Evaluation of vilazodone for the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Major Depressive Disorder(MDD) and General Anxiety Disorder(GAD) significantly contribute to the global burden of disease. Vilazodone, a combined serotonin reuptake inhibitorand 5-HT1A partial agