AstraZeneca presents first data for Seroquel XR

AstraZeneca has presented the first data from the clinical development programme of Seroquel XR (quetiapine fumarate) at the 7th International Forum on Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Budapest.

Results demonstrated that patients receiving Seroquel XR once-daily experienced significant reductions in symptom severity compared to those administered a placebo.

The study was comprised of three trials which examined Seroquel XR as a monotherapy in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), as an adjunctive therapy in patients with MDD who had inadequate response to antidepressant therapy and as a monotherapy in generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).

The clinical development programme has involved over 7,000 patients and is one of the largest studies ever conducted in depression and anxiety.

Martin Brecher, executive director of medical science at AstraZeneca, confirmed that the data was “very encouraging” and suggested that Seroquel XR has the potential to provide new treatment choices among patients who had failed antidepressant therapy.

“New therapy options are needed for treating MDD and GAD because currently available antidepressants do not achieve symptom remission in a substantial proportion of patients,” he said.

Last month, AstraZeneca announced that it had received a six month paediatric exclusivity patent extension from the US Food and Drug Administration for Armidex.