![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jrbecker on August 4, 2004, at 9:40:03
http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=5871398
Lilly Wins FDA's OK for Depression Drug
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday said U.S. regulators have approved its new antidepressant, Cymbalta, a drug that analysts say will be central to the company's growth.
Lilly's shares rose 2 percent to $64.50 in electronic pre-market trading.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the highly anticipated drug is both safe and effective in treating major depression, the company reported in a statement.
Industry analysts expect Cymbalta to generate peak annual sales of $2 billion, a much-needed boon for Lilly after sales of its former top-selling antidepressant, Prozac, plummeted in the face of generic competition.
Cymbalta works by maximizing the presence in the brain of two chemicals, serotonin and norepinephrine. In this respect, it is similar to Wyeth's (WYE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Effexor XR. Drugs like Prozac, Pfizer Inc.'s (PFE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Zoloft and GlaxoSmithKline Plc's (GSK.L: Quote, Profile, Research) Paxil maximize the presence only of serotonin.
Cymbalta comes to the market at a time of growing uncertainty about new classes of antidepressants. Cymbalta came under scrutiny in February following the suicide of a 19-year-old college student involved in one of the company's clinical trials. She was not depressed at the beginning of the trial.
© Reuters 2004. All Rights Reserved.
Posted by RetiredYoung on August 4, 2004, at 10:45:45
In reply to CYMBALTA (DULOXETINE)....APPROVED, posted by jrbecker on August 4, 2004, at 9:40:03
Thanks for the heads up. This is great news. I wonder when it will actually be in pharmacies...
For those interested, I did research on duolextine in treating physical pain, and in particular headaches. The following is what I found out: http://tinyurl.com/4qhdk
(nutshell: great for back pain, no help for headaches)
Jim
Posted by RetiredYoung on August 4, 2004, at 10:47:35
In reply to Re: CYMBALTA (DULOXETINE)....APPROVED, posted by RetiredYoung on August 4, 2004, at 10:45:45
Hmm. Tinyurl didn't work. Here's the full URL:
Posted by linkadge on August 4, 2004, at 11:17:28
In reply to Re: CYMBALTA (DULOXETINE)....APPROVED, posted by RetiredYoung on August 4, 2004, at 10:47:35
Posted by 4mygrls on August 4, 2004, at 12:00:06
In reply to CYMBALTA (DULOXETINE)....APPROVED, posted by jrbecker on August 4, 2004, at 9:40:03
if it's similar to effexor then will it have the same side affects as effexor?
Posted by RetiredYoung on August 4, 2004, at 12:11:57
In reply to Re:cymbalta aproved, posted by 4mygrls on August 4, 2004, at 12:00:06
It's not like Effexor. Cymbalta inhibits reuptake of both Serotonin and Norepinephrine at a constant ratio, regardless of dosage. Effexor only works on Serotonin until a dosage of around 150mg is reached.
Further, Prozac and Zoloft (as an example of two SSRIs) actually are similar, but can have very different side effects.
Posted by Maximus on August 4, 2004, at 13:02:02
In reply to Re:cymbalta aproved » 4mygrls, posted by RetiredYoung on August 4, 2004, at 12:11:57
Posted by linkadge on August 4, 2004, at 14:21:15
In reply to Re:Availability in Canada, When??? (nm), posted by Maximus on August 4, 2004, at 13:02:02
Effexor affects norepinephrine reputake at *any* dose. The amount to which the norepinephrine effect is precieved is however different from person to peron.
It is true that the venlafaxine molecule shows more affinity for the serotonin uptake pumps, but the idea that it has no effect on norepinephrine till high doses is not logical. It will increase norepinephrine as soon as it reaches the brain, but it will affect serotonin more.
I could not even tollerate even low dose effexor because of a sustained increase in blood pressure, evidence of the norepinephrine effect.
Cymbalta is supposed to be more even in its affinity for serotoin and norepinephrine, but I have seen conflicting reports on the actual activity of this. This evenness does not in any way imply that is is a better drug, just different, and perhaps more suited to those with physical complaints or energy problems.
The side effect cluster will be similar to venlafaxine with perhaps more noradrenic side effects like cardiovascular side effects etc.
Drug companies always downplay cariovascular side effects as this dramatically increases their patient population, ie depressed with cardiovascular disease.
Linkadge
Posted by linkadge on August 4, 2004, at 14:22:01
In reply to Re:Availability in Canada, When??? (nm), posted by Maximus on August 4, 2004, at 13:02:02
Posted by Maximus on August 4, 2004, at 14:58:47
In reply to forever!!! - we don't even have lexapro yet (nm), posted by linkadge on August 4, 2004, at 14:22:01
Sadly but true!
Regarding medications, Canada is the arm pit of the world.
God bless us, beavers of north america...
Posted by linkadge on August 4, 2004, at 15:10:11
In reply to Re: forever!!! - we don't even have lexapro yet » linkadge, posted by Maximus on August 4, 2004, at 14:58:47
Posted by RetiredYoung on August 4, 2004, at 15:33:54
In reply to not exactly true, posted by linkadge on August 4, 2004, at 14:21:15
Linkadge - Could you cite a source ot two for your information regarding Effexor? My data regarding Effexor's dosage thresholds come from Crazy Meds and a couple of other sites that I've read. Txs.
Jim
Posted by ravenstorm on August 4, 2004, at 16:39:37
In reply to Re: not exactly true » linkadge, posted by RetiredYoung on August 4, 2004, at 15:33:54
Now if the FDA would get off their rears long enough to approve the patch!!
As I sit here sick from Wellbutrin, I really hope that some non-pill medications start coming down the pipeline.
It will be pretty sad if I end up nonfunctional because my stomach is too weak to take pills. I can't be the only one like this!!!!!!!
Come on, transdermal patch!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by TheOutsider on August 4, 2004, at 18:14:48
In reply to Re: cymbalta approved, Could EnSam be next??, posted by ravenstorm on August 4, 2004, at 16:39:37
q
Posted by linkadge on August 5, 2004, at 7:50:11
In reply to Re: not exactly true » linkadge, posted by RetiredYoung on August 4, 2004, at 15:33:54
What this site is trying to say is that many people do not *feel* the effect of the norepinephrine increase until it gets into the higher dose range. But this does not mean it does not effect norepinephrine in the lower dose range.
The molecule affects norepinephrine as soon as it reaches the uptake sites.
I'm just really after the wording. Most people incorrectly say that effexor has no effect on norepinephrine in the lower doses, but what they mean to say is that effexor's effect on norepinephrine is not generally not noticable till the higher doses.The brain's workings are generally not binary.
The molecule will always effect the uptake sites in a fixed ratio, meaning if it is increasing serotonin, then it is increasing norepinephrine to say 1/3 the level of the serotonin increase. Or whatever the ratio happens to be.You can ask chemist if you want a more detailed explainaition.
Linkadge
Posted by caraher on August 5, 2004, at 12:52:18
In reply to Re: CYMBALTA (DULOXETINE)....APPROVED, posted by RetiredYoung on August 4, 2004, at 10:45:45
> Thanks for the heads up. This is great news. I wonder when it will actually be in pharmacies...
The Indianapolis paper quotes a Lilly spokesperson saying they expect 80% of US pharmacies should have it by the end of August, with a wholesale price of $2.85 for a 60 mg does (the standard for one day).
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.