New antidepressant based on buprenorphine

[lurching]

In 2016 there will be this new drug introduced in the US which looks like a promising antidepressant. It's a combination of buprenorphine and samidorphan, where the latter causes the buprenorphine's opiate effects to be selectively canceled out, leaving only its antidepressant effect--and supposedly very little dependency and addiction, too. Its clinical trials were granted Fast Track status which is pretty rare and they're already estimating $25M sales in the first year (even as much as $350M by 2019). Link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALKS-5461

 

[blondin]

profits for Prozac peaked at about 3billion before the generics came out so not exactly a 'biggy' -big pharma want you addicted to their wares ..repeat prescriptions = nice little earner

 

[lurching]

I don't understand your reasoning? Prozac wasn't a 'biggy'?

This drug sounds pretty significant, as it supposedly distills the antidepressant effects from an opioid without being addictive in itself, but who knows what snode things Big Pharma is really up to this time eh?

 

[BecomingJulie]

All μ-receptor agonists are by definition addictive. Exogenous opioids interfere with the pain regulatory / reward system, suppressing the production of natural pain relieving hormones (endorphins). The process of recovery of normal endorphin production is an opioid comedown.

 

[lurching]

All μ-receptor agonists are by definition addictive. Exogenous opioids interfere with the pain regulatory / reward system, suppressing the production of natural pain relieving hormones (endorphins). The process of recovery of normal endorphin production is an opioid comedown.

The samidorphan is a selective μ-receptor antagonist, though!

That's the novel thing: samidorphan blocks the buprenorphine's μ-receptor agonism and the antidepressant effects are then from supressing dynorphins through its kappa-receptor antagonism.

 

[Shambles]

I remember reading results from when bupe itself was used in clinical trials for depression with apparently very impressive results. I am a big believer in the effectiveness of bupe as an antidepressant from personal experience and if it really is true that the dependency issues could be removed that would certainly be very welcome. I have my doubts purely cos we've heard the "but this time we promise we're not fibbing about the dependency and withdrawals" stuff a million times for a million different "miracle drugs" and every single one has been a lie. If this time is actually different good luck to 'em. If not it will be especially annoying as bupe really can be an incredibly effective antidepressant even taking into account the dependency issues and other problematic opioid side-effects.

 

[Ceres]

interesting, but it's funny how profit projections feature so prominently in the wikipedia page, along with fast tracking trials and small sample numbers. I remain skeptical.

Now hurry up and bring out the NMDAr drugs you pharmaceutical fuckers.

 

[lurching]

interesting, but it's funny how profit projections feature so prominently in the wikipedia page, along with fast tracking trials and small sample numbers. I remain skeptical.

Now hurry up and bring out the NMDAr drugs you pharmaceutical fuckers.

Have you seen this yet? Novel two NMDA antidepressants whose trials have also been "fast tracked" recently, both are already in the final stage:


GLYX-13

and

CERC-301

 

[Ceres]

Interesting, the ones I had been following were from astrazeneca and some other company, I think their phase II trials went well but that was info from a book thats 2 years old now.

 

[RDP89]

Have you seen this yet? Novel two NMDA antidepressants whose trials have also been "fast tracked" recently, both are already in the final stage:


GLYX-13

and

CERC-301

These are quite intersting. If GLYX-13 isn't active orally, I wonder what r.o.a. it will come in if it makes it through.

 

[Ceres]

IV infusion for acute depressive episodes (suicidal patients etc)

They have been doing this with ketamine for a while which is why these NMDAr drugs are being developed. Most of them are trying to get rid of the 'side effects' of drugs like ketamine so they don't have any hallucinatory / disorientating / recreational abuse features.

 

[Eveleivibe]

Remember there's a difference between addiction n physical dependency. When on SSRIs one becomes physical dependent because their body now needs the drug to stop withdrawal effects. However when one is on say, a morphine script they may have urges to take more n an emotional attachment to keep taking the drug. So when some people say a certain drug is "addictive" they may really mean that there's a higher risk of i"physical dependency" since there's no enotional attachment, no need to keep taking more to gain the gain effects. I really wish that doctors, pharmacists n anyone else in thr medical industry would make this clear to save a lot of feae n panic

Evey

 

[lurching]

Hmm I've been in and out of hospitals over the last years where I've mostly seen urologists and neurologists, and while they knew everything about semen and tics they told me nothing about semantics. I feel shortchanged

 

[Cliffy78]

