Vilazodone HCl (Viibryd): A Serotonin Partial Agonist and Reuptake Inhibitor For the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder.
Year: 2012
Type: article
Abstract: Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects approximately 121 million people worldwide, including almost 15 million American adults.1,2 Among all medical conditions, MDD is the leading cause of morbidity worldwide as well as the leading cause of disability in the U.S. in individuals 15 to 44 years of age.2,3 Antidepressants were the fourth most commonly prescribed drug class in 2009, with prescription sales in the U.S. reaching $9.9 billion.4
Patients with MDD present with depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy, and poor concentration. The underlying pathophysiology of MDD has not been clearly defined, although clinical studies suggest that the disorder results from a disturbance in serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine neurotransmission in the central nervous system (CNS).5–7
Successful pharmacological treatment of depression depends on such factors as tolerability and treatment resistance along with drug efficacy. Up to 50% of depressive patients do not respond adequately to initial pharmacotherapy.8 However, patients who do not respond to one antidepressant might derive benefit from another one, even if it belongs to the same therapeutic class.
Research continues to be directed toward the development of antidepressant drugs with improvements in efficacy and side-effect profiles. The clinical need exists for new antidepressants with novel mechanisms of action. Vilazodone (Viibryd, Forest/Trovis) offers a novel combination of selective serotonin reuptake inhibition and serotonergic (5-HT1A) receptor partial agonist activity.9 Because of these characteristics, vilazodone has been termed a serotonin partial agonist–reuptake inhibitor (SPARI). Vilazodone was approved by the FDA for the treatment of MDD in January 2011.10
Source: Europe PMC (PubMed Central)
Author: Martin Paspe Cruz
Language: English
Subfield: Pharmacology (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1867705717