First Launch For Organon's Mirtazapine

Akzo Nobel's pharmaceutical business unit Organon has launched its novel antidepressant Remeron (mirtazapine) onto the Dutch market. This is the first launch for the product worldwide. Remeron is indicated for the treatment of major depression.

Mirtazapine is a centrally-acting presynaptic alpha2 autoreceptor antagonist, which increases noradrenergic neurotransmission, and in so doing facilitates the firing of serotonergic neurons. It also modulates central serotonin function via interaction with 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptors. The two enantiomers of mirtazapine are thought to contribute to its antidepressant activity - the S enantiomer by blocking the A2 and 5-HT2 receptors and the R enantiomer by blocking 5-HT3 receptors.

Mirtazapine's pharmacodynamic profile fits a model of a combination of a selective and non-selective approach to treating depression. The older tricyclic antidepressants modulated both the noradrenergic and serotonergic systems of the brain, while more recent products have selectively targeted the serotonergic system.