Eli Lilly drops edivoxetine as adjunctive therapy for MDD

Given that results from three late-stage studies of edivoxetine did not meet the primary study objective of superior efficacy in depression after eight weeks therapy, US drug major Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) says it will not proceed with development of the drug as adjunctive treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD).

When added to a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), edivoxetine did not separate from placebo on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) in three acute randomized placebo-controlled Phase III studies (LNBM, LNBQ and LNBR), the company noted.

Although edivoxetine has not been expected to be a major product for Lilly, with analysts projecting sales of just $200 million by 2016, the company is in much need of replenishing its portfolio, due to generic competition for its schizophrenia drug Zyprexa (olanzapine) and upcoming patent expiries for antidepressant Cymbalta (duloxetine) and osteoporosis agent Evista (raloxifene).