Question:

Id try it, I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Scott

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->  Printer Friendly  Send to a Friend > FDA Approves Lexapro as Newest Antidepressant > NYC company offers a re-engineered version of Celexa > By Bruce Sylvester > HealthScoutNews Reporter > THURSDAY, Aug. 15 (HealthScoutNews) — From one antidepressant a more > powerful one has sprung. > The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved the drug > Lexapro as a treatment for major depression. Interestingly, this > latest entry into the antidepressant market resulted from a molecular > re-engineering of the popular antidepressant Celexa. > Lexapro (escitalopram) is the first antidepressant to get the FDA’s > nod since Celexa (citalopram) won approval four years ago. Both are > made by Forest Laboratories of New York City and both are SSRIs > (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) like their cousins Prozac, > Zoloft and Paxil. > "Lexapro is a more potent version of Celexa, in that the component > that fights depression has been isolated," says Talia Puzantian, a > clinical pharmacist in psychiatry at San Francisco General Hospital. > This means patients will only need 10 milligrams to 20 milligrams a > day of Lexapro, half of what is generally used with Celexa, Puzantian > adds. > The Celexa molecule contains two "mirror" parts called isomers, but > only one isomer helps fight depression. Researchers created Lexapro by > removing the inactive isomer. > Celexa’s patent does not run out until late 2005. However, the company > decided to seek FDA approval for Lexapro and market it as soon as > possible. > "Forest is taking a successful $1.4 billion dollar-a-year drug, > Celexa, out of active marketing three years before the patent > expires," says Andrew Farah, a psychiatrist and medical director of > High Point Regional Hospital in High Point, N.C. "They are replacing > it with a drug that is costing them more to make, but for which they > plan to charge less." > "Lexapro is stronger, starts working faster and appears to have a > lower side-effect profile. They could have held off on Lexapro, and > made their billions off of Celexa first. But that isn’t happening > here, and the implications, especially in terms of potency, side > effects and costs, could be huge for patients," he adds. > Farah notes the decision was driven by Howard Soloman, chief executive > officer of Forest, whose son, Andrew, suffered from debilitating > depression. The Solomans have publicly discussed the impact of the > disease on their family life and on their business priorities, mot > notably in a Business Week cover story in May. > Andrew Soloman emerged from the worst of his depression after several > months of treatment with Cipramil, the European version of Celexa. He > wrote a book about his struggle with the disease, The Noonday Demon: > An Atlas of Depression, which was published in June 2001 and won the > National Book Award for nonfiction. > "This will probably be a successful business decision by Forest, but > it wouldn’t be happening at all if Howard Solomon hadn’t gone to > Europe in the mid-1990s, searched for a better drug for his son, found > the European version of Celexa, licensed it for the U.S. market and > introduced it here," Farah says. > Three European and U.S. studies presented at the Anxiety Disorders > Association of America annual meeting in March also suggest that > today’s FDA approval could herald future indications for Lexapro. > A Duke University clinical study reported that, "Escitalopram > (Lexapro) treatment significantly improved anxiety symptoms relative > to placebo treatment. The reliable anti-anxiety effects of this new > drug suggest that it should be useful in the treatment of generalized > anxiety disorder." > A study conducted at the University Hospital of Vienna concluded, > "Escitalopram (Lexapro) 10-20mg/day is effective and well-tolerated in > the treatment of social anxiety disorder." > Finally, a University of California at San Diego study reported that, > "Escitalopram (Lexapro) in comparison to placebo significantly reduced > panic attack frequency and severity, anticipatory anxiety and phobic > avoidance, and significantly improved overall clinical status and > quality of life. The results of this study suggest that escitalopram > is efficacious and well-tolerated in the treatment of panic disorder." > Approximately 19 million adult Americans suffer from a depressive > illness each year. One of every four women and one in 10 men in the > United States will be diagnosed with depression during their lifetime. > The World Health Organization predicts depression will become the > leading cause of disability by the year 2020. > Forest Laboratories expects Lexapro to be available in pharmacies by > Sept. 5.

