to the standard of care) of the selected drugs. Despite the differences in terms of assessment, the access has been usually guaranteed even if with various types of limitations. The heterogeneity of the HTA assessment of clinical data among countries is probably related to the uncertainties about clinical value at the time of EMA approval and the lack of long-term data and of direct comparison with available alternatives. Given the importance of new medicines especially for rare diseases, it is crucial to understand and act on the causes of inconsistency among the HTA assessments, in order to ensure rapid and uniform access to innovation for patients who can benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Gozzo
- Clinical Pharmacology Unit/Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre, University Hospital of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- *Correspondence: Lucia Gozzo,
| | - Giovanni Luca Romano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Serena Brancati
- Clinical Pharmacology Unit/Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre, University Hospital of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Marco Cicciù
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, AOU “G. Martino”, Messina, Italy
| | - Luca Fiorillo
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, AOU “G. Martino”, Messina, Italy
| | - Laura Longo
- Clinical Pharmacology Unit/Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre, University Hospital of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Daniela Cristina Vitale
- Clinical Pharmacology Unit/Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre, University Hospital of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Filippo Drago
- Clinical Pharmacology Unit/Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre, University Hospital of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Centre for Research and Consultancy in HTA and Drug Regulatory Affairs (CERD), University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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Kvam TM, Goksøyr IW, Stewart LH, Repantis D, Røssberg JI, Andreassen OA. Study protocol for "MDMA-assisted therapy as a treatment for major depressive disorder: A proof of principle study". Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:954388. [PMID: 36386973 PMCID: PMC9645093 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.954388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a world-leading cause of disability. The available treatments are not effective in all patients, and there is a significant need for more effective treatment options. Here we present the protocol for an investigator-initiated and publicly funded trial of MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) for MDD. This single-site, open-label study investigates the proof of principle and safety of MDMA-AT in participants with MDD and provides an initial impression of treatment effectiveness. METHODS A total of 12 participants [>18 years] with DSM-5 diagnosis of MDD will receive a flexible dose of MDMA in a therapeutic setting on two dosing days over a 4 week period preceded by three preparatory sessions. Each MDMA dosing session will be followed by three integration sessions. The primary outcome is change in MDD symptom severity, as measured by the mean change in MADRS scores from Baseline to 8 weeks after the second MDMA session. The secondary outcome is change in functional impairment, as evaluated by the mean change in Sheehan Disability Scale scores from Baseline to 8 weeks after the second MDMA session. Safety measures include vital signs, the incidence of Adverse Events and suicidality as measured by the Colombia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale. DISCUSSION This proof of principle trial will inform the development of fully powered clinical trials, optimize the protocol for the administration of MDMA-AT in participants with MDD and explore uncertainties including barriers to recruitment, retention and acceptability of MDMA-AT as a treatment for MDD. CLINICAL TRIAL IDENTIFICATION EudraCT number 2021-000805-26.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tor-Morten Kvam
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Nordre Østfold DPS, Østfold Hospital Trust, Grålum, Norway
| | - Ivar W Goksøyr
- Nordre Østfold DPS, Østfold Hospital Trust, Grålum, Norway
| | - Lowan H Stewart
- Nordre Østfold DPS, Østfold Hospital Trust, Grålum, Norway.,Awakn Clinics Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dimitris Repantis
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité - Universitátsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Ivar Røssberg
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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O'Donnell P, Dijkstra FM, Damar U, Quanhong L, de Goede AA, Xu L, Pascual-Leone A, Buhl DL, Zuiker R, Ruijs TQ, Heuberger JAAC, MacMullin P, Lubell M, Asgharnejad M, Murthy V, Rotenberg A, Jacobs GE, Rosen L. Transcranial magnetic stimulation as a translational biomarker for AMPA receptor modulation. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:325. [PMID: 34045439 PMCID: PMC8160137 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01451-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
TAK-653 is a novel α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR)-positive allosteric modulator being developed as a potential therapeutic for major depressive disorder (MDD). Currently, there are no translational biomarkers that evaluate physiological responses to the activation of glutamatergic brain circuits available. Here, we tested whether noninvasive neurostimulation, specifically single-pulse or paired-pulse motor cortex transcranial magnetic stimulation (spTMS and ppTMS, respectively), coupled with measures of evoked motor response captures the pharmacodynamic effects of TAK-653 in rats and healthy humans. In the rat study, five escalating TAK-653 doses (0.1-50 mg/kg) or vehicle were administered to 31 adult male rats, while measures of cortical excitability were obtained by spTMS coupled with mechanomyography. Twenty additional rats were used to measure brain and plasma TAK-653 concentrations. The human study was conducted in 24 healthy volunteers (23 males, 1 female) to assess the impact on cortical excitability of 0.5 and 6 mg TAK-653 compared with placebo, measured by spTMS and ppTMS coupled with electromyography in a double-blind crossover design. Plasma TAK-653 levels were also measured. TAK-653 increased both the mechanomyographic response to spTMS in rats and the amplitude of motor-evoked potentials in humans at doses yielding similar plasma concentrations. TAK-653 did not affect resting motor threshold or paired-pulse responses in humans. This is the first report of a translational functional biomarker for AMPA receptor potentiation and indicates that TMS may be a useful translational platform to assess the pharmacodynamic profile of glutamate receptor modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricio O'Donnell
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA.
- McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA.
| | - Francis M Dijkstra
- Centre for Human Drug Research (CHDR), Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ugur Damar
- Neuromodulation Program, Department of Neurology and F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lei Quanhong
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Lin Xu
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Andres Pascual-Leone
- Neuromodulation Program, Department of Neurology and F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Derek L Buhl
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rob Zuiker
- Centre for Human Drug Research (CHDR), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Titia Q Ruijs
- Centre for Human Drug Research (CHDR), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Paul MacMullin
- Neuromodulation Program, Department of Neurology and F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Martin Lubell
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Alexander Rotenberg
- Neuromodulation Program, Department of Neurology and F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gabriel E Jacobs
- Centre for Human Drug Research (CHDR), Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Rosen
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
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Brown DG, Wobst HJ. A Decade of FDA-Approved Drugs (2010-2019): Trends and Future Directions. J Med Chem 2021; 64:2312-2338. [PMID: 33617254 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
A total of 378 novel drugs and 27 biosimilars approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) between 2010 and 2019 were evaluated according to approval numbers by year, therapeutic areas, modalities, route of administration, first-in-class designation, approval times, and expedited review categories. From this review, oncology remains the top therapy area (25%), followed by infection (15%) and central nervous system disorders (11%). Regulatory incentives have been effective as evidenced by an increase in orphan drugs as well as antibacterial drugs approved under the GAIN act. Clinical development times may be increasing, perhaps as a result of the increase in orphan drug indications. Small molecules continue to mostly adhere to "Rule of 5" (Ro5) parameters, but innovation in new modalities is rapidly progressing with approvals for antisense oligonucleotides (ASO), small-interfering RNA (siRNAs), and antibody-directed conjugates (ADCs). Finally, novel targets and scientific breakthroughs that address areas of unmet clinical need are discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean G Brown
- Jnana Therapeutics, 6 Tide St., Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - Heike J Wobst
- Jnana Therapeutics, 6 Tide St., Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
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