Epix starts study of depression treatment
Epix Pharmaceuticals Inc. said today it has initiated a clinical trial of a potential treatment of depression.
The Lexington company said it has begun a Phase 2b clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of PRX-00023, a selective 5-HT1A partial agonist, in patients with a primary diagnosis of major depressive disorder, or MDD, who also have concurrent anxiety.
Data from this trial are expected in the first half of 2008, the company said.
"We believe there is a significant unmet need for a depression treatment that is at least as effective as the current standard of care, but with a much improved tolerability and side-effect profile," Epix chief executive Michael G. Kauffman said in a statement.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)
