Targeting of glutamate receptors is a novel approach for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). This study aimed to review the usefulness for esketamine nasal spray for the management of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) using the tools of evidence-based medicine: number needed to treat (NNT), number needed to harm (NNH), and likelihood to be helped or harmed (LHH).

Data sources were four completed Phase 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, studies, including two pivotal registration studies of esketamine nasal spray in TRD in non-elderly adults (acute flexible-dose study NCT02418585, maintenance study NCT02493868) Efficacy outcomes included acute response (≥50% decrease from baseline on Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS] total score), acute remission (MADRS scores ≤12; and other thresholds using the MADRS and Clinical Global Impressions-Severity [CGI-S] scales), categorical shifts in MADRS and CGI-S scores, and avoidance of relapse/recurrence (observed relapse rates). NNT, NNH and LLH are calculated for combination of esketamine nasal spray and oral antidepressant (esketamine+AD) vs AD+placebo in patients with TRD.

In the acute flexible-dose study of esketamine nasal spray (56-84 mg twice-weekly for 4 weeks), MADRS response with esketamine+AD vs AD+placebo at endpoint (rates 63.4% vs 49.5%, respectively) yielded an NNT value of 8, and MADRS remission at endpoint (48.2% vs 30.3%) resulted in a NNT vs AD+placebo of 6. NNH values vs AD+placebo were <10 for the adverse events (AE) of dissociation (26.1% vs 3.7%), vertigo (26.1% vs 2.8%), nausea (26.1% vs 6.4%), dizziness (20.9% vs 4.6%), and dysgeusia (24.3% vs 11.9%), the NNH values were 5, 5, 6, 7, and 9, respectively. Discontinuation rates due to AE (7.0% vs 0.9%) yielded a NNH of 17. LHH comparing MADRS remission vs discontinuation was 17/6, or approximately 3. The pattern of results was similar for the other acute studies and for the pooled data combining all 3 acute studies. Maintenance use of esketamine (dose 56-84 mg once-weekly or once-every-other-week) plus an oral AD demonstrated NNT values <10 for relapse and/or maintenance of remission in favor of esketamine+AD vs AD+placebo, a NNT of 4 was observed for outcome of relapse in patients with stable response at the time of randomization (relapse rates were 25.8% vs 57.6%, respectively). In the maintenance study, discontinuation rates due to an AE (2.6% vs 2.1%) yielded a non-significant NNH value of 178.

The low NNT values <10 for efficacy outcomes suggest potential benefits of esketamine+AD for both acute and maintenance use. LHH was favorable: esketamine+AD was 3 times more likely to result in acute remission vs discontinuation due to an AE.

Janssen Global Services, LLC

Akathisia and restlessness are common adverse events associated with atypical antipsychotic use; in severe cases, symptoms may lead to treatment discontinuation. Cariprazine, a dopamine D3/D2 receptor partial agonist with preferential binding to D3 receptors, is approved for the treatment of schizophrenia (1.5–6 mg/d), and manic or mixed (3–6 mg/d) and depressive episodes (1.5–3 mg/d) associated with bipolar I disorder. Pooled post hoc analyses were conducted to characterize the incidence and severity of cariprazine-related akathisia and restlessness in patients who participated in bipolar disorder studies.

All studies were Phase II/III multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group studies in patients with bipolar I disorder who were currently experiencing a manic/mixed (NCT00488618, NCT01058096, NCT01058668) or depressive (NCT01396447, NCT02670538, NCT02670551) mood episode. Patients received flexibly dosed cariprazine 3-12 mg/d (day 1: 1.5 mg; day 2: 3 mg; subsequent up-titration in 3-mg increments if needed) or placebo in the bipolar mania studies and fixed-dose cariprazine 1.5 mg/d, 3 mg/d (slow titration to 1.5 mg [day 8] and 3 mg [day 15] or initiation at 1.5 mg with escalation to 3 mg on day 15), or placebo in the bipolar depression studies. The incidence, severity, and timing of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) of akathisia and restlessness were evaluated in this analysis.

In the bipolar mania studies (N=1065), TEAEs of akathisia occurred in 20.2% of cariprazine-treated patients and 4.8% of placebo-treated patients; 2.4% of cariprazine-treated patients discontinued due to akathisia. TEAEs of restlessness occurred in 6.7% and 2.3% of cariprazine- and placebo-treated patients, respectively, and caused discontinuation of 0.3% of cariprazine-treated patients. In the bipolar depression studies (N=1407), akathisia occurred in 2.1%, 5.5%, and 9.6% of patients in the placebo, cariprazine 1.5 mg/d, and cariprazine 3 mg/d groups, respectively; <2% of patients in each group discontinued due to akathisia. Restlessness occurred in 3.2% of placebo-treated patients and 2.1% and 6.6% of patients in the 1.5 and 3 mg/d groups, respectively; discontinuations due to restlessness occurred in 0.2% and 1.1% of patients in the 1.5 and 3 mg/d groups. Akathisia and restlessness in cariprazine-treated patients was generally mild or moderate in severity (>92% in both populations). Most akathisia events in the bipolar mania studies were reported for the first time within the first 2-3 weeks of treatment.