Response:

Are they as good as the pills a person can find in the gutter from time to time on the down town streets? Sometimes they are black, but if you scrape off the dirt, they are a different color. Sometimes they are m&m tasting.  hmmm.  do they make chocolate flavored ssri pillz? Oh, no.  that is the trouble. i have been taking chocolate instead of drugz…

: :  Printer Friendly  Send to a Friend : : : FDA Approves Lexapro as Newest Antidepressant : : NYC company offers a re-engineered version of Celexa : : By Bruce Sylvester : HealthScoutNews Reporter : : : : : : : THURSDAY, Aug. 15 (HealthScoutNews) — From one antidepressant a more : powerful one has sprung. : The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved the drug : Lexapro as a treatment for major depression. Interestingly, this : latest entry into the antidepressant market resulted from a molecular : re-engineering of the popular antidepressant Celexa. : : Lexapro (escitalopram) is the first antidepressant to get the FDA’s : nod since Celexa (citalopram) won approval four years ago. Both are : made by Forest Laboratories of New York City and both are SSRIs : (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) like their cousins Prozac, : Zoloft and Paxil. : : "Lexapro is a more potent version of Celexa, in that the component : that fights depression has been isolated," says Talia Puzantian, a : clinical pharmacist in psychiatry at San Francisco General Hospital. : : This means patients will only need 10 milligrams to 20 milligrams a : day of Lexapro, half of what is generally used with Celexa, Puzantian : adds. : : The Celexa molecule contains two "mirror" parts called isomers, but : only one isomer helps fight depression. Researchers created Lexapro by : removing the inactive isomer. : : Celexa’s patent does not run out until late 2005. However, the company : decided to seek FDA approval for Lexapro and market it as soon as : possible. : : "Forest is taking a successful $1.4 billion dollar-a-year drug, : Celexa, out of active marketing three years before the patent : expires," says Andrew Farah, a psychiatrist and medical director of : High Point Regional Hospital in High Point, N.C. "They are replacing : it with a drug that is costing them more to make, but for which they : plan to charge less." : : "Lexapro is stronger, starts working faster and appears to have a : lower side-effect profile. They could have held off on Lexapro, and : made their billions off of Celexa first. But that isn’t happening : here, and the implications, especially in terms of potency, side : effects and costs, could be huge for patients," he adds. : : Farah notes the decision was driven by Howard Soloman, chief executive : officer of Forest, whose son, Andrew, suffered from debilitating : depression. The Solomans have publicly discussed the impact of the : disease on their family life and on their business priorities, mot : notably in a Business Week cover story in May. : : Andrew Soloman emerged from the worst of his depression after several : months of treatment with Cipramil, the European version of Celexa. He : wrote a book about his struggle with the disease, The Noonday Demon: : An Atlas of Depression, which was published in June 2001 and won the : National Book Award for nonfiction. : : "This will probably be a successful business decision by Forest, but : it wouldn’t be happening at all if Howard Solomon hadn’t gone to : Europe in the mid-1990s, searched for a better drug for his son, found : the European version of Celexa, licensed it for the U.S. market and : introduced it here," Farah says. : : Three European and U.S. studies presented at the Anxiety Disorders : Association of America annual meeting in March also suggest that : today’s FDA approval could herald future indications for Lexapro. : : A Duke University clinical study reported that, "Escitalopram : (Lexapro) treatment significantly improved anxiety symptoms relative : to placebo treatment. The reliable anti-anxiety effects of this new : drug suggest that it should be useful in the treatment of generalized : anxiety disorder." : : A study conducted at the University Hospital of Vienna concluded, : "Escitalopram (Lexapro) 10-20mg/day is effective and well-tolerated in : the treatment of social anxiety disorder." : : Finally, a University of California at San Diego study reported that, : "Escitalopram (Lexapro) in comparison to placebo significantly reduced : panic attack frequency and severity, anticipatory anxiety and phobic : avoidance, and significantly improved overall clinical status and : quality of life. The results of this study suggest that escitalopram : is efficacious and well-tolerated in the treatment of panic disorder." : : Approximately 19 million adult Americans suffer from a depressive : illness each year. One of every four women and one in 10 men in the : United States will be diagnosed with depression during their lifetime. : The World Health Organization predicts depression will become the : leading cause of disability by the year 2020. : : Forest Laboratories expects Lexapro to be available in pharmacies by : Sept. 5. : : :

Response: