AstraZeneca is taking its Seroquel-broadening mission further into Europe with an application to market the atypical antipsychotic for generalized anxiety disorder. If European regulators approve the new use, Seroquel would be the first med in its class OK'd for anxiety.
The company says it's basing its application on five Phase III studies encompassing more than 3,500 patients. The data, presented at the American Psychiatric Association confab in May, showed "significantly greater symptom improvements" in the Seroquel patients versus those on placebo, the company said.
AstraZeneca is awaiting an FDA decision on using Seroquel to treat short-term anxiety and for long-term maintenance of the disorder. The company also has an application for major depressive disorder pending, both in the U.S. and in Europe.
- see the AstraZeneca release