# New Antidepressant Approved Viibryd! Release date?



## BearFan (Mar 22, 2008)

Viibryd, or Vilazodone, was finally FDA approved for MDD and suppose to not have the dreaded sexual side effects and weight gain of the traditional SSRIs. Viibryd is also suppose to be effective for general anxiety in which a future indication is likely. I hope this is a step forward in treatment. Anyone interested?

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-01-21/clinical-data-wins-approval-for-new-antidepressant.html


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

I hope the FDA approves it. :duck


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## Duke of Prunes (Jul 20, 2009)

Another SSRI? No thanks.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

Duke of Prunes said:


> Another SSRI? No thanks.


It's not a standard SSRI, which is why it does not have sexual side effects (typically caused mostly by 5HT2C inhibition, from my understanding). It also has partial agonist affinity for the 5HT1A and little affinity for the other typically associated receptors. It has much greater serotonergic potency as far as increasing extracellular concentrations of the monoamine (several times that of Prozac).

I think this drug, if it is as it appears to be, will be better than most of the current SSRIs, but I'm not sure. At the very least, it'll be just as good and may be better for certain patients with different phenotypical depressive presentations. There are also alleles in the serotonin transporter genes that may help determine best response to certain antidepressants.

That being said, I still don't think this is going to be of much help to social anxiety sufferers, and worse, those with both social anxiety and comorbid atypical depression/soft bipolar.


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## BearFan (Mar 22, 2008)

If SSRI's don't work, then what does? I have yet to find the 'secret' pill you speak of.


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## mikoy (Aug 12, 2010)

why vilazodne is free from sexual and other side offects of SSRI? I was thinking that almost all side effects are from 5-ht2a and c agonism? Vilazodone is 5-ht1a partial agonist, not 5-ht2 antagonist...


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## BearFan (Mar 22, 2008)

It's important to mention that Social Phobia also has a psychological component which makes it harder to treat. I hoping that this Viibryd will be near (or possibly better) than traditional SSRIs, in which could alleviate a large amount of depression and anxiety. For those not in full remission, could use add-on options for augment. Most complaints of almost all antidepressants are weight gain and sexual dysfunction. In the clinical trials, Viibryd showed no significant differences between the two side effects against placebo. If this is truly the case in the real world, than I think this is a pretty significant advance.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

mikoy said:


> why vilazodne is free from sexual and other side offects of SSRI? I was thinking that almost all side effects are from 5-ht2a and c agonism? Vilazodone is 5-ht1a partial agonist, not 5-ht2 antagonist...


Yep, this seems to be it.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

Question: since this med is now approved, when will it hit the market--if anyone knows? How long does it typically take from approval to manufacturing and distribution?


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## Duke of Prunes (Jul 20, 2009)

SSRIs are barely better than placebos, and in some people a placebo would probably be better cause at least it wouldn't have any side effects.


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## BearFan (Mar 22, 2008)

It's true that some people get little benefit from SSRIs vs placebo; but thats been the case with nearly all kinds of antidepressants including MAOIs. The fact is that the only FDA approved drugs for social anxiety or the SSRIs and SNRI Venlafaxine (which at its SAD approved dosage-75mg is primarily an SSRI).


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## Duke of Prunes (Jul 20, 2009)

The only reason SSRIs are the default is because they have no abuse potential and they're relatively safe (though not for your mental health), not because they're any good. It's the psychiatric equivalent of a sugar pill, they're too afraid to prescribe the real deal (amphetamine, benzos and MAOIs) so they give you the most benign (as in, they don't have to worry about you abusing them or selling them or having a heart attack/stroke) thing in their arsenal. Refuse SSRIs and they'll give you antipsychotics to make you stupid enough to accept the SSRIs :roll

Of course, some people will respond to them, because they AREN'T sugar pills, but I don't know if emotional blunting and mania exactly count as "treatment".

