Engrail Therapeutics’ Post

There are over 13 million Americans adults suffering from PTSD, yet only 20%-30% of them are effectively treated with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) approved two decades ago. BNC210 is the only non-psychedelic experimental therapeutic with a novel mechanism of action that has generated evidence of a clinically meaningful improvement in PTSD total symptom severity and a favorable safety and tolerability profile. Today, we announced the full results of the ATTUNE Phase 2b trial. These results further strengthen the already compelling topline results and position BNC210 as a potentially highly differentiated treatment with rapid onset and durable efficacy. This could greatly improve outcomes for patients with PTSD, as current treatments not only have a slow onset of action but are also associated with numerous side effects. As we gear-up for late stage clinical trial trials I would like to congratulate the Bionomics Ltd Team for their commitment to developing treatments for patients with underserved neuropsychiatric disorders and thank everyone that has supported our efforts. #PTSD #Bionomics #CNStherapeutics #clinicaltrials #BNC210 https://lnkd.in/e3qaWBPg

Just published in eClinicalMedicine, part of The Lancet, the main results from the #VESPA study, the largest #RCT comparing #vortioxetine vs. #SSRI in older adults with #depression under real-world clinical conditions 🌟Project designed, led and conducted by Dr. Giovanni Ostuzzi, Chiara Gastaldon, Angelo Barbato, Prof. Corrado Barbui w/ The whole VESPA Study Group, Pasquale De Fazio cristina segura garcia Marianna Rania Elvira Carbone Valentina Pugliese Ettore D'Onofrio Davide Papola Giuseppe Carrà Andrea Aguglia Armando D'Agostino Daniele Cavaleri Alessandro Rodolico Pierluca Guzzi 🧠 Tolerability of vortioxetine compared to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in older adults with major depressive disorder (VESPA): a randomised, assessor-blinded and statistician-blinded, multicentre, superiority trial 🔍 Research Approach: We conducted a randomised, assessor- and statistician-blinded, superiority trial including older adults with MDD. The study was conducted between 02/02/2019 and 02/22/2023 in 11 Italian Psychiatric Services. 📊 Key Insights: 🌀 To our knowledge, this is the largest randomised trial specifically comparing vortioxetine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in older adults with major depression under real-world clinical conditions, according to a highly pragmatic design. 🔬 Results from the VESPA study disconfirms the notion of vortioxetine being more tolerable than selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in older adults, which we believe requires update of evidence-based guidelines. 🎯 Main Findings: 📉 As opposed to what was previously hypothesised, vortioxetine did not show a better tolerability profile compared to SSRIs in older adults with MDD in this study. 📈 Additionally, hypothetical advantages of vortioxetine on depression-related cognitive symptoms might be questioned. The study's statistical power and highly pragmatic design allow for generalisability to real-world practice. #scienceslab #mentalhealth #PsychiatryResearch #psychiatry #Depression Università 'Magna Graecia' di Catanzaro Elsevier Read the free full-text

America is not yet ready to give #MDMA the green light as a treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). > The US FDA has – at least temporarily – pushed back an application from California-based Lykos Therapeutics for regulatory approval to use the drug. > Instead, it asked for an additional Phase 3 clinical trial to study MDMA’s “safety and efficacy” – after an expert FDA panel said in June the data available was insufficient. 🔬 LGC Standards provides a very wide range of chemical tools for researching and analysing MDMA, click here to explore: https://okt.to/6yJKZB #neurology #MentalDisorders #NeurologyResearch #psychedelics

America is not yet ready to give #MDMA the green light as a treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). > The US FDA has – at least temporarily – pushed back an application from California-based Lykos Therapeutics for regulatory approval to use the drug. > Instead, it asked for an additional Phase 3 clinical trial to study MDMA’s “safety and efficacy” – after an expert FDA panel said in June the data available was insufficient. 🔬 LGC Standards provides a very wide range of chemical tools for researching and analysing MDMA, click here to explore: https://okt.to/MeY3XK #neurology #MentalDisorders #NeurologyResearch #psychedelics

🧠 Exploring Fluoxetine for Motor Recovery Post-Stroke: A Summary of Key Trials Stroke rehabilitation remains one of the most challenging aspects of post-stroke care, with motor recovery being a central focus.Over the past decade, several trials have investigated the use of fluoxetine, commonly known for its role in treating depression,as potential agent to ⬆️ motor recovery after stroke. Let’s take a closer look at some pivotal trials that have shaped our understanding of fluoxetine’s role in this context 🔥 FLAME Trial (2011, France) •Design:Double-blind,placebo-controlled •Participants:118 patients with ischemic stroke & unilateral weakness •Intervention:Fluoxetine 20 mg daily vs. Placebo •Findings:Significant improvement in motor function (measured by Fugl-Meyer Motor Scale) @90 days in the fluoxetine group. However, there were notable adverse effects,including low Na, transient digestive issues & psychiatric disorders. 🔍 FOCUS Trial (2018, UK) •Design:Pragmatic,multicenter,double-blind, placebo-controlled •Participants:3,127 adult patients with AIS/ICH •Intervention:Fluoxetine 20 mg daily vs. Placebo •Findings:No significant benefit on functional outcomes @ 6 months.While fluoxetine ⬇️ depression,it also ⬆️ the risk of bone fractures. 🔄 EFFECTS Trial (2020 & 2021, Sweden) •Design:Investigator-led,randomized,placebo-controlled,double-blind •Participants:1,500 patients with AIS/ICH •Intervention:Fluoxetine 20 mg daily vs. Placebo •Findings:Similar to FOCUS,there was no improvement in functional outcomes. The study noted ⬆️ in depression, fractures & low Na. 🇲🇽 EMRICH Trial (2020, Mexico) •Design:Double-blind,placebo-controlled, randomized •Participants:30 patients with ICH •Intervention:Fluoxetine 20 mg daily vs Placebo •Findings:Significant improvement in motor function @ 90 days with no serious adverse events. 🦘 AFFINITY Trial (2020, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam) •Design:Randomized,parallel-group,double-blind, placebo-controlled •Participants:1,280 patients with AIS/ICH •Intervention:Fluoxetine 20 mg daily vs. Placebo •Findings:No significant difference in functional outcomes. However,there was an ⬆️ incidence of falls,fractures & epileptic seizures in the fluoxetine group. 🧩 Key Takeaways The use of fluoxetine for motor recovery after stroke presents a complex picture.While early studies showed promise, larger trials failed to replicate these results on broader scale,revealing significant risks like ⬆️ fractures,falls &seizures.EMRICH trial, though smaller,offered glimpse of potential benefits in specific populations. As clinicians and researchers, it’s crucial to weigh the potential benefits against the risks when considering fluoxetine for stroke rehabilitation. 📝 What are your thoughts on the role of fluoxetine in stroke rehabilitation? Share your experiences or insights in the comments below! #StrokeRehabilitation #NeuroRecovery #Neurocriticalcare #ClinicalTrials #FOAMed #Neurology PC - @neurona_critica @NICUintheD

