Cipralex demonstrates superiority in trials

Danish drugmaker Lundbeck's Cipralex (escitalopram) demonstrates a superior antidepressant effect, tolerability and speed of effect, according to a review of randomized clinical trials published in Psychopharmacology.

Analysis of trials revealed that escitalopram consistently outperformed its predecessor, the conventional seronin reuptake inhibitor citalopram, in efficacy, rates of response and remission and time to symptom relief. Furthermore, with regard to tolerability, even though previous clinical trials have shown citalopram to be safe and well-tolerated, in a study of moderately-ill patients, significantly more (p<0.01) withdrew from the citalopram group versus the escitalopram group (31% vs 12%, respectively).

The review concludes that escitalopram's treatment success is due, in part, to the absence of a molecule (R-enantiomer) which had previously been inhibiting the capabilities of citalopram. "Developing escitalopram without the R-enantiomer has really unleashed the true potential of the drug and positions it as unique within the SSRI class," noted Connie Sanchez, study author and senior research scientist at Lundbeck.