BRIEF — Takeda and Lundbeck seek Japanese approval with depression drug

A New Drug Application has been submitted to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for vortioxetine, a depression drug that is already marketed in many other countries under the brand names Trintellixand Brintellix.

If approved, the treatment will be co-commercialized in Japan by Danish CNS specialist Lundbeck (LUND: CO) and its Japanese partner Takeda (TYO: 4502).

The companies are targeting the major depressive disorder (MDD) market, which is made up of more than 3.5 million cases in Japan, affecting 3% of the population.

Vortioxetine was discovered by Lundbeck researchers. The clinical trial program in Japan was conducted by Takeda. It was approved in MDD in the USA almost exactly five years ago.