Allergan, Author Interviews, Bipolar Disorder, Mental Health Research / 23.05.2019

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Stephen Stahl MD PhD Professor of Psychiatry University of California San Diego  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? How does cariprazine differ from other medications for bipolar depression?  MedicalResearch.com: It is important to note that cariprazine, a dopamine D3-preferring D3/D2 receptor and serotonin 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist, is approved for the treatment of schizophrenia (1.5-6 mg/d) and bipolar mania (3-6 mg/d) in adults. It is not yet approved for depressive episodes related to bipolar I disorder (bipolar depression). In these data that focus on the investigational use for the treatment of bipolar depression, cariprazine has demonstrated efficacy vs placebo (PBO) in 3 phase 2/3 studies of patients with bipolar depression (NCT01396447, NCT02670538, NCT02670551). These analyses investigated the efficacy of cariprazine in patients with bipolar depression and concurrent manic symptoms (mixed features).  (more…)
Allergan, Author Interviews, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Mental Health Research / 05.04.2018

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. C. David Nicholson, PhD Chief R&D Officer Allergan MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this data milestone?  Response: Bipolar I depression refers to the depressive episodes of bipolar I disorder, the overarching brain and behavioral disorder. People with bipolar I disorder can have manic and depressive episodes, as well as mixed episodes that feature both manic and depressive symptoms at the same time. Bipolar I depression typically lasts at least two weeks, and can be difficult to differentiate from major depression during diagnosis. Once diagnosed, treating bipolar depression can be difficult given the few therapies available to manage these symptoms of bipolar I disorder. Additionally, patients with bipolar disorder may experience shifts from depression to mania or mania to depression as well as mixed states. More treatment options are needed so that physicians can find a therapy that will treat bipolar depression effectively, while also addressing the myriad of other symptoms that patients can experience. Cariprazine is already approved for the treatment of mania and mixed episodes. With this new data, we have the potential to also treat bipolar depression, effectively addressing the full spectrum of symptoms associated with bipolar I disorder with just one medication. (more…)
Allergan, Author Interviews, JAMA, Ophthalmology / 05.01.2018

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Steven Woloshin, MD MS Professor of The Dartmouth Institute Professor of Medicine Professor of Community and Family Medicine The Center for Medicine in the Media Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice Lebanon, New Hampshire MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: There has been a lot of debate about the legal maneuvers (ie, transferring patents to the Mohawk Indians) Allergan has employed to delay marketing of generic alternatives to Restasis (cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion 0.05%).   But there is a more fundamental question that has received little attention:  Does Restasis work?  It is not approved in the European Union, Australia or New Zealand where registration applications were "withdrawn prior to approval due to insufficient evidence of efficacy" in 2001.   Although Canada approved Restasis, its national health technology assessment unit, unconvinced of meaningful benefit, recommended Canada not pay for it - according to our research, no Canadian provincial or federal drug plan currently does.   Nevertheless, Americans have spent $8.8 billion in total sales between 2009 and 2015 on Restasis, including over $2.9 billion in public monies through Medicare Part D. (more…)
Allergan, Author Interviews, Bipolar Disorder, Brigham & Women's - Harvard / 20.12.2017

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: allerganGary Sachs, MD Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry Harvard Medical School  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this data milestone? Response: Bipolar disorder affects about 5.7 million adults in the United States.  It is a common, often disabling condition in which abnormal mood states impair a person’s ability to carry out everyday tasks. Bipolar disorder touches nearly every family and community in America, because periods of illness, a patient’s symptoms often impact their family, their friends, and their community. There are a limited number of products approved to treat bipolar depression and even fewer products that have been studied and approved to treat the full spectrum of bipolar disorder, from mania through depression. Having another product proven to treat the full range of bipolar disorder would be a welcome addition to the treatment options currently available to the psychiatry community and patients. (more…)