Why is the medical community so afraid of meds that actually make patients feel good? Geez if it makes u feel good we can't have that now so here's some seroquil, enjoy the nightmare buddy. I just don't get it, who gives a shit if u develope a dependency if it actually resolves depression and anxiety issues, or even pain issues. People with legit pain problems are deprived of meds that actually help the pain for what? Why? Now apply the same logic to mental illness situations. Can't have that med that makes u feel like million bucks, instead here try this crap that makes it so u can't get happy, sad or anything, just apathetic. It just fucking infuriates me and this is why we have such a big "drug" problem, it's because it fucking WORKS! It's the goddamn prohibition of such substances that are doing all the harm, not the substances themselves. And these "drs" follow right along aging into the stigma and reinforcing the sterotypes. I can go on and on but I think everyone knows where I'm coming from here.
I've had terrible results from Bupe as far as my entail issues are concerned, it exasserbate my symptoms and turns me into a Raving lunatic much like antipsychotics, the feeling is actually quite similar. And I've just found out that I'm not alone with these issues with the Bupe. Many people here really think this Bupe is the answer fore real health issues but in my case it makes things much much worse, whereas "real" opiates work great and I can function like a normal human being. The double standard is ridiculous! Bupe(doesn't make u feel good but is addictive?)=good,whereas real opiates(morphine,oxy,heroin etc) make u feel good and are just as addictive as Bupe=bad, very very bad! Isn't the idea for people to be and feel happy when it comes to depression and the like? Am I the only one that sees this double standard and think it's ridiculous? The dependency is going to be worse from Bupe but it's ok cause u don't feel too good? Morphine also has a much more well known safety profile as well so wtf!?!? The medical community seems to not really want people to be happy, neither does the state who make the laws. Portugal seems to be doing just fine with the decriminalaZation of personal Amts. Of dope, the state hasn't collapsed! I'm just tired of the lies and all the bullshit from everyone, sry for my rant everyone but I'm just fed up with being force fed bullshit and tired of everyone just mimicking the same ol party lines basically. Let's all think for ourselves.

 

[mydrugbuddy]

Bupe is a strange one alright. Along with all the other ADs i dont think it will work for everyone, and will probaly be a last resort option, unless big Pharma bribes the GPs with a free Mug and Pen or something.

When i first got onto bupe it made me feel better than i had done since i ran out of Odt. I have since quit Subutex, but have returned to it with a pill or 2, on 2 or 3 occasions, but found it completely lacking in the mood boost it gave me first time round.

I think it's possible that part of bupes anti depressant effects are due to the pure relief of opi-wd symptoms. But no doubt the drug developers would have taken measures to rule out this possible 'variable' during their clinical trials.

 

[Eveleivibe]

Subs sucks. I had a few strips of 0.4 tabs other day as i was so depressed i couldn't concentrate get out of bed etc. It did nothing. Honest subutx is just annoying.

Evey

 

[mydrugbuddy]

it does lift mood for some people, under some circumstances.

It was never intended to be enjoyable, so much so that it was the most desired drug in prisons for a long time. Surprisngly Pregabalin recently overtook it for that particular first prize. The 'feel good factor' that it gives some people was a totally unintentional side effects that the puritans must have absolutely hated. 'What this treatment actually makes drug addicts feel good, we cant be having that?')

 

[lurching]

Why is the medical community so afraid of meds that actually make patients feel good? Geez if it makes u feel good we can't have that now so here's some seroquil, enjoy the nightmare buddy. I just don't get it, who gives a shit if u develope a dependency if it actually resolves depression and anxiety issues, or even pain issues. People with legit pain problems are deprived of meds that actually help the pain for what? Why? Now apply the same logic to mental illness situations. Can't have that med that makes u feel like million bucks, instead here try this crap that makes it so u can't get happy, sad or anything, just apathetic. It just fucking infuriates me and this is why we have such a big "drug" problem, it's because it fucking WORKS! It's the goddamn prohibition of such substances that are doing all the harm, not the substances themselves. And these "drs" follow right along aging into the stigma and reinforcing the sterotypes. I can go on and on but I think everyone knows where I'm coming from here.
I've had terrible results from Bupe as far as my entail issues are concerned, it exasserbate my symptoms and turns me into a Raving lunatic much like antipsychotics, the feeling is actually quite similar. And I've just found out that I'm not alone with these issues with the Bupe. Many people here really think this Bupe is the answer fore real health issues but in my case it makes things much much worse, whereas "real" opiates work great and I can function like a normal human being. The double standard is ridiculous! Bupe(doesn't make u feel good but is addictive?)=good,whereas real opiates(morphine,oxy,heroin etc) make u feel good and are just as addictive as Bupe=bad, very very bad! Isn't the idea for people to be and feel happy when it comes to depression and the like? Am I the only one that sees this double standard and think it's ridiculous? The dependency is going to be worse from Bupe but it's ok cause u don't feel too good? Morphine also has a much more well known safety profile as well so wtf!?!? The medical community seems to not really want people to be happy, neither does the state who make the laws. Portugal seems to be doing just fine with the decriminalaZation of personal Amts. Of dope, the state hasn't collapsed! I'm just tired of the lies and all the bullshit from everyone, sry for my rant everyone but I'm just fed up with being force fed bullshit and tired of everyone just mimicking the same ol party lines basically. Let's all think for ourselves.

Fascinating