Neurocrine’s Depression Drug Faces Setback,But Future Remains Open
Neurocrine Biosciences recently announced disappointing results from a Phase 2 trial of NBI-1070770,a drug designed to treat major depressive disorder (MDD). Despite the setback, experts suggest there’s still valuable data to analyze and potential pathways forward. This news arrives within a challenging landscape for depression drug progress, particularly for those targeting the NR2B subunit of the NMDA receptor.
A History of Hurdles in NR2B-Targeting Therapies
Developing effective treatments for depression is notoriously challenging, and the NR2B approach has seen its share of failures. You might recall the 2019 Phase 3 failure of rapastinel, developed by Allergan (now AbbVie), as a prime example. This history contributed to tempered expectations surrounding Neurocrine’s trial.
Neurocrine’s Investment and Pipeline
in 2020,Neurocrine made a significant $120 million upfront investment to license NBI-1070770 from Takeda,alongside other psychiatric drug candidates. Tho, not all of these ventures have been accomplished.
* Last year, luvadaxistat, another asset from the Takeda deal, failed to meet its primary goal in a Phase 2 trial for cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.
* Consequently, Neurocrine terminated its license for luvadaxistat.
* Currently,Neurocrine’s pipeline still includes two late-stage assets from the Takeda collaboration: NBI-1117568 for schizophrenia and osavampator for MDD.
Shifting Strategies with Osavampator
initially,Neurocrine and Takeda planned to share profits and losses for osavampator.However, in January 2023, thay revised the agreement.
* Neurocrine now holds exclusive global development and commercialization rights for osavampator, excluding Japan.
* This drug, a positive allosteric modulator of the AMPA receptor, is currently undergoing Phase 3 testing.
* Promising Phase 2 results reported in September showcased statistically significant improvements in depression severity at days 28 and 56 with once-daily oral governance.
Analyzing the NBI-1070770 Data
Despite the Phase 2 disappointment with NBI-1070770,Neurocrine isn’t abandoning the data entirely. The company characterized the trial as a “signal-finding study,” suggesting potential insights remain.
“While we are disappointed that NBI-1070770 did not meet the primary endpoint,there are aspects of the data that warrant further exploration,” explained Chief Medical officer Sanjay Keswani. Neurocrine’s team will continue analyzing the results to determine the best course of action.
What This Means for the Future
This situation highlights the complexities of psychiatric drug development. You can expect continued scrutiny of the NBI-1070770 data as Neurocrine seeks to understand the trial’s outcome. Simultaneously occurring, all eyes remain on osavampator as it progresses through Phase 3, offering a perhaps brighter outlook for Neurocrine’s depression treatment efforts.
Sources:
* Allergan Announces Phase 3 Results for Rapastinel
* Neurocrine Biosciences and Takeda Announce Collaboration
* [Neurocrine Biosciences Provides Update on erudite Phase 2 Data](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/neurocrine-biosciences-provides-update-
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