Wyeth seeks approval for new antidepressant

Pharmaceutical company Wyeth is seeking approval for a new antidepressant drug, according to reports today.

The proposed drug will be reviewed by an FDA-approved panel on September 7th 2006, with the meeting having been pushed forward a day from its previous date. The panel is to make recommendations over the approval of the drug, with the FDA basing its decision upon the panel’s comments.

Wyseth’s drug, DVS 223 is to be used as a treatment for major depressive disorders. The pharmaceutical already has other FDA-approved antidepressants on the market including Effexor XR which is used to treat adults with panic disorder.

Effexor is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that is used to treat patients with major depressive disorders as well as those with generalised anxiety or panic disorders.

Meanwhile, it was recently reported that Wyeth achieved proof of concept for HCV-796, which is an oral agent for the treatment of hepatitis C.

The company, working together with ViroPharma, states that it is preparing for phase II of combination studies for HCV-796, with patients to be dosed in the second quarter of the year.

Collaborating together since 1999, the two companies believe HCV-796 is the “most promising” compound they have developed yet. VioPharma said it would purchase 5.3 million pounds worth of shares from Wyeth as a result of reaching the milestone.

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