In these post hoc analyses, the incidence of akathisia and restlessness were generally higher with cariprazine than with placebo. However, most incidences were mild or moderate in severity, and infrequently led to discontinuation. Akathisia appears to be dose related in both mania and depression, suggesting lower doses and slower titration may reduce occurrence.

Allergan plc.

Asenapine is a 2nd-generation antipsychotic currently marketed as a sublingual (SL) tablet in the US for the treatment of schizophrenia. HP-3070, asenapine transdermal system, is a patch for treatment of schizophrenia in adults. Low- and high- HP-3070 doses deliver asenapine concentrations that are similar to SL asenapine 5 mg BID and 10 mg BID, respectively, but with fewer peak and trough fluctuations.

In this Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo (PBO)-controlled, 6-week inpatient study, adults with schizophrenia having baseline Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score ≥80 and Clinical Global Impression–Severity of Illness Scale (CGI-S) score ≥4 were randomized 1:1:1 to HP 3070 high-dose, HP-3070 low-dose, or PBO.

The primary efficacy objective was Week 6 PANSS score change from baseline (CFB) vs PBO.

The key secondary objective was Week 6 CGI-S CFB vs PBO. Safety assessments included treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), laboratory results, vital signs, dermal safety, and extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) assessments.

A total of 616 patients were randomized, with 486 patients completing the study. Discontinuation rates were 23.3%, 18.6%, and 21.4% for HP-3070 high-dose, HP-3070 low-dose, and PBO, respectively; withdrawal of consent and AEs were the most common reasons for discontinuation. Demographics and baseline characteristics were well-balanced among treatment groups.

For PANSS total score, least squares mean (LSM) (standard error [SE]) estimates of the treatment comparison (HP-3070 vs PBO) for CFB at Week 6 were -4.8 (1.634; 95% CI: -8.06, -1.64; p=0.003) and -6.6 (1.630; 95% CI: 9.81, 3.40; p<0.001) for HP-3070 high- and low-dose, respectively. For CGI-S CFB at Week 6, LSM (SE) for the treatment comparison were 0.4 (0.100; 95% CI: 0.55, 0.16; p<0.001) for HP 3070 high-dose and 0.4 (0.099; 95% CI: 0.64, 0.25; p<0.001) for low-dose.

No deaths or serious TEAEs related to study treatment occurred. The HP-3070 safety profile was consistent with SL asenapine. Incidence of TEAEs at the patch application site was higher for HP-3070 (14.2% high-dose, 15.2% low-dose) than for PBO (4.4%); most of these events were mild or moderate in severity. PBO patients had higher rates of psychiatric disorders (24.3% vs 15.7% and 17.6% for HP-3070 high- and low-dose, respectively), with insomnia and anxiety as most common. Study treatment discontinuations due to application site reactions or skin disorders were low (≤0.5%) across treatment groups. There was no marked mean CFB for vital signs or electrocardiogram parameters, nor treatment differences observed on EPS assessments.

In this study, HP-3070 was efficacious, safe, and well-tolerated for treating schizophrenia in adults; both doses met primary and key secondary endpoints. As the first transdermal antipsychotic patch in the US, HP-3070 will provide patients a novel treatment option.

Funded by Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co.

Psychological risk factors that lead to impaired work performance, negatively impacting mental and physical health, have emerged as a concern across clinical settings. Although depression and anxiety are linked to poor physician mental health, physician burnout characterized by work related stress due to chronic exhaustion from clinical work, cynicism toward meaning of the medical profession, and feelings of inadequacy toward work related accomplishments, may be an even stronger indicator of well-being. Literature suggests that work satisfaction among physicians is rapidly deteriorating owing to high rates of burnout and poor mental health. Although the relationship between work burnout (WB) and negative affectivity has been well documented, the association with positive affect, such as trait forgiveness (TF) has been overlooked. On that note, research shows that lifetime stress severity and lower levels of forgiveness predict worse mental and physical health. Since TF has been linked strongly with healthy workplace relationships, positive occupational outcomes and general well-being, its association with WB remains to be investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the link between TF and WB among physicians. We hypothesized that TF would be associated with reduced levels of burnout.

A total of 62 (F=23) medical residents at a Teaching Hospital consented for the study. Residents were administered surveys on WB (Maslach Burnout Inventory), workplace bullying, personal bullying (PB), interpersonal rejection sensitivity (IRS), perceived stress scale (PSS), TF, anxiety, and depression, all of which were anonymously submitted via electronically. Hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) models were used to determine the associations between WB, work environment social factors and TF. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.

The mean age 33.1 ± SD 4.2 years. HMR analysis using WB as main outcome contained 6 predictors: Model 1 contained depression and anxiety, Model 2 added PB, Model 3 added IRS and PSS, Model 4 added TF. Anxiety and TF were the only significant predictors (p= >0.05) accounting for 10.4% and 17.5% of the variance in WB scores, respectively.

The novel finding of the present study is that TF was associated with low levels of burnout. Additionally, WB was found to be linked to anxiety and depression which is in line with previous research. These data suggest that TF could be a potential resolution to the deleterious influence of burnout. Further exploration is needed in order to understand the psychology of forgiveness as a potential adjuvant and/or therapeutic intervention for physicians’ burnout. These results suggest that strategies including forgiveness training aimed at decreasing WB while increasing job satisfaction among physicians warrant further exploration.

In light of the opioid crisis, less attention has been focused on the long-term misuse of benzodiazepines (BZD) for anxiety and sleep disorders. The purpose of this study was to determine the sustainability of positive results (an 80% decrease in BZD prescribing) following a deprescribing intervention with primary care providers working with a low-income population at a Midwestern university-based community clinic.

All de-identified BZD prescriptions written by providers at the community clinic were captured using the electronic medical record. A BZD equivalency chart was used to compare the relative potencies of BZD commonly prescribed by the clinic. Each prescription was converted to a single number: the diazepam equivalent (DE). This number takes into account the potency of the drug (using diazepam as the standard), the dose of the drug, number of tablets dispensed and number of refills. The number of DE prescribed was tallied every 30 days for 6 months following the completion of a quality improvement BZD deprescribing intervention. The original intervention was implemented in 2018, with the goal of decreasing the prescription of BZD by clinic primary care providers to outpatients for insomnia or anxiety. The brief intervention combined academic detailing and pharmaceutical company detailing with a deprescribing message. Providers were given current evidence about alternatives to BZD, deprescribing schedules, and brain-storming opportunities about the management of patient concerns and resistance to change. Posters with alternatives to BZD were hung in the main provider office at the clinic. Food and “No Benzo” logo merchandise (mugs, pens) were provided to attendees of the intervention and clinic nurses. Thirty days after the intervention, the number of DE prescribed decreased by 80%.

Benzodiazepine prescribing (measured in DE) continued to decrease every 30 days for six months to 92-93% of pre-intervention numbers.

Follow up of a 2018 intervention revealed sustainability of the effect of a significant decrease in benzodiazepine (BZD) prescribing in a community clinic. A brief BZD deprescribing intervention using a combination of academic detailing and pharmaceutical company detailing designed to persuade prescribers to change their behavior was effective in influencing providers to decrease the amount of BZD they prescribe. The desired result (an 80% decrease in BZD prescribing) was achieved following the original 30-day intervention. Prescription numbers continued to decrease over the next six months (to 92-93% of pre-intervention numbers), which indicates that the deprescribing intervention may have had a sustainable positive effect on provider prescribing behavior. This intervention is easy to implement and may decrease BZD prescribing, which addresses the overuse/misuse of BZD, a significant public health concern in the United States.

Funding Acknowledgements: Personal funds only

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a global long-term condition and is the leading cause for disability in most countries. The objective of this study was to evaluate individual items of the PHQ-9 and SDS to show differences by treatment arm over the course of treatment.

The TRANSFORM-2 study (NCT02418585) was a Phase 3 short-term trial that evaluated efficacy and safety of flexible esketamine nasal spray (56 mg or 84 mg) doses in combination with newly initiated oral antidepressant (ESK+AD) vs oral AD + placebo nasal spray (AD+PBO) in patients with treatment resistant depression (TRD). The study population, men and women aged 18-64 years, who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Edition 5 diagnostic criteria for single-episode or recurrent MDD, but excluded subjects with suicidal ideation/intent to act within 6 months prior to study. Patient reported outcomes (PROs) were integrated to evaluate the patient perspective of treatment using instruments capturing concepts of importance. The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is a PRO instrument to assess self-reported depression symptoms, and the SDS a PRO instrument to assess function and disability. Individual items on each of these instruments represent a symptom or aspect of functioning. Respective items for PHQ-9 and SDS, are summed together to generate a total score: 0-27 for the PHQ-9 and 0-30 for SDS. Each total score reflects a single construct of depression severity for the PHQ-9 and functional disability for SDS. Change from baseline in SDS and PHQ-9 total scores at Day 28 were analyzed using a mixed-effects model using repeated measures based on observed case data. Generalized estimation equations of logistic regression models were used to estimate the likelihood of improvement by ≥ 1 point on the individual items of the PHQ-9 and SDS.

Full analysis set included 223 patients (ESK+AD: 114; AD+PBO: 109). Change in SDS total score from baseline to Day 28 numerically favored ESK+AD. The LS mean treatment difference (95% CI) was -4.0 (-6.28; -1.64). Change in PHQ-9 total score from baseline to Day 28 numerically favored treatment with ESK+AD. The LS mean difference (95%CI) was -2.4 (-4.18; -0.69). Most patients experienced improvement on all PHQ-9 items and more patients experienced greater improvement in the ESK+AD treatment arm compared to the AD+PBO arm (odds ratio range 1.367-2.767; favoring ESK+AD). Improvements were seen across all items of the Sheehan Disability Scale (odds ratio range from 1.994 – 3.378; favoring ESK+AD).

