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New
treatment choice for people with manic depression.
Public release date: 21-May-2003
Contact: Rebecca Moan
rebecca.moan@shirehealthnewyork.com 212-725-7522
Shire Health International
http://www.tshg.com/
Alderley Park, UK - Important developments in the treatment
of manic depression were presented for the first time today
at the American Psychiatric Association's (APA) annual meeting,
the largest psychiatric congress in the world, which indicate
that Seroquel (quetiapine) is an effective, well tolerated
and fast-acting treatment for the manic symptoms of manic
depression.
1 Quetiapine, a new generation antipsychotic manufactured
by AstraZeneca, is currently prescribed by psychiatrists
to treat schizophrenia. Today's findings indicate that when
prescribed on its own, quetiapine (monotherapy) can also
be an effective treatment for the millions of people worldwide
who have manic depression. The results, based on trial data
from more than 400 patients, found quetipaine to be statistically
more effective at treating the manic symptoms of manic depression
than placebo, fast-acting as symptom improvements were evident
from day four and well tolerated by patients.
Manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, is a serious
mental illness that affects approximately 3-4% of the adult
population and is the sixth leading cause of disability
in the world. 2,3,4, 5 One of the issues faced by psychiatrists
treating this condition is the problems associated with
treatment compliance due to tolerability issues with some
treatments. More than half of those with bipolar disorder
stop taking their medication at some point during their
lives, subjecting themselves to a high risk of relapse and
an increased risk of suicide.6 "The results of these
studies are an exciting development in the psychiatry field.
The patients on quetiapine in these trials responded extremely
well, not only was the improvement in their condition significant
but it was also rapid" commented Dr. Eduard Vieta,
Director of Research, Department of Psychiatry, University
of Barcelona. "Effectively controlling this condition
can be problematic as the occurrence of side effects, such
as movement disorders, weight gain and sexual dysfunction,
caused by some medications may lead to patients discontinuing
their medication. Patients with bipolar disorder can now
look forward to receiving a treatment that not only controls
their symptoms but does not create compliance issues due
to side effects. Therefore, on the basis of today's results,
psychiatrists will now be able to consider quetiapine as
a first-line treatment for this condition".
The results presented today were from two clinical trials
undertaken as part of a large comprehensive trial programme
involving almost 1,000 patients in 28 countries which studied
the efficacy, tolerability and safety of quetiapine in bipolar
disorder as monotherapy and as adjunctive therapy with standard
mood stabilising medication. The results of these studies
were submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration and
European regulatory body earlier this year to obtain a licence
for use of Seroquel in bipolar disorder.
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business
engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing
of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare
services. It is one of the top five pharmaceutical companies
in the world with healthcare sales of over $17.8 billion
and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, oncology,
anaesthesia (including pain management), cardiovascular,
central nervous system (CNS) and respiratory products. AstraZeneca
is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global
and European) as well as the FTSE4Good Index.
In Neuroscience, AstraZeneca is dedicated to providing medicines
that have the potential to change patients' lives. The company
already markets several products including SEROQUEL®,
one of the fastest growing global antipsychotics with proven
efficacy and a very favourable side effect profile; and
ZOMIG®, a reliable migraine therapy and a leader within
the triptan market. The Neuroscience pipeline includes leading
approaches for the treatment of depression and anxiety,
overactive bladder, dementia and stroke, pain control and
anaesthesia.
Notes to Editors
a.. 'Seroquel' is a trademark of AstraZeneca
a.. YMRS (Young Mania Rating Scale) is an 11-item instrument
used to assess the severity of mania.
For further information, please contact:
Jim Minnick at AstraZeneca
Tel: +1 302 886 5135
Mobile : +610 457 1828
jim.minnick@astrazeneca.com
or
Antonia Betts or Rupert Doggett at Shire Health International
Tel: +44 (0)207 471 1500
antonia.betts@shirehealthinternational /
rupert.doggett@shirehealthinternational.com
For an electronic and downloadable version of this press
release, please visit the psychiatry resource internet site
at: www.psychiatry-in-practice.com
This psychiatry resource features educational materials
relating to severe mental illness, including background
information on schizophrenia as well as epidemiological
data and treatment issues clinicians face in everyday practice.
References:
1 Jones MW, Huizar K, et al. Quetiapine monotherapy for
mania associated with bipolar disorder. Poster presented
at 156th American Psychiatric Association Congress, San
Francisco, 2003.
2 American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision.
Washington DC, American Psychiatric Association, 2000: p.385,
395.
3 Hirschfield et al. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2003
(January); 64:53-59
4 Lisd JD, Dime-Meenan S, Whybrow PC et al. The National
Depressive and
Manic-Depressive Association (DMDA) survey of bipolar members.
J Affect Disord, 1994, 31: 281 - 294.
5 World Health Organization and the World Bank. The Global
Burden of Disease:
Summary. Cambridge, Mass: The Harvard School of Public Health
Harvard
University Press, 1996.
6 Miklowitz D. The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide. New
York: The Guilford Press, 2002.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-05/shi-ntc052103.php
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