Inflammatory Biomarkers and Risk of Psychiatric Disorders https://lnkd.in/eZJ3EPS7 N=1 million+ (testing and validation cohorts). So: "inflammatory biomarkers including leukocytes, haptoglobin, C-reactive protein, and immunoglobulin G were associated with the risk of psychiatric disorders". There was even the hint of a causal relationship between leukocytes and depression (yet again, the Mendelian Randomization techniques continue their rise and rise). Opens up the issue of screening and use of anti-inflammatory or immune modulating drugs as treatment options (plenty of those available and scope for new drug exploration too). Once again, the immune system and its myriad of functions does sooo much more than just pathogen ID and defence. Your very behaviours might be controlled by more than just the grey-pink matter floating in your skull...

America is not yet ready to give #MDMA the green light as a treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). > The US FDA has – at least temporarily – pushed back an application from California-based Lykos Therapeutics for regulatory approval to use the drug. > Instead, it asked for an additional Phase 3 clinical trial to study MDMA’s “safety and efficacy” – after an expert FDA panel said in June the data available was insufficient. 🔬 LGC Standards provides a very wide range of chemical tools for researching and analysing MDMA, click here to explore: https://okt.to/QU5psK #neurology #MentalDisorders #NeurologyResearch #psychedelics

Clinical Trials Updates: Great news for schizophrenia patients! Anavex Life Sciences has been cleared by the FDA to start a new phase II clinical trial in March. The trial aims to treat all symptoms of schizophrenia by targeting multiple receptors at once, while avoiding the side effects of standard-of-care antipsychotics. Anavex's new therapy has already been investigated in a phase I clinical trial for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, as recent evidence suggests that the two conditions may share common aspects. If you want to learn more about schizophrenia, the upcoming trial, and Anavex, check out the following link: https://lnkd.in/eR2N_-wq

Impulse control disorders due to cocaine and synthetic stimulants use: a systematic review The introduction of ICD-11 has opened up new horizons in understanding the impact of modern narcotic substances on mental health, in particular, it has increased the list of possible mental disorders associated with drug use. The purpose of the work is to conduct a systematic review of the literature and describe the features of the pathogenesis, clinical picture, and effectiveness of various types of therapy for impulse control disorders associated with use of cocaine and synthetic stimulants. A systematic analysis of scientific publications was performed in the eLibrary, PubMed, CNKI, and Google Scholar databases according to PRISMA recommendations. 41 publications were selected from the initially found 4,953 articles. The pathogenesis of induced impulse control disorders is associated with the direct effect of stimulant drugs on the brain and consists in the activation of D3 and 5-HT1A receptors, as well as activation of limbic brain regions and a lack of inhibitory effects of the frontal lobe. Increased impulsivity in users of cocaine and synthetic stimulants has been proven in a large number of neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies. The frequency of occurrence, clinical features, and approaches to therapy of impulse control disorders resulting from the use of drugs with dopaminergic action (drugs for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and hyperprolactinemia, third-generation antipsychotics, and venlafaxine in high doses) have been described in details. At the same time, there is indirect evidence that cocaine and synthetic stimulants should cause impulse control disorders, since they have similar neurotransmitter activity. In addition, there are descriptions of the predominance of individual symptoms of impulse control disorders in this group of drug users. However, at the time of the review, no detailed description of these drug-induced disorders has been found. These are the prospects for further research. The use of fluoxetine and oxcarbazepine (for intermittent explosive disorder) and naltrexone (for kleptomania), as well as comprehensive prevention of drug use relapse and psychotherapy, has the highest degree of evidence as a therapy for impulse control disorders. https://lnkd.in/eMewf5Jh

Did you know that Schizophrenia affects about 1 in 300 people globally, yet only 1 in 7 patients experience significant improvements with current treatments? Cobenfy has the potential to be a game changer. Bristol Myers Squibb’s acquisition of Karuna Therapeutics is a big win for patients with schizophrenia and for those of us following innovations in mental health treatments. With the recent #FDA approval of Cobenfy (KarXT), this deal represents hope for people who’ve struggled with the cognitive and negative symptoms of #schizophrenia, areas where current treatments fall short. What makes #Cobenfy so exciting is its unique approach, avoiding the usual dopamine receptor targeting that often brings unwanted side effects. For BMS, it's a commitment to improving lives and pushing boundaries in #neuroscience. It’s exciting to see much-needed medical breakthroughs like this one! https://lnkd.in/gQqvwgh7