Avanir Pharmaceuticals Announces FDA Acceptance Of IND For AVP-786, Used For Adjunctive Treatment Of Major Depressive Disorder

Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted the company's Investigational New Drug (IND) application for a Phase II study assessing the safety and efficacy of AVP-786, Avanir's next generation compound. The company plans to initiate this study evaluating AVP-786 for the adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) during the third calendar quarter of 2014. "The endorsement of this Phase II study by the division of Psychiatry Products at the FDA lends support for the expedited development path for AVP-786 and is allowing us to reference the extensive data generated during AVP-923 development programs. This is an important moment for the company, as this will be our first clinical study evaluating AVP-786 in patients," said Joao Siffert, MD, chief medical officer at Avanir Pharmaceuticals. "There are millions of patients with MDD who do not respond adequately to existing therapies. With a mechanism of action addressing multiple neurotransmitter systems involved in depression, AVP-786, if approved, could offer a potential new treatment option for these patients. We look forward to initiating our clinical research program in the coming months." The filing of this IND represents the first step in Avanir's plan to develop AVP-786 for a broad array of neurological and psychiatric conditions. About the Study