Zuranolone

More women and providers in both psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology are becoming aware of the high prevalence of postpartum depression and treatments available, including recently approved zuranolone.

Analysis of online conversations among health care professionals on social media during August revealed significant support for the first oral treatment for postpartum depression.

The FDA has recently announced the approval of Zurzuvae, the first and only oral, once-daily treatment for postpartum depression. Prior to the approval, medication for postpartum depression was only available through IV injection.

The FDA approved zuranolone as the first oral treatment for postpartum depression in adults, according to an agency press release.

The investigational neuroactive steroid zuranolone was generally well-tolerated and demonstrated significant improvement in symptoms in women with postpartum depression, according to a study published in The American Journal of Psychiatry.

A short-course treatment of zuranolone taken on an as-needed basis may be effective in treating major depression, according to a poster presentation at the American Psychiatric Association annual meeting. 

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — For adults with major depressive disorder, treatment with zuranolone was linked to improvements in self-reported depressive symptoms, longer repeat treatment intervals and was generally well-tolerated.

People with major depressive disorder experienced a significantly greater improvement in symptoms on zuranolone compared with placebo after 2 weeks of treatment, according to findings published in The American Journal of Psychiatry.

SAN DIEGO — Gerald W. Smetana, MD, MACP, provided an update on three new treatments that are important to primary care physicians.

The FDA announced it does not plan to hold an advisory committee meeting on Sage and Biogen’s new drug application for zuranolone to treat major depressive disorder and postpartum depression in adults.