Mental Health Disorders
July 24, 2008
There are a record 301 new medicines being developed for mental illnesses, according to a new report by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). Nationwide, mental illness affects nearly 60 million American adults. Many of these diseases, such as depression, were once misunderstood causes of shame and fear. Fortunately, today many are highly treatable conditions. (Click here to see full report.)
Unfortunately, despite the tremendous progress, mental illness continues to exact a heavy human and economic toll in this country. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the total cost (direct and indirect) of treating mental illnesses in the United States is $205 billion a year.
Included in the report’s new medicines in the research pipeline are: 66 medicines for depression, which affects nearly 21 million Americans; 26 medicines for addictive disorders, including dependence on alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs; 54 medicines for anxiety disorders, which affect more than 40 million adults ages 18 and older; 89 for dementias, including Alzheimer’s disease, which affects more than 5 million Americans; and 45 for schizophrenia, which strikes some 2.4 million adults each year.
Alzheimer’s disease: More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Some 4.9 million people with Alzheimer’s are age 65 and older, but at least 500,000 people younger than age 65 either have early-onset Alzheimer’s or another dementia. A potential medicine in development is a humanized monoclonal antibody designed to remove beta amyloid protein from the brain and prevent or reverse progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The medicine provides the patient with antibodies directly, rather than the patient having to create their own immune response to beta amyloid. This process–called passive immunization–may provide greater reduction or the elimination of safety concerns due to the lack of stimulation to the patient’s immune response to beta amyloid. (bapineuzumab, Wyeth and Elan, Phase III)
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Cocaine Addiction: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates that 2.4 million Americans use cocaine. Currently no medication addresses cocaine addiction, but a therapeutic vaccine in development may prove an effective treatment. The vaccine is designed to induce cocaine-specific antibodies that bind to cocaine in the blood, blocking its uptake into the brain. The physiological response to cocaine is thus altered, reducing the reinforcing properties of cocaine and permitting patients to break the cycle of addiction. (TA-CD, Xenova Group, Phase II)
Insomnia: The National Sleep Foundation estimates that sleep problems and disorders affect nearly 50 million Americans. One potential medicine binds more selectively than currently marketed products at the specific subtype of GABA-A receptors within the brain believed to be responsible for promoting sleep. (indiplon, Neurocrine Biosciences, application submitted)
Anxiety: Anxiety disorders affect more than 40 million adults in the U.S., more than 18 percent of the population in this age group, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The manifestation of anxiety and depression involves the elevation of a key substance in the brain and its subsequent attachment to a receptor in the brain. One potential medicine in development may prevent the interaction of these two key substances and subsequently treating the disorder. (casopitant, GlaxoSmithKline, Phase II)
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common reasons children in the United States are referred for mental health services. It affects as many as one in every 20 children, according to Mental Health America. A potential medicine in development appears to significantly improve the core and associated symptoms of ADHD without producing clinically significant side effects. The medicine targets specific receptors found on nerve cells that modulate the release of several key neurotransmitters that play a key role in a number of neurological disorders. The medicine is also in development for Alzheimer’s disease. (ABT-089, Abbott, Phase II)
Depression: Mood disorders–major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder–affect nearly 21 million American adults, or 9.5 percent of the U.S. population, according to the National Institute on Mental Health. One potential new class of antidepressant selectively stimulates neuronal activity in a specific area of the brain that plays a role in depression. (amibegron, sanofi-aventis, Phase III)
Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia affects some 2.4 million American adults, or 1.1 percent of the U.S. population, according to the National Institute on Mental Health. Symptoms of schizophrenia are typically divided into positive and negative because of their impact on diagnosis and treatment. Positive symptoms are those that appear to reflect an excess or distortion of normal functions, while negative symptoms are those that appear to reflect a diminished or loss of normal functions. One potential medicine in development has shown to relate to both the types of symptoms in animal studies. In addition, the medicine may also have a very low potential for side effects associated with some antipsychotic medicines. (LY-2140023, Lilly, Phase II)
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