Vortioxetine's advantage on daily and social functioning vs desvenlafaxine

Lundbeck (LUND: CO) recently completed a global Phase IV, randomized, comparative study exploring the role of vortioxetine as a treatment option between SSRIs and serotonin–noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), the Danish CNS specialist announced today.

Vortioxetine was discovered by Lundbeck researchers in Copenhagen, Denmark. Depending on the market, vortioxetine is known as Trintellix or Brintellix, and generated sales of 3,526 million kroner ($515 million) in 2021. Despite the positive data, Lundbeck’s shares were down 3% at 160.80 kroner by early afternoon.

The efficacy of vortioxetine was directly compared to one of the latest introduced SNRIs, desvenlafaxine, as monotherapy. The study, called VIVRE, recruited a total of 605 patients across 12 countries at sites in Europe and South America who were suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) and had a partial response to treatment with an SSRI for at least six weeks at approved dose. The VIVRE study took place from mid-2020 to early 2022 and is one of the rare examples of Phase IV head-to-head studies in MDD.