Lundbeck OCD drug approved in EU

Lundbeck OCD drug approved in EU

Lundbeck has announced that its compound for the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), Cipralex (escitalopram), has received approval in the EU. The drug was granted approval by the Swedish Medical Products Agency, acting as a representative of the EU.

OCD is a chronic disease, with patients suffering distressing thoughts and impulses that recur or repetitive behaviour.

In clinical trials, patients administered with Cipralex exhibited statistically significant improvements in the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale when compared to those given a placebo.

Additionally, the number of relapses for those given Cipralex was lower than for those administered with a placebo.

Ander Gersel Pederson, senior vice president and head of development at Lundbeck, said: “OCD is a disabling anxiety disorder for which Cipralex has demonstrated to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment.”

He added that, following the receipt of approval for the treatment of OCD, the compound was now approved for every major anxiety indication and depression.

Lundbeck filed its application for the approval of Cipralex for the treatment of OCD in the EU in April 2006, based on its trials involving over 750 patients.

Before this application, Cipralex was already approved in the EU for the treatment of panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalised anxiety disorder and depression.