Desvenlafaxine lifts the lid on depression

Desvenlafaxine, a novel serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, is effective in the treatment of major depressive disorder, according to studies presented at the 160th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatry Association (APA) [San Diego, California, US; May 2007]. The efficacy and tolerability of desvenlafaxine were evaluated in three large phase III trials. The drug was associated with a trend towards a greater reduction in mean Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) score than placebo (9.08 vs 7.48), and a significantly longer time to relapse. Furthermore, two separate pooled analyses, including over 1075 patients each, were presented at the meeting. The first reported significant improvements in anxiety symptoms associated with major depressive disorder and the second highlighted improvements in painful physical symptoms, in desvenlafaxine-treated patients, compared with placebo.