On Track To Approval, Alkermes Hopes ALKS-5461 Can Change Future Of Depression Therapy

08 Jun 2018

The novel opioid-system antidepressant is being positioned for adjunctive therapy on top of SSRIs, but Alkermes is eyeing other indications, and better ways to stratify and treat depressed patients.

magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the brain human

Looking ahead to possible US FDA approval of ALKS-5461 early next year, Alkermes PLC CEO Richard Pops hopes the product will lead to the evaluation of depression drug candidates via newer endpoints and bring the treatment of depression closer to precision medicine.

ALKS-5461 is a fixed-dose combination of the partial mu-opioid receptor agonist and kappa-opioid receptor antagonist buprenorphine with the mu-opioid receptor...