This study shows that while the magnitude of improvement varied on individual items, ESK+AD treatment leads to greater symptom improvement across the multiple symptoms included in the PHQ-9 and SDS compared to the AD+PBO. This assists interpretation of the total scores generated by these PRO measures since total scores on the two measures was not driven by a single item.

Study was funded by Janssen Global Services, LLC.

The Genomics Used to Improve DEpresssion Decisions (GUIDED) trial assessed outcomes associated with combinatorial pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Analyses used the 17-item Hamilton Depression (HAM-D17) rating scale; however, studies demonstrate that the abbreviated, core depression symptom-focused, HAM-D6 rating scale may have greater sensitivity toward detecting differences between treatment and placebo. However, the sensitivity of HAM-D6 has not been tested for two active treatment arms. Here, we evaluated the sensitivity of the HAM-D6 scale, relative to the HAM-D17 scale, when assessing outcomes for actively treated patients in the GUIDED trial.

Outpatients (N=1,298) diagnosed with MDD and an inadequate treatment response to >1 psychotropic medication were randomized into treatment as usual (TAU) or combinatorial PGx-guided (guided-care) arms. Combinatorial PGx testing was performed on all patients, though test reports were only available to the guided-care arm. All patients and raters were blinded to study arm until after week 8. Medications on the combinatorial PGx test report were categorized based on the level of predicted gene-drug interactions: ‘use as directed’, ‘moderate gene-drug interactions’, or ‘significant gene-drug interactions.’ Patient outcomes were assessed by arm at week 8 using HAM-D6 and HAM-D17 rating scales, including symptom improvement (percent change in scale), response (≥50% decrease in scale), and remission (HAM-D6 ≤4 and HAM-D17 ≤7).

At week 8, the guided-care arm demonstrated statistically significant symptom improvement over TAU using HAM-D6 scale (Δ=4.4%, p=0.023), but not using the HAM-D17 scale (Δ=3.2%, p=0.069). The response rate increased significantly for guided-care compared with TAU using both HAM-D6 (Δ=7.0%, p=0.004) and HAM-D17 (Δ=6.3%, p=0.007). Remission rates were also significantly greater for guided-care versus TAU using both scales (HAM-D6 Δ=4.6%, p=0.031; HAM-D17 Δ=5.5%, p=0.005). Patients taking medication(s) predicted to have gene-drug interactions at baseline showed further increased benefit over TAU at week 8 using HAM-D6 for symptom improvement (Δ=7.3%, p=0.004) response (Δ=10.0%, p=0.001) and remission (Δ=7.9%, p=0.005). Comparatively, the magnitude of the differences in outcomes between arms at week 8 was lower using HAM-D17 (symptom improvement Δ=5.0%, p=0.029; response Δ=8.0%, p=0.008; remission Δ=7.5%, p=0.003).

Combinatorial PGx-guided care achieved significantly better patient outcomes compared with TAU when assessed using the HAM-D6 scale. These findings suggest that the HAM-D6 scale is better suited than is the HAM-D17 for evaluating change in randomized, controlled trials comparing active treatment arms.

Assurex Health, Inc.

Deutetrabenazine (Austedo) is approved by the FDA for treatment of tardive dyskinesia (TD) in adults. In the 12-week ARM-TD and AIM-TD studies, deutetrabenazine showed clinically significant improvements in Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) scores compared with placebo, and there were low rates of overall adverse events (AEs) and discontinuations associated with deutetrabenazine. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term safety and tolerability of deutetrabenazine in patients with TD at 3 years.

Patients who completed ARM-TD or AIM-TD were included in this open-label, single-arm extension study, in which all patients restarted/started deutetrabenazine 12 mg/day, titrating up to a maximum total daily dose of 48 mg/day based on dyskinesia control and tolerability. The study comprised a 6-week titration period and a long-term maintenance phase. Safety measures included incidence of AEs, serious AEs (SAEs), and AEs leading to withdrawal, dose reduction, or dose suspension. Exposure-adjusted incidence rates (EAIRs; incidence/patient-years) were used for calculating AE frequencies. This analysis reports results up to Week 158.

A total of 343 patients were enrolled (111 received placebo and 232 received deutetrabenazine in the parent studies). At the time of this analysis, 183 patients were still receiving treatment; 259 completed 1 year, 172 completed 2 years, and 41 completed 3 years. There were 623 patient-years of exposure. More than 40% of patients reached the maximum dose. EAIRs of AEs were comparable to or lower than those observed in the ARM-TD and AIM-TD short-term randomized trials of deutetrabenazine vs. placebo. The frequency of SAEs (EAIR 0.10) was similar to that observed with short-term placebo (0.33) and short-term deutetrabenazine (range 0.06–0.33) treatment. AEs leading to withdrawal (0.06), dose reduction (0.10), and dose suspension (0.05) were uncommon.

These results support the safety outcomes observed in the ARM-TD and AIM-TD parent studies and the safety of deutetrabenazine for long-term use in patients with TD.

Funding Acknowledgements: This study was funded by Teva Pharmaceuticals, Petach Tikva, Israel

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by the hyperkinetic movements of motor and phonic tics manifested in young age. Currently approved treatments in the United States are antipsychotics: haloperidol, pimozide, and aripiprazole, which are associated with serious side effects, including tardive dyskinesia (TD). Deutetrabenazine, a vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor, was approved in 2017 by the US FDA for the treatment of chorea associated with Huntington’s disease and TD. Three ongoing studies (Alternatives for Reducing Tics in TS [ARTISTS]) are evaluating the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of deutetrabenazine in reducing tics in TS in children and adolescents (age 6-16 years).

ARTISTS 1, a phase 2/3, response-driven, dose-titration, placebo-controlled study, randomizes patients (N=116) 1:1 to deutetrabenazine or placebo for 12 weeks. ARTISTS 2, a phase 3, fixed-dose study, randomizes patients (N=150) 1:1:1 to deutetrabenazine high or low dose, or placebo for 8 weeks. The primary efficacy outcome in these pivotal studies is change from baseline to end of treatment in the Total Tic Score (TTS) of the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS). Additional efficacy endpoints and safety/tolerability are also evaluated. ARTISTS is a 56-week, open-label, single-arm, long-term safety/tolerability study in patients who have successfully completed either ARTISTS 1 or ARTISTS 2.

Not available yet.

TS can have potentially long-term life impact, and there remains unmet medical need for effective and well-tolerated treatments. Three ARTISTS studies will evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of deutetrabenazine in patients with tics in TS.

The studies are sponsored by Teva Pharmaceuticals and operationalized by Teva’s development partner, Nuvelution TS Pharma INC.

A Lost Family Secret Masquerading as Schizoaffective Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury A Atypical, Non-Choreiform Subtype of Huntington’s Disease.

1. 1 Describe a case of an atypical presentation of Huntington’s Disease who presented to our acute inpatient setting with the diagnoses of schizoaffective disorder and traumatic brain injury.

2. 2 Recognize the importance of identifying medical/neurological disease that may be masked by psychiatric symptoms.

3. 3 Identify areas for improvement for patient-doctor-caregiver communication.

Direct patient care, chart review, expert consultation and collateral biographical information obtained from multidisciplinary sources. Performed at Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

After re-evaluation of a patient discharged from our care with inconclusive MRI brain imaging, it was discovered with prior genetic testing that his unique presentation was in fact an atypical form of Huntington’s Disease with 46 CAG on the IT15 allele 1 on chromosome 4 which is greater than the >36 repeats required for a diagnosis of Huntington’s disease.

A thorough history taking and willingness to question an admitting psychiatric diagnosis is an important skill for any clinician. We favored our patient’s diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder due to the circumstances of his arrival and his atypical presentation of Huntington’s disease without the characteristic choreiform movements. His bizarre mannerisms were attributed to his history of TBI and psychotic illness. Oddly enough, the initial medications on which the patient presented were consistent with those often prescribed for the psychotic and mood symptoms of HD, and it is possible that his prior providers may have been treating him but failed to fully educate the patient on the nature of his disease. Although many of the treatments are similar, we felt that the patient was owed an answer about the truth underlying his condition so that he could prepare for the natural course of his illness and be allowed to seek out anything that could delay or reverse his illness. Huntington’s disease is known by its stereotypical choreiform movements; however, the psychiatric co-manifestations may present in up to 10 percent of HD patients with the atypical form which has less-pronounced movement abnormalities and can be interpreted as a psychiatric illness, while overlooking the underlying neurological pathology. Currently, many of the tests are cost prohibitive and require persistence to obtain genetic testing and detailed radiological imaging, but as medical providers, we are ultimately responsible for helping our patients overcome these barriers to offer them the best and most comprehensive care.

Long-term maintenance treatment is essential in management of bipolar I disorder (BP-I) to achieve mood stability, prevent recurrence of mood episodes and improve functioning. Aripiprazole once-monthly 400 mg (AOM 400) is a long-acting formulation of aripiprazole for maintenance treatment of BP-I. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized withdrawal study in adult patients with BP-I after a manic episode (NCT01567527), AOM 400 delayed time to and reduced rate of recurrence of mood episodes and was safe and well tolerated (1). In an open-label, long-term safety study (NCT01710709), AOM 400 was safe and effective as long-term maintenance treatment (2).

To evaluate the effect of long-term AOM 400 maintenance treatment on manic and depressive symptoms in BP-I patients from the open-label, long term safety study.

Manic and depressive symptoms were assessed post-hoc by analysis of change from study entry in the Young-Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total scores and line item scores. The mean changes from baseline at last visit in YMRS and MADRS total scores, and single items were calculated using descriptive statistics, using last observation carried forward for total scores and observed cases for single items.

A total of 464 patients entered the maintenance phase: 379 were de novo and 85 were rollover patients who completed the double-blind, placebo-controlled withdrawal study. Overall, 63% (291/464) completed 52 weeks of open-label treatment. Mean YMRS and MADRS total scores were minimally changed from baseline (YMRS: 2.31, endpoint change -0.30; MADRS: 3.23, endpoint change +1.24) across the study in the total population.

Patients entering an open-label safety study with stable manic and depressive symptoms maintained stability in both types of symptoms, as shown by minimal mean changes from baseline in YMRS and MADRS scores, suggesting that treatment with AOM 400 is effective in preventing re-emergence of both manic and depressive symptoms.

The study was supported by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc.

Long-term maintenance treatment is essential in management of bipolar I disorder (BP-I) to achieve mood stability, prevent recurrence of mood episodes and improve functioning. Aripiprazole once-monthly 400 mg (AOM 400) is a long-acting formulation of aripiprazole for maintenance treatment of BP-I. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized withdrawal study in adult patients with BP-I after a manic episode (NCT01567527), AOM 400 delayed time to and reduced rate of recurrence of mood episodes and was safe and well tolerated (1). In an open-label, long-term safety study (NCT01710709), AOM 400 was safe and effective as long-term maintenance treatment (2).

To evaluate the effect of long-term AOM 400 maintenance treatment on manic and depressive symptoms in BP-I patients from the open-label, long term safety study.

Manic and depressive symptoms were assessed post-hoc by analysis of change from study entry in the Young-Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total scores and line item scores. The mean changes from baseline at last visit in YMRS and MADRS total scores, and single items were calculated using descriptive statistics, using last observation carried forward for total scores and observed cases for single items.

A total of 464 patients entered the maintenance phase: 379 were de novo and 85 were rollover patients who completed the double-blind, placebo-controlled withdrawal study. Overall, 63% (291/464) completed 52 weeks of open-label treatment. Mean YMRS and MADRS total scores were minimally changed from baseline (YMRS: 2.31, endpoint change -0.30; MADRS: 3.23, endpoint change +1.24) across the study in the total population.

Patients entering an open-label safety study with stable manic and depressive symptoms maintained stability in both types of symptoms, as shown by minimal mean changes from baseline in YMRS and MADRS scores, suggesting that treatment with AOM 400 is effective in preventing re-emergence of both manic and depressive symptoms.

The study was supported by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc.

Patients with bipolar disorder experience a wide range of depressive and manic symptoms. Only 2 drugs are FDA-approved to treat episodes of both mania and depression in patients with bipolar disorder, highlighting the need for treatments with proven efficacy at opposite poles of the bipolar spectrum. Cariprazine, a dopamine D3-preferring D3/D2 receptor partial agonist and serotonin 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist, is approved in the US for the treatment of both bipolar depression and manic and mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder. Cariprazine has previously demonstrated broad efficacy in patients with bipolar mania, with significantly greater improvement in favor of cariprazine vs placebo (PBO) across all individual symptom domains (P<.001) measured by the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). Additionally, cariprazine has demonstrated efficacy vs PBO in 3 phase II/III clinical studies in patients with depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder (NCT01396447, NCT02670538, NCT02670551). To further assess the broad efficacy of cariprazine in patients with bipolar I disorder, we performed post hoc analyses to evaluate the range of depressive symptoms comprising the individual items of the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) in patients from the bipolar depression studies.

Data from the 3 randomized, double-blind, PBO-controlled trials in patients with bipolar depression were pooled. Least squares (LS) mean change from baseline to week 6 in MADRS individual items was assessed in the pooled cariprazine 1.5 and 3 mg/d groups vs PBO using a mixed-effects model for repeated measures in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population.

There were 1383 patients in the ITT population (placebo=460; cariprazine 1.5-3 mg/d=923). At week 6, LS mean change from baseline was significantly greater for cariprazine 1.5-3 mg/d vs PBO on 9 of 10 individual MADRS items: Apparent Sadness (-2.0 vs -1.6, P<.0001); Reported Sadness (-2.0 vs -1.6, P<.0001); Reduced Sleep (-1.6 vs -1.4, P=.0357); Reduced Appetite (-1.2 vs -1.0, P=.0001); Concentration Difficulties (-1.5 vs -1.2, P=.0002); Lassitude (-1.7 vs -1.4, P=.0003); Inability To Feel (-1.7 vs -1.5, P=.0009); Pessimistic Thoughts (-1.4 vs -1.2, P=.0054) and Suicidal Thoughts (-0.3 vs -0.2, P=.0383); differences between cariprazine and PBO on the Inner Tension item were not significant.

Significant improvement in most MADRS single items suggests broad efficacy in depressive symptoms for cariprazine 1.5-3 mg/d vs PBO in patients with bipolar depression. Coupled with broad efficacy in manic symptoms as demonstrated by significant improvement in all YMRS individual items in patients with bipolar mania or mixed episodes, cariprazine appears be effective across the range of symptoms that affect patients with bipolar disorder.

Supported by Allergan plc.

Depression occurs in ~50% of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients, increases in severity and duration as the disease progresses, and is associated with increased morbidity. Improvement of depression in PD patients is correlated with reduced physical disability and improved quality of life. We are assessing use of pimavanserin (PIM) for treatment of depression in adults with PD.

A Phase-2, 8-week, open-label, single-arm study is being conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PIM as an adjunct to SSRI/SNRI or as monotherapy in adults with both PD and symptoms of depression (baseline Hamilton Depression Scale [17-items] total score [HAMD-17] ≥15). The primary endpoint of the study is change from Baseline to Week 8 in the HAMD-17. Secondary measures included the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scales (improvement and severity) and Scales of Outcomes in PD-Sleep (SCOPA).

Interim results based on the first 34 of 40 planned patients have been evaluated: 55.9% of patients were male, and average age was 68.1 years, with 19 patients on adjunctive therapy and 15 on monotherapy. At baseline, patients had a mean (SE) HAMD-17 of 19.8(0.6). Change from Baseline to Week 8 (least squares mean [LSM] [SE]) in the HAMD-17 was –10.7(1.0) (95% CI; –12.7,–8.7; P<0.001), with significant improvement seen as early as Week 2 (–8.4[1.0]; 95% CI; –10.5,–6.4; P<0.001). Significant improvement was seen for both adjunctive treatment and monotherapy: 45.2% of patients responded to treatment (≥50% improvement on the HAMD-17) at Week 8, and 35.5% reached remission (HAMD-17 ≤7). On the Clinical Global Impressions–Improvement scale, 54.8% were much/very much improved at Week 8. Significant improvement was seen in change from Baseline to Week 8 SCOPA–Global Sleep Quality, –Nighttime Sleep, and –Daytime Sleepiness: –1.0(0.4) (95% CI; –1.7,–0.3; P=0.010), –2.1(0.7) (95% CI; –3.6,–0.6; P=0.008), –2.1(0.4) (95% CI; –3.0,–1.2; P<0.001) respectively. Twenty-one of the 34 enrolled patients have completed the study to date, and another 7 are still continuing. Thirteen patients reported adverse events, the most common being falls, UTI, diarrhea, and nausea.

These interim data suggest that PIM as adjunctive treatment or monotherapy is associated with early improvement of depressive symptoms in patients with PD and is well tolerated. This is consistent with recently reported data of PIM in major depressive disorder. Final data will be shared at the time of this presentation. However, additional placebo-controlled data will be needed to determine fully the efficacy of PIM in patients with comorbid PD and depression.

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Bipolar I disorder frequently has an early onset, with an estimated prevalence rate of 1.8% in pediatric populations. Early onset is associated with a high degree of chronicity; however, limited data are available on the long-term efficacy of drug therapies in pediatric populations. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of lurasidone in children and adolescents with bipolar depression.

Patients 10-17 years with bipolar I depression were randomized to 6 weeks of double-blind (DB) treatment with lurasidone or placebo. Patients who completed the study were eligible to enroll in a 2-year, open-label (OL) extension study in which patients were continued on flexibly-dosed lurasidone (20-80 mg/d; LUR-LUR) or switched from placebo to lurasidone (PBO-LUR). The primary efficacy measure was the Children’s Depression Rating Scale, Revised (CDRS-R); response was defined as ≥50% reduction from DB baseline in the CDRS-R total score.

A total of 306 patients completed the 6-week DB study and entered the extension study; 195 (63.7%) completed 52 weeks, and 168 (54.9%) completed 104 weeks of treatment. Mean CDRS-R total score at DB baseline was 59.4 in patients treated with lurasidone, and 58.7 in patients treated with placebo; and mean CDRS-R total score at OL baseline (after 6 weeks of DB treatment) was 36.6 in the LUR-LUR group and 41.9 in the PBO-LUR group. For the total sample of patients in the OL study, mean change (from OL baseline) in the CDRS-R score was -13.4 at week 52 and -16.4 at week 104; and responder rates were 51.0% at OL baseline (64.5% for LUR-LUR; 36.9% for PBO-LUR), 88.4% at week 52, and 91.1% at week 104. During OL treatment with lurasidone, 31 patients (10.1%) discontinued due to an adverse event. The most commonly reported events were headache (23.9%), nausea (16.4%), and somnolence (9.8%). OL treatment with lurasidone was associated with few effects on metabolic parameters or prolactin. Mean change from DB baseline in weight was +4.25 kg at week 52 (vs. an expected weight gain of 3.76 kg based on CDC normative data), and +6.75 kg at week 104 (vs. CDC expected weight gain of 6.67 kg).

