Posted by Adam on February 29, 2000, at 19:02:12
In reply to NEW ANTIDEPRESSANT: TAK-637, posted by ryan_s on February 29, 2000, at 9:26:43
TAK-637 operates by the same mechanism as the substance-P receptor (or, more technically, the tachykinin NK1 receptor) antagonist MK-869. The latter showed some early promise in animal models and some clinical trials, but in a larger trial was found to be no better than placebo, causing Merck to abandon that indication. (Interestingly, MK-869 performed about as well as paroxetine in one study, and this information was used by some, such as Irving Kirsch, PhD, to bolster the argument that most, if not all antidepressants are in fact little more than placebos with a lot of side-effects).
Merck promised, on the heals of the MK-869 embarassment, to deliver another, more potent drug for clinical trials in the near future, and I wonder if this is that drug, or is related. From what I read of MK-869, though, it is a pretty potent NK1 receptor antagonist, and may still have uses for such things as fibromyalgia, difficulties with urination, and relief from nausea caused by chemotherapy for cancer and AIDS.
ryan, it's up to you, or course, whether or not you enroll in this trial. I myself have had great success in the two clinical research studies that I have participated in, but I did my homework beforehand. If it were me, I would ask myself if I had really exhausted all the major antidepressant possiblities, and if I could handle spending another two months depressed should the candidate drug not work. If I were in your shoes, I would give an MAOI a trial first, or maybe a tricyclic, since it would seem you haven't tried those yet, before trying TAK-637. These NK1 receptor antagonists looked great on paper (and the idea of antidepressants that did not operate via the usual route of modulating monoamines somehow was an exciting one) but in practice have shown no efficacy in humans for depression. I would approach this with few expectations and a lot of caution.
> I visited my new psychologist dr calabrese for the first time today (tuesday). he is doing research with new antidepressant medications. calabrese want me to enroll in a study that has to do with the antidepressant TAK-637. i am willing to take place in the study, since ssris and naris do not work for me. the only problem is that there is absolutely nothing on the web about TAK-637. does anyone out there have experience or have information about this novel antidepressant.
>
> thanks,
> ryan_s
poster:Adam
thread:24848
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000220/msgs/24966.html