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Vortioxetine 20 mg/day in patients with major depressive disorder: updated analysis of efficacy, safety, and optimal timing of dose adjustment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 October 2021

Michael Cronquist Christensen*
Affiliation:
Research & Development, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark
Roger S. McIntyre
Affiliation:
Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Ioana Florea
Affiliation:
Research & Development, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark
Henrik Loft
Affiliation:
Research & Development, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark
Andrea Fagiolini
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Siena School of Medicine, Siena, Italy
*
*Author for correspondence: Michael Cronquist Christensen, Email: MCRC@lundbeck.com
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Abstract

Background

Analysis of efficacy and tolerability of vortioxetine 20 mg/day, and optimal timing of dose adjustment, in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods

Pooled analysis of six randomized, fixed-dose studies of vortioxetine 5 to 20 mg/day. Mean change from baseline in Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score was analyzed by vortioxetine dose using a mixed model for repeated measures. Tolerability was assessed over the 8-week treatment period and from day 8 (ie, following dose increase to 20 mg/day). Data from three randomized, flexible-dose studies were examined for frequency and timing of dose adjustment.

Results

A clear dose–response relationship for vortioxetine was confirmed in terms of improvement in MADRS total score. Significant differences vs placebo were seen for vortioxetine 20 mg/day from week 2 onwards; vortioxetine 10 mg did not separate from placebo until week 4. At week 8, mean change in MADRS total score from baseline was significantly greater for vortioxetine 20 mg/day vs 10 mg/day (difference, −1.03 points; P < .05). Incidence of adverse events was not increased in patients who received vortioxetine 20 mg/day vs 10 mg/day. In flexible-dose studies, dosage was increased to 20 mg/day after 1 week in 48.0% of patients; final dosage was 20 mg/day in 64.3% of patients.

Conclusions

Vortioxetine 20 mg is significantly more effective than vortioxetine 10 mg in patients with MDD, with a similar tolerability profile. In flexible-dose studies, almost half of all patients received 20 mg/day after 1 week and two-thirds received 20 mg/day as their final dosage.

Information

Type
Original Research
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press
Figure 0

Table 1. Summary of Demographics and Baseline Characteristics (Full Analysis Set)

Figure 1

Figure 1. Mean difference in change from baseline for vortioxetine (VOR; 5, 10, 15, or 20 mg/day) vs placebo in Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score at weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8 (full analysis set; mixed model for repeated measures analysis of six fixed-dose studies). *P < .05 vs placebo; ***P ≤ .001 vs placebo.

Figure 2

Table 2. Meta-Analysis of the Change from Baseline to Week 8 in MADRS Total Score Difference vs Placebo (Full Analysis Set, MMRM) in Fixed-Dose Studies1015

Figure 3

Table 3. Meta-Analysis of the Change from Baseline to Week 8 in CGI-S Total Score Difference vs Placebo (Full Analysis Set, MMRM) in Fixed-Dose Studies1015

Figure 4

Table 4. TEAEs by MedDRA Preferred Terms with Incidence ≥2% in At Least One Group in Short-Term, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Fixed-Dose Studies of Vortioxetine in Patients with MDD, Overall and from Day 8 (ie, Time of Vortioxetine Dose Up-Titration from 10 to 20 mg/d) Until the End of the 8-Week Treatment Period (Day 56).1015 All Patients in the Vortioxetine 20 mg/d Group Received Vortioxetine 10 mg/d on Days 1 to 7; Vortioxetine Dose was Up-Titrated to 20 mg/d on Day 8

Supplementary material: File

Christensen et al. supplementary material

Tables S1-S3 and Figure S1

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