Lundbeck launches Serdolect in Europe

Lundbeck has launched its schizophrenia treatment Serdolect (sertindole) in Europe.

After receiving marketing approval from the European Commission in December the drug will now first be available in Estonia.

The company expects to launch Serdolect in a number of Scandinavian countries and Germany in the first half of this year and in more than 15 other countries in 2006 and 2007.

Lundbeck head of drug development Anders Gersel Pedersen said: “We are very pleased that patients suffering from schizophrenia can now benefit from Serdolect.

“Schizophrenia is a serious disease, and there is still a great need for offering patients improved therapies. Schizophrenic patients frequently switch drugs, either due to side-effects or lack of response, and we look forward to the fact that patients now will have access to Serdolect, which is different from the other antipsychotic drugs available.”

Serdolect was withdrawn from the market in 1998 following concerns about reports of cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death connected with its use.

Lundbeck responded with an additional study of 5,000 patients to confirm the drug could be prescribed safely.

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