Major Depressive Disorder (DSM-V) – Special Topics – Special Topics: Comorbidities in Major Depressive Disorder (US)

Psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and insomnia frequently coexist with major depressive disorder (MDD) and present treatment challenges to psychiatrists and primary care physicians (PCPs). Although some antidepressants are effective in managing MDD as well as a comorbid condition (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for MDD patients with comorbid anxiety), not all drug-treated patients fully respond to treatment. Treatment of MDD with a comorbid disorder presents opportunities for drug development and areas of clinical differentiation from existing antidepressants. Of note, Biogen / Sage Therapeutics’ zuranolone has shown efficacy in its late-phase studies in reducing elevated anxiety in MDD patients. Janssen’s seltorexant could be beneficial treating MDD patients with comorbid insomnia symptoms. The expected FDA approval of Lundbeck / Otsuka’s Rexulti for PTSD could encourage physicians to prescribe the drug for MDD with comorbid PTSD. These therapies have the potential to alter treatment pathways for MDD patients with comorbid conditions.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

• Which comorbid disorders are most common in MDD patients? How do physicians treat MDD patients with comorbid anxiety, PTSD, or insomnia?
• What factors most influence physicians’ choice of a pharmacotherapy for MDD patients with comorbid anxiety, PTSD, or insomnia?
• Which drug attributes should be at the forefront in the development of therapies to treat MDD patients with comorbid anxiety, PTSD, or insomnia?
• What are the physician-perceived advantages and disadvantages of zuranolone for managing MDD patients with a comorbid anxiety disorder and of seltorexant for managing MDD patients with comorbid insomnia? Where would these drugs, if launched, fit in the treatment algorithm for MDD patients with the respective comorbid disorder?
• How would Rexulti’s additional FDA approval for PTSD impact physician prescribing of the drug to their MDD patients with comorbid PTSD?

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Clarivate’s Special Topics reports assess key trends in dynamic disease areas. This report on comorbidities in MDD will help drug marketers and developers gain needed insight on physician-reported treatment dynamics, prescribing behavior, key challenges managing MDD patients with comorbidities such as anxiety disorder, PTSD, and insomnia, most important attributes for emerging therapies for these comorbid disorders, and physician perceptions of select emerging therapies that would benefit MDD patients with these comorbidities.

CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS

Geographies: United States.

Primary research: Survey of 101 U.S. psychiatrists and PCPs.

Key drugs covered: Zuranolone (SAGE-217), Rexulti, seltorexant (JNJ-42847922), SSRIs, SNRIs, mixed serotonin modulators, atypical antipsychotics, NMDA receptor antagonists, mood stabilizers, benzodiazepines, nonbenzodiazepine sedative-hypnotics, etc.

Key insights provided:

• Patient characteristics.
• Physician treatment practices and physician insights on medical practice.
• Most important attributes for emerging therapies.
• Anticipated use of emerging therapies.