Biogen and Sage Therapeutics Announce Global Collaboration to Develop and Commercialize Potential Breakthrough Therapies in Depression and Movement Disorders - Seite 2

The vision for zuranolone in MDD and PPD is based on its potential, being evaluated in the LANDSCAPE and NEST development programs, to work rapidly and to continue providing sustained benefit beyond the period of dosing. Together, these two features, if supported by positive clinical efficacy and safety data, could provide an alternative option to how depression is treated today based on a target profile of an “as-needed” short course of treatment for a depressive episode, with rapid and sustained efficacy and favorable tolerability. The development of an “as-needed” treatment for depression may help ease the difficulties associated with chronic use of antidepressants and may enhance quality of life and patient adherence.

An estimated 17 million Americans experience symptoms of MDD each year. Additionally, a September 2020 Journal of the American Medical Association article found that, in the U.S., depression symptoms are more than three times higher during the COVID-19 pandemic than before. MDD is one of the largest contributors to disability in the U.S. and worldwide.

Postpartum depression is a major depressive episode that can occur during pregnancy or postpartum and is one of the most common medical complications during and after pregnancy. In the U.S., an estimated 1 in 8 mothers experience symptoms of PPD which equates to approximately 500,000 annual cases.

If approved, zuranolone would also be highly complementary to several of Biogen’s therapeutic areas of focus, including multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Depression is a common co-morbidity in patients with these neurological disorders and their caregivers. Biogen estimates that ~ 50 percent of patients with MS, ~ 40 percent of patients with AD, ~ 50 percent of patients with PD, ~ 30 percent of patients with ALS and ~ 60 percent of SMA caregivers experience depression. In addition, many patients with AD see psychiatrists as part of their diagnostic and/or treatment journey.

Zuranolone is a next-generation positive allosteric modulator of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA_A) receptor. The GABA_A system is the major inhibitory signaling pathway of the brain and central nervous system (CNS), and contributes significantly to regulating CNS function. This mechanism of action is a novel approach that may enable a new class of antidepressants.