Studies show stimulant medications are effective for different ADHD presentations (predominantly inattentive [IA], predominantly hyperactive-impulsive [HI] or combined [C]); however, few studies have evaluated nonstimulant efficacy in different ADHD presentations. Viloxazine ER [VLX ER] is a nonstimulant, FDA-approved medication for pediatric (≥6 yrs) and adult ADHD. This post-hoc analysis of 4 double-blind (DB), Phase 3, clinical trials (2 in adolescents [NCT03247517 and NCT03247556], 2 in children [NCT03247530 and NCT03247543]), evaluates VLX ER efficacy by ADHD presentation as derived from ADHD Rating Scale, 5th Edition (ADHD-RS-5) assessments at Baseline.

Children and adolescents with ADHD and an ADHD-RS-5 Total score ≥ 28 were eligible for enrollment. ADHD presentation was defined as a rating of ≥2 on at least 6 of 9 ADHD-RS-5 inattention items, or hyperactive-impulsive items or both. For each ADHD presentation, the change from Baseline (CFB) in ADHD-RS-5 Total score (primary outcome in each study) was assessed using mixed models for repeated measures (MMRM). Responder rate (secondary outcome), ≥50% reduction from baseline in ADHD-RS-5 Total score, was analyzed using generalized estimating equations (GEE).

Of 1354 subjects [placebo N = 452, VLX ER N = 902], ADHD presentation was assigned as 288 (21.3%) [IA], 1010 (74.5%) [C], 40 (3.0%) [HI], 16 (1.2%) [none of these]. Due to the small sample size of [HI], only the [IA] and [C] results are presented. At Week 6 (pooled data endpoint), ADHD-RS-5 Total scores were significantly improved for VLX ER relative to placebo for both the [IA] and [C] ADHD presentations. LS mean (SE) treatment differences, p-values were: [IA] -3.1 (1.35), p = 0.0219, and [C] 5.8 (0.97), p < 0.0001. Responder rates were also significantly higher for VLX ER: 43.0% [IA] and 42.7% [C] relative to placebo 29.5% [IA] and 25.5 % [C] (p=.0311 and p<.0001).

Viloxazine ER significantly reduced ADHD symptoms in individuals meeting criteria for ADHD [IA] or [C] presentations at Baseline. Limitations include post-hoc methodology, smaller sample sizes of [IA] and [HI] groups, and the ADHD-RS-5 ≥ 28 eligibility requirement, that may favor enrollment of individuals with ADHD [C] over ADHD [IA] or [HI] presentations. Consistency of response during long-term use should be evaluated.

Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Viloxazine ER (extended-release capsules; Qelbree®) is a nonstimulant medication, FDA-approved for ADHD in children (≥6 years) and adults. Efficacy and safety for children and adolescents were evaluated in one phase 2 [NCT02633527]and four phase 3 [NCT03247517, NCT03247556, NCT03247530, and NCT03247543], double-blind (DB), placebo-controlled trials that fed into a long-term, open-label extension (OLE) trial [NCT02736656]. Here we report the findings from this OLE trial.

Participants completing the DB trials were eligible for the OLE. Viloxazine ER was initiated at 100 mg/day (children) or 200 mg/day (adolescents) and adjusted (if needed) over a 12-week Dose-Optimization Period (up to 400 mg/day [children] or 600 mg/day [adolescents]). Maintenance treatment then continued up to 72 months. Safety assessments included adverse events (AEs), clinical laboratory tests, vital signs, ECG (12-lead), and the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). Efficacy assessments included the ADHD Rating Scale, 4th (Phase 2) or 5th (Phase 3) Edition (ADHD-RS-IV/5), and the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale. Efficacy was assessed relative to DB baseline at study visits ˜ 3 months apart. Two response measures, 50% improvement in ADHD-RS-IV/5 Total score and CGI-I score of 1-2, were also evaluated.

1100 individuals (646 children; 454 adolescents; 66.5% male/33.5% female) received treatment. Median (range) exposure to viloxazine ER was 260 (1 to 1896) days. AEs were reported by 57.3% participants, most commonly (≥5%) nasopharyngitis (9.7%), somnolence (9.5%), headache (8.9%) decreased appetite (6.0%), and fatigue (5.7%). AEs were mostly mild or moderate in severity (3.9% reported any severe AE); AEs led to viloxazine ER discontinuation for 8.2%. The mean (SD) changes from DB baseline in ADHD-RS IV/5 Total score were -17.0 (14.18) (viloxazine ER) and -11.2 (13.19) (placebo) at the last DB study visit, 24.3 (11.96) at OLE Month 3, and 22.4 (13.62) at participants’ last OLE study visit. ADHD-RS-IV/5 and CGI-I responder rates each exceeded 65% at all OLE visits following Dose-Optimization.

The safety and efficacy of viloxazine ER were maintained with long-term use in children and adolescents with ADHD. No new safety concerns emerged, and efficacy results suggested potential for continued improvement over that seen during DB treatment.

Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Although many patients respond equally well to both stimulant and nonstimulant medications for ADHD, some patients respond preferentially to one class over another. Currently, most patients receive a stimulant as first-line therapy; however, nonstimulants present fewer obstacles for prescribers and patients and have low abuse/misuse potential. Still, when patients have suboptimal response to stimulants, physicians may be reticent to switch to a nonstimulant medication due to concerns that the nonstimulant response will be less robust or less preferable for patients. Viloxazine ER (viloxazine extended-release capsules; Qelbree®) is a nonstimulant, FDA-approved treatment for ADHD in children (≥6 years) and adults. This post-hoc analysis of adult Phase 3 trial data (NCT04016779) evaluates response to viloxazine ER (200-600 mg/day) based on whether or not patients reported a history of previous stimulant use.

For patients randomized to viloxazine in this Phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the change from baseline (CFB) in Adult ADHD Investigator Symptom Rating Scale (AISRS) score (primary trial outcome) was analyzed for prior stimulant users vs. nonusers using MMRM. Prior stimulant use was based on patient-reported medication history recorded upon enrollment. Subjects using stimulants at the time of study screening were required to undergo a ≥1-week washout period prior to randomization.

Of 372 patients treated, 189 received viloxazine ER. Of the patients who received viloxazine ER, 40 reported prior stimulant use and 149 did not. Mean (SD) baseline AISRS scores for prior stimulant users and nonusers were 38.5 (7.40) and 38.3 (6.44), respectively. Response appeared similar in both patient groups. At Week 6/End of Study (EOS) the least squares (LS) mean (SE) CFB AISRS scores for prior stimulant users and nonusers were -15.8 (2.51) and -15.6 (1.08)]; treatment difference -0.2 (2.41); P=0.93. Though not significant, prior stimulant users showed a larger magnitude of improvement on the AISRS at early timepoints compared to those without prior stimulant use [Week 1, LS mean (SE) CFB AISRS Total scores: -9.2 (1.40) vs. -6.8 (0.70), respectively; treatment difference: -2.4 (1.56); P=0.12.]

A history of prior stimulant use did not appear to influence the magnitude of ADHD symptom response to viloxazine ER in this preliminary analysis of Phase 3 trial data in adults. Rather, subjects with prior stimulant use showed numerically larger reductions in AISRS scores at early timepoints that were not significantly different from those without prior stimulant use. Additional analysis should be undertaken to evaluate patterns of response in the pediatric population.

Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Research examining (MCI) criteria in diverse and/or health-disparate populations is limited. There is a critical need to investigate the predictive validity for incident dementia of widely used MCI definitions in diverse populations.

Eligible participants were non-Hispanic White or Black Bronx community residents, free of dementia at enrollment, with at least one annual follow-up visit after baseline. Participants completed annual neurological and neuropsychological evaluations to determine cognitive status. Dementia was defined based on DSM-IV criteria using case conferences. Cox proportional hazard models assessed predictive validity for incident dementia of four specific MCI definitions (Petersen, Jak/Bondi, number of impaired tests, Global Clinical Ratings) at baseline, controlling for age, sex, education, and race/ethnicity. Time-dependent sensitivity and specificity at 2–7 years for each definition, and Youden’s index were calculated as accuracy measures.

Participants (N = 1073) ranged in age from 70 to 100 (mean = 78.4 ± 5.3) years at baseline. The sample was 62.5% female, and educational achievement averaged 13.9 ± 3.5 years. Most participants identified as White (70.0%), though Black participants were well-represented (30.0%). In general, MCI definitions differed in sensitivity and specificity for incident dementia. However, there were no significant differences in Youden’s index for any definition, across all years of follow-up.

This work provides an important step toward improving the generalizability of the MCI diagnosis to underrepresented/health-disparate populations. While our findings suggest the studied MCI classifications are comparable, researchers and clinicians may choose to consider one method over another depending on the rationale for evaluation or question of interest.

Despite growing awareness of the mental health damage caused by air pollution, the epidemiologic evidence on impact of air pollutants on major mental disorders (MDs) remains limited. We aim to explore the impact of various air pollutants on the risk of major MD.

This prospective study analyzed data from 170 369 participants without depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia at baseline. The concentrations of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5), particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter > 2.5 μm, and ≤ 10 μm (PM2.5–10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and nitric oxide (NO) were estimated using land-use regression models. The association between air pollutants and incident MD was investigated by Cox proportional hazard model.

During a median follow-up of 10.6 years, 9 004 participants developed MD. Exposure to air pollution in the highest quartile significantly increased the risk of MD compared with the lowest quartile: PM2.5 (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.09–1.23), NO2 (HR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.05–1.19), and NO (HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03–1.17). Subgroup analysis showed that participants with lower income were more likely to experience MD when exposed to air pollution. We also observed joint effects of socioeconomic status or genetic risk with air pollution on the MD risk. For instance, the HR of individuals with the highest genetic risk and highest quartiles of PM2.5 was 1.63 (95% CI: 1.46–1.81) compared to those with the lowest genetic risk and lowest quartiles of PM2.5.

Our findings highlight the importance of air pollution control in alleviating the burden of MD.