FDA Approves Auvelity: A Faster-Acting Antidepressant

Key Points: - The FDA has approved Auvelity, a combined-drug treatment, as a faster-acting antidepressant. - Auvelity is a promising and more rapid solution for alleviating depression symptoms. - It is the first drug of its kind, falling under the category of glutamate modulators, similar to ketamine.

Addressing Treatment Challenges: - Depression treatment often involves antidepressants, but these typically take weeks to show improvement. - Auvelity, developed by Axsome, is a unique oral medication that offers faster relief from depressive symptoms.

Mechanism of Action and Distinction: - Auvelity's mechanism is influenced by research on ketamine, an anesthetic, as an antidepressant. - Dr. Dan Iosifescu, a psychiatry professor at Langone Health, views Auvelity as a novel option for individuals who have had limited success with other treatments. - Auvelity modulates glutamate levels by targeting NMDA receptors, unlike traditional antidepressants that influence neurotransmitters like serotonin or noradrenaline.

Key Difference in Treatment: - Auvelity's rapid-acting nature sets it apart from other depression medications, which can take four to six weeks to provide relief. - Its fast action is due to its mechanism, which works on glutamate levels instead of serotonin and noradrenaline. - Auvelity is the first glutamate modulator approved for depression treatment, akin to ketamine's antidepressant effects.

Composition and Potential: - Auvelity combines dextromethorphan, an older drug with modulating effects, and bupropion, an antidepressant. - Bupropion's presence is to slow down the metabolism of dextromethorphan. - This combination offers potential in treating depression, including those resistant to traditional medications.

Availability and Accessibility: - FDA approval signifies the initial steps of Auvelity's market entry. - Negotiations between Axsome and insurance companies will determine its price and prescribing stipulations before it's readily available for prescription. - Once approved for use, patients will take the extended-release tablet once a day for three days, and twice a day thereafter. - Side effects observed in clinical trials include dizziness, sleepiness, and headaches, but it avoids weight gain, a common side effect of some other antidepressants.