Two years of treatment with lurasidone in children and adolescents with bipolar depression was generally well-tolerated, with relatively low rates of study discontinuation. Lurasidone treatment was associated with few effects on weight, metabolic parameters, and prolactin. Patients also continued to experience improvement in depressive symptoms during long-term treatment with lurasidone.

Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01914393

Supported by funding from Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Among patients with depressive disorders, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is estimated to range from 35-40% and has been associated with increased mortality rates. The aim of this post-hoc analysis was to assess the effect of treatment with lurasidone on the prevalence of MetS in patients with bipolar depression.

Lurasidone data (dose range, 20-120 mg/d) used in the current analyses consisted of 3 double-blind (DB), placebo-controlled, 6-week studies in adults with bipolar I depression (total N=1,192), consisting of 1 monotherapy, and 2 adjunctive therapy trials with lithium or valproate. Patients who completed the short-term trials continued into a 6-month open-label (OL) extension study, with 6-month (LOCF-endpoint) data available on 274 patients treated with lurasidone monotherapy, and 436 patients treated with lurasidone adjunctive therapy. Also analyzed was a recurrence prevention study in stabilized bipolar patients who completed up to 20 weeks of OL adjunctive treatment with lurasidone, and then were randomized to 28 weeks of DB adjunctive therapy with lurasidone or placebo (N=497). MetS was defined based on NCEP ATP III criteria (2005 revision).

In the short-term monotherapy and adjunctive therapy studies, the proportion of patients at baseline meeting NCEP III criteria for MetS were 27.6% and 23.6%, respectively, for lurasidone, and 23.8% and 25.1%, respectively, for placebo; and at week 6 (LOCF) the proportion with MetS was 27.5% and 26.6%, respectively, for lurasidone and 29.9% and 20.2%, respectively, for placebo. The proportion of patients who did not meet MetS criteria at baseline but developed MetS at week 6 (LOCF) was similar for lurasidone vs. placebo in the monotherapy study (9.9% vs. 11.6%); and in the two adjunctive therapy studies (10.3% vs. 8.3%). During the 6-month OL extension study, the proportion of patients treated with lurasidone monotherapy and adjunctive therapy who did not meet MetS criteria at OL baseline but developed MetS at month 6 (LOCF) was 11.7% and 11.9%, respectively. Conversely, the proportion of patients who met MetS criteria at OL baseline, but no longer met criteria at month 6 (LOCF) was 9.5% and 7.7%, respectively. In the 20-week, OL phase of the recurrence prevention study, the proportion of patients treated with adjunctive lurasidone who did not meet MetS criteria at OL baseline but developed MetS at endpoint was 11.5% (LOCF). After up to 28 weeks of DB treatment, the proportion of patients who did not meet MetS criteria at DB baseline but developed MetS at endpoint was 9.0% in the adjunctive lurasidone group, and 10.5% in the adjunctive placebo group (LOCF).

This post-hoc analysis found that short- and long-term treatment with lurasidone was associated with a relatively low risk for the development of metabolic syndrome in patients with bipolar I disorder. These findings are consistent with similar analyses in patients with schizophrenia.

Supported by funding from Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.

NeuroStar® Advanced Therapy System is an effective acute treatment for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). To further understand the efficacy of the NeuroStar in a clinical setting, Neuronetics has established the largest patient treatment and outcomes registry for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) to collect and analyze the efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on patients receiving NeuroStar treatment.

Individual NeuroStar providers are invited to participate in the registry and over 100 clinical practice sites have agreed to provide their de-identified patient treatment data. An integrated electronic data management system (TrakStar) allows for large-scale data collection to be automated. The data collected for the registry include Demographic Elements (age, gender), Treatment Parameters, and Clinical Ratings. Clinical assessments performed at baseline and the end of acute treatment are the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9) and the Clinician Global Impression - Severity of Illness (CGI-S). De-identified patient data is uploaded to a Registry server; an independent statistical service then creates final data reports.

Over 3300 evaluable patients have entered the NeuroStar Outcomes Registry since September 2016. The population is 64% female with a mean patient age of 47.8 (SD±16.9); Mean baseline PHQ-9 is 19.0 (SD±5.0). Response & remission rate on PHQ-9 is 63% & 33%, and on CGI-S was 76% & 54%, respectively.

For the over 3300 patients in the Outcomes Registry, approximately 2/3 patients achieve response and 1/3 patients achieve remission with an acute course of NeuroStar TMS. These treatment outcomes are consistent with previous open-label study data (Carpenter et al., 2012) using the NeuroStar system. The NeuroStar Outcomes Registry is ongoing and has surpassed Star*D dataset (Rush et al., 2006) with over 3300 evaluable patients from more than 100 clinical sites in 3 years.

Funding: Neuronetics, Inc.