OCD treatment Cipralex gets European approval
Copenhagen, Denmark-based firm H. Lundbeck has announced the approval of Cipralex (escitalopram) in Europe for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Copenhagen, Denmark-based firm H. Lundbeck has announced the approval of Cipralex (escitalopram) in Europe for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
The approval is based on two studies demonstrating that Cipralex is effective and well-tolerated in the treatment of OCD with the added benefit of encouraging rates of remission and relapse prevention in OCD patients.
OCD is a chronic, highly debilitating disorder that is characterised by recurrent, distressing thoughts and impulses (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviours (compulsions).
'Society often underestimates the impact of OCD on daily life and it is vital for patients to have access to a treatment that is both well-tolerated and effective in reducing the symptoms and associated social disability that patients with OCD encounter on a daily basis,' said Joseph Zohar of the Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel and president of the International College of Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Disorders (ICOCS).
One pivotal study by Stein et al., demonstrated that treatment with Cipralex provided significant symptom relief, improvement in social disability and good tolerability in what was described in the study as a very large cohort of OCD patients, H. Lundbeck says.
'Given the chronic nature of OCD and associated serious disability, we need to focus not only on the acute phase, but also on how to prevent relapse. As the patient needs to take the medication for extended periods of time, the tolerability of the compound is a key factor in increasing patient adherence to treatment.' added Zohar.
