Tweaked Club Drug Shows Promise as Antidepressant
But more research is needed on safety, long-term effectiveness and side effects, researchers say
Big questions remain regarding effectiveness, safety, long-term use, cost and side effects. The point is to capture the positive mood-altering properties without the negative side effects.
The new research consists of two Phase II studies, meaning AstraZeneca is partway through the three stages of research that drugs must go through for approval in the United States.
In the new studies, the researchers tested a drug called lanicemine, which, like ketamine, disrupts how the brain processes neurotransmitters. In one of the studies, 152 people with depression were randomly assigned to take 100 milligrams or 150 milligrams of the drug or a placebo intravenously at three-day intervals for three weeks.
The patients who took the drug were more likely to report improvement in their depression during the three weeks they got the medication and for several weeks afterward, although the side effect of temporary dizziness was common. The hallucinations and delusions associated with ketamine were not evident.
More research is planned. "We've got a long way to go before deciding that this drug is adequately safe or effective enough that it should be put on the market," Alexander said.
Depression Slideshow: Tips for Exercise, Diet and Less Stress