I find it insulting that doctors have the nerve to prescribe them for literally any disorder they can think of though. I find it hard to believe that OCD, SA, all types of unipolar depression, PTSD, chronic fatigue, etc, all directly benefit from SSRIs. It's like tidying up a room by throwing a grenade in it. It's in no way targeted or direct.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Ah, no need to add buspar to a ssri to get the same effects i see.


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## theIsolated (Nov 29, 2010)

it looks like it won't work any better than standard ssri's for anxiety. it might have less side effects though.


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## Arisa1536 (Dec 8, 2009)

Sounds promising for people who have found SSRI meds useful and they do not fail for everyone, i know my friend and both my sisters take paxill which is an SSRI and they find them very useful and would not change them.

Something without the sexual and weight gain side effects would be worth looking into although i do not know if it would be as effective as Effexor, since it seems to work better for me in general than an SSRI does. SNRI medication helped me immensely compared to standard SSRI then again it would be worth a try


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## ron9916 (Jan 22, 2011)

homeopathic remedies work for some people too...

and there's not a single molecule of medication in them.


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## Kris10 (Oct 14, 2009)

So has anyone tried this yet?

oh and sorry for being ignorant...I should have said SSRI's Don't seem to work for ME:/


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## GSH (Jul 16, 2009)

its not out yet. It just got approved


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## Vilazodone (Mar 22, 2010)

... I must wonder what sort of idiot they paid to come up with the name "Viibryd". Also I wonder how much that idiot's salary is? No wonder why pharma seems rather dense and uninspired lately. Maybe all the intelligent people were fired to cut back on costs?


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

I contacted the pharmaceutical company that developed vilazodone and they referred me to another company... I'm not sure what their various roles are. I have a phone number to call to get more info but haven't called yet.


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

When do you guys think this will be available for prescription / on the market?


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

Drew said:


> When do you guys think this will be available for prescription / on the market?


I just asked the same question, but no one here seems to know. You can call the company if you want to find out: 1-877-878-7200. I haven't been motivated enough to call, although I corresponded with the company that developed it; I don't think they're in charge of manufacturing, though, hence their referral to the above number/company.


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

bmwfan07 said:


> I just asked the same question, but no one here seems to know. You can call the company if you want to find out: 1-877-878-7200. I haven't been motivated enough to call, although I corresponded with the company that developed it; I don't think they're in charge of manufacturing, though, hence their referral to the above number/company.


Yeah, I missed your question when scanning the posts.

I just called them, they said second quarter of 2011.


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

I've removed posts from this thread that strayed from the topic at hand or involved personal attacks. Anyone that continues to make posts that involve personal attacks will be given a break from the forum.


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## BearFan (Mar 22, 2008)

So were looking at March at the earliest. I really want to give this one a chance (2 months at least). I know that the mechanism is only slightly different than traditional treatments, but if it really has a lower incidence of side effects and better safety profile it definately would be an advance at some sort. Also its also not uncommon that many other medications either pooped out or had too many adverse conditions (ie high blood pressure), that moving over is an only choice. In studies, Viibryd did not adversely affect cardio or renal function.


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## tommy223 (Feb 2, 2011)

*just a thought*

just a thought...as far as the no sexual problems they are promising...i remember when cymbalta came out as well as pristiq they both had studies confirming low sexual side effects. however i found i had the same anorgasmia and low libido with those...i am now on luvox and it seems to be the most sex friendly..but i am convinced that any ssri is going to affect ones sex drive.........


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## BearFan (Mar 22, 2008)

Found a new article, apparently it also has some kind of mechanism on increasing dopamine. This may be the reason why it tends to have less sexual side effects. Perhaps the agonist or other unique property causes an increase in dopamine indirectly.

http://www.aolhealth.com/2011/01/27/new-antidepressant-fewer-side-effects/


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## mikoy (Aug 12, 2010)

Agonism of 5-ht1a cause increase in dopamine.


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## BearFan (Mar 22, 2008)

Although there is a difference with Viibryd compared to Cymbalta and Pristiq. Those medications were never explicitly marketed as beening 'sexual or weight gain friendly'. They showed low incidence of these adverse side effects in the Prescribing Information, not unlike the original SSRIs. I'm kind of surprised everyone is just counting out Viibryd before it is even released. Unlike other medications that are just rehashes of existing medications, this one is a new compound with a totally unique side effect profile. Hopefully there will be some improvements in these areas or at least some people will get a benefit.


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## mikoy (Aug 12, 2010)

I'm wondering if it gonna increase anxiety in the beginning of treatment.


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## BearFan (Mar 22, 2008)

It might be possible, but it's suppose to work fast and there will be a titration pack, so it might not be an issue.


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

I was reading some news articles on it earlier today...



> How much better are Viibryd's side effects? Ever since the introduction of Prozac and Paxil in the 1990s, some patients have had to deal with a deadening of sexual appetite or function. Lexapro from Forest Laboratories, currently the top seller in the category, caused ejaculatory dysfunction in 12% of men in a study included in the drug's approved labeling. For Paxil, that figure is 13%.
> 
> By comparison, the FDA-approved label for Viibryd shows a 2% rate of delayed ejaculation and 5% rate of decreased libido. That certainly sounds better than what has been seen with older drugs. But Dan Iosifescu of Mount Sinai Medical Center notes that patients in the placebo group in the Viibryd studies had no sexual dysfunction at all. He worries that this is because patients and doctors just weren't reporting these issues - something that happened with many older antidepressants whose sexual side effects looked good on paper but turned out to be a problem in practice.
> 
> ...





> More impressive: Viibryd's chemistry. It combines the mechanism of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac and Lexapro with the mechanism of the anxiety drug Buspar, which hits a brain receptor called 5-HT1A. In a large government trial called STAR*D, the combination of Buspar and an SSRI was better than an SSRI alone in treating depression.


From: http://blogs.forbes.com/matthewherper/2011/01/30/clinical-data-could-use-more-data/


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## broflovski (Feb 1, 2011)

BearFan said:


> Found a new article, apparently it also has some kind of mechanism on increasing dopamine. This may be the reason why it tends to have less sexual side effects. Perhaps the agonist or other unique property causes an increase in dopamine indirectly.
> 
> http://www.aolhealth.com/2011/01/27/new-antidepressant-fewer-side-effects/


Well, but Prozac also increases dopamine levels (via 5HT2c antagonism), and still has sexual side affects. May be it depends on the region of brain there dopamine is released? 
And yes, 5HT1a _postsynaptic_ activation raises dopamine, but this is the ultimate target of all SSRI. I think Viibryd's 5HT1a partial agonism is more likely to just hasten the effect by faster 5HT1a presynaptic downregulation.


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## broflovski (Feb 1, 2011)

mikoy said:


> Agonism of 5-ht1a cause increase in dopamine.


I failed to find articles, supporting vilazodone's ability to raise dopamine. One article says it is suggested to be a 5-HT1A receptor agonist selective for presynaptic 5-HT1A receptors. Its selectivity and intrinsic activity is neither sufficient to increase dopamine through its own postsynaptic 5-HT1A agonism (as 8-OH-DPAT do), nor it's able to supress (via presynaptic 5-HT1A receptors) it's own pro-serotonin action as shown here
It's 5-HT1A agonism is likely to be aimed only at faster autoreceptor _desensitization__._


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Vilazodone acts on the presynaptic 5HT1A receptors wich have a lowering effect on the ammount of serotonine, it basicly replaces the full agonism of serotonine with the partional agonosm of its own 5HT1A affinity, causing a netto antagonistic effect wich then further increases serotonine levels.


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## broflovski (Feb 1, 2011)

Aha, they say in the article "This profile was similar to that seen with a 5-HT1A receptor antagonist plus an SSRI", now i understand clearly why, thanks! But what about its putative dopaminergic action?


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

broflovski said:


> Aha, they say in the article "This profile was similar to that seen with a 5-HT1A receptor antagonist plus an SSRI", now i understand clearly why, thanks! But what about its putative dopaminergic action?


Il have to look into that, several serotonine receptors induce dopamine release when activated (5HT1A, 5HT1B, 5HT2A, 5HT4) its probably indirectly mediated by the increased serotonine, perhaps the higher levels of serotonine cause a differend result then other ssri's not lowering dopamine.


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

According to this article it won't be released second quarter, but "sometime later this year".

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/health/A-More-Sex-Friendly-Anti-118214079.html


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## Sport Toxin (Aug 9, 2010)

We really don't need ANOTHER SSRI that a Doc can prescribe before we even walk in the door. Just another cop out option for them.


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

Sport Toxin said:


> We really don't need ANOTHER SSRI that a Doc can prescribe before we even walk in the door. Just another cop out option for them.


The possibility that this medication will have lower sexual side effects and weight gain is significant for many people.

Now, we'll just have to see if what the research indicated actually ends up translating to a significant difference with the general population.


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## Duke of Prunes (Jul 20, 2009)

Sport Toxin said:


> We really don't need ANOTHER SSRI that a Doc can prescribe before we even walk in the door. Just another cop out option for them.


Agree.


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## Arisa1536 (Dec 8, 2009)

Drew said:


> The possibility that this medication will have lower sexual side effects and weight gain is significant for many people.
> 
> Now, we'll just have to see if what the research indicated actually ends up translating to a significant difference with the general population.


True and true :yes
For people who respond relatively well to SSRIs and want something that will not only have little to no sexual side effects, it also wont induce weight gain then it would be a great option for them.

For people who do not respond well to any form of SSRI medication or people who like me, found them much to weak in their fight against depression and anxiety then perhaps not the drug i would look into taking

You see at first i heard the name vilazodone and though "oh a new form of trazodone" :lol hence my interest in taking the pill but seeing as its primarily an SSRI :no:roll


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

Here's an article that says it will be available towards the end of June:


> Earlier this year Forest paid $1.2 billion to acquire Clinical Data Inc. and Viibryd, a depression drug Clinical Data developed. Viibryd was approved in January and *Forest expects it to reach the market by the end of June*.


http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9MMRAC80.htm

It'd probably already be on the market if Forest hadn't bought Clinical Data Inc.


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## Bacon (Jul 4, 2010)

Another Zombie Pill? :roll


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## CD700 (Apr 22, 2010)

All the profit they make and yet seem incapable of making a drug that Is and ****ing good


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## michael10364 (Feb 4, 2011)

i agree, they're supposively geniuses making these meds with billions of dollars to do it with and all they can come up with is numbing your emotions and something thats no better for depression than taking a poop.


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## swim (Apr 4, 2011)

Expecting for it I think it's gonna be a good medication. Hope for it soon in Italy.


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## gregory71 (Sep 15, 2006)

*Viibryd is out....*

I got my script 5 days ago. Call your pharmacy to see if they can order it. Walgreens can, as that's my pharmacy.

So far, so good on this med. Never felt better.

Still waiting for the Prozac to leave my system and figure out if Viibryd will have less sexual side effect.

Greg


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

gregory71 said:


> I got my script 5 days ago. Call your pharmacy to see if they can order it. Walgreens can, as that's my pharmacy.
> 
> So far, so good on this med. Never felt better.
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing your information and experience.

If you don't mind sharing...
How did you cross-taper/switch from Prozac to Viibryd? What dose of Viibryd are you on?


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## CD700 (Apr 22, 2010)

gregory71 said:


> I got my script 5 days ago. Call your pharmacy to see if they can order it. Walgreens can, as that's my pharmacy.
> 
> So far, so good on this med. Never felt better.
> 
> ...


Has to be an employee surely ?


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## shy-one (May 10, 2008)

How would this compare to nardil for SA?


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## upndownboi (Oct 7, 2010)

they shoulda called it viibyrd... sounds better. i'd love to be in the meetings where they come up with these names.


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## Inshallah (May 11, 2011)

As long as they don't make anyone ask for "Viibrator" in the local pharmacy, it's all good!


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## gregory71 (Sep 15, 2006)

*Viibryd is out....*

Hi there,

First off, I'm not an "employee". I'm not sure why people say such things in such a definitive manner. I don't get it.

I have just upped my dosage to 20mg. The process is to take 10 mg and then up the dose every 7 days. I am at day 7 and now taking 20mg.

I tapered the prozac slightly, but have in the past just simply start taking the new AD right away with no tapering at all. Never any issues for me.

I suffer from GAD and Depression. I've been on every AD possible. So far so good with Viibryd. It's got a nice calming effect on me and I've been rather upbeat as of late. Time will tell however. I'll post more on my experience if some of you would like to know more.

Greg


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## BearFan (Mar 22, 2008)

Greg which dosage are you starting on? Are you doing the recommended taper of 10mg week 1, 20mg week 2, etc?


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## orbit55 (Apr 23, 2008)

Let's hope this one had more than 1,700 clinical placebo trials as opposed to Prozac... Anyone getting tired of doctors treating depression and anxiety as a disease?


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## klevin (Jun 23, 2011)

I hope this med will help out with the ed issue.


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## travis7277 (Oct 19, 2007)

*Day 1*

I have an Anxiety Disorder NOS. Lexapro has been a miracle drug. Diminished anxiety over night but causes sexual sides and weight gain.

I took 20mg of Viibryd last night and had dropped Lexapro. I know its too early but it's not as effective as Lexapro, less sedating...so far.

Ill up the dose to 40mg and try for week.


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## travis7277 (Oct 19, 2007)

I took 20mg, and didnt feel a thing. Of course that's probably too soon but I have taken Lexapro previously and literally worked overnight. I have anxiety and Lexapro has been a wonder drug but I hate sexual sides and weight gain. Ill bump Viibryd up to 40MG and give it a week.


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## CD700 (Apr 22, 2010)

travis7277 said:


> I took 20mg, and didnt feel a thing. Of course that's probably too soon but I have taken Lexapro previously and literally worked overnight. I have anxiety and Lexapro has been a wonder drug but I hate sexual sides and weight gain. Ill bump Viibryd up to 40MG and give it a week.


A week ? Needs longer then that mate
At least 4 to 8 they say to really know


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## travis7277 (Oct 19, 2007)

Lexapro has spoiled me. It literally killed the anxiety overnight. If I go off the pill and then take it, the next day I am in the zone. Too bad it kills libido and increases appetite. So I have high expectations. Do you think anti anxiety effects of most drugs come on slowly usually.


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## BearFan (Mar 22, 2008)

I only noticed a sedative effect and some calmness on anxiety, but I'm only trying 10mg, suppose to bump up to 40mg on the 3rd week. I hope it does something to help motivation.


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## michael10364 (Feb 4, 2011)

i have a feeling if i tried this it would give me ED. buspirone decreases my libido, so im sure this would too. probly after one dose too, just like the buspirone.
i cant wait til we get out of this "dumb drug" era and they start making meds that are actually good for you and muuch much MUCH better compared to placebo.

Surce: "Depression hurts, Cymbalta can help you off a cliff"


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## BearFan (Mar 22, 2008)

Buspar never really effected my libido much; if anything some doctors prescribe it to off-shoot libido issues. It usually doesn't work and buspar usually doesn't help people enough like the benzodiapines.


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## michael10364 (Feb 4, 2011)

so it seems that viibryd is living up to its word. it seems to be helping people with libido. thats good news for many, i just wonder if it would be good for me in the libido area after a bad experience with buspar. but someone did mention to me that viibryd works on pre synaptic 5ht1a receptors and buspar works on poststnaptic 5ht1a receptors? what would be the significance of this?

here are a few things people are saying about it
http://chipur.com/2011/06/22/viibryd-an-updated-users-journal/


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## ethan212 (Jul 19, 2011)

*9 days and no problem (yet)*

7 days at 10 Mg
2 days at 20 mg

so far no negative effects. feeling perhaps a bit more relaxed in general.
got the stuff from my Dr. in sample form. he said its gonna be crazy expensive, but he has enough samples to keep me going for a year if this ends up working for me.

just thought i'd chime in.
just found this place today via google search for viibryd.

-e


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

ethan212 said:


> 7 days at 10 Mg
> 2 days at 20 mg
> 
> so far no negative effects. feeling perhaps a bit more relaxed in general.
> ...


Thanks for sharing your experience! I hope you'll keep us all updated


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## BearFan (Mar 22, 2008)

It's not quite as strong as I expected. I've been on it for almost 20 days; still hoping for improvements.


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## ethan212 (Jul 19, 2011)

Drew:
you got it.
am on some other stuff but seems like y'all were mostly interested in viibryd.
will advise.


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## ethan212 (Jul 19, 2011)

*viibryd*

so after 3 days at the 40 mg dose i felt like a locomotive engine was pounding in my chest and i couldnt get to sleep even after after 1.5 mg xanax and 30 restoril at bedtime. this may have to do with the fact that i was taking this med at like 8 pm, after dinner.
i halved my dose to 20 mg and take it in the mornings now. i am doing better.
e


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## bornunderabadsign (Aug 12, 2011)

I just tried it, and sexual dysfunction side effects is mild compared to other anti depressants. But it was still noticeable enough to make me quit using it.


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## bruno2006 (Jul 21, 2011)

Sport Toxin said:


> We really don't need ANOTHER SSRI that a Doc can prescribe before we even walk in the door. Just another cop out option for them.


I agree, why not take a holistic, functional approach instead of altering one's brain chemistry with chemicals?


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## QuietBoy99 (Sep 7, 2010)

bruno2006 said:


> I agree, why not take a holistic, functional approach instead of altering one's brain chemistry with chemicals?


I agree with this post. :boogie


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## swim (Apr 4, 2011)

you get a brand new and seemingly effective SSRI and we get obscure melatonergic drug agomelatine - life's unfair


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## ladybygiov (Sep 2, 2011)

Started Viibryd while comming off paxil let me tell you I was sick. Ended up taking 3 weeks off work because I was so dizzy and sick to my stomach. Doc said that this was withdrawl from paxil. Been off paxil completely for 1 week and the last few days. Let me tell you I think this is going to be good if I dont get depressed by the price


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## momof8 (Sep 6, 2011)

*Viibryd*

My experience with Viibryd at first it made me feel dizzy, a little lightheaded, then i began to become agitated at everyone and everything. Personally this is not the right medication for myself even though it may work others but not for me.


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## smf (Jun 21, 2012)

momof8 said:


> My experience with Viibryd at first it made me feel dizzy, a little lightheaded, then i began to become agitated at everyone and everything. Personally this is not the right medication for myself even though it may work others but not for me.


My experiance with viibryd is heavy aniexty but im also taking saphris. Could saphris be causing this?


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## thelonelysound (Dec 10, 2013)

my pdoc offered me this...I said yeah (sarcastically), but the price of brand drugs..*interjects* I have a coupon right here!

Therapists are cool, for the most part. They'll tell you about the reps that come through. check out Propublicla. Also, read the book "Bad Pharma." It shouldn't be news to most people.

Anyways, SSRIs are ineffective for severe anxiety. they are merely the result of the placebo effect. stop getting your hopes up. In a new (laughed at by scientists) field such as psychiatry, meds can pass off as effective easily (even w/o the the misleading clinical trials) because we still don't understand how the brain works.

Apparently, the upside to Vibryyd was less sexual side effects...not sure. It's all side effects in a pill and it's part of a multi-billion dollar industry.

There AREN'T cures for everything. We're working on it. In the meantime, let's not get duped into taking things that do more harm than good.


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## thelonelysound (Dec 10, 2013)

bruno2006 said:


> I agree, why not take a holistic, functional approach instead of altering one's brain chemistry with chemicals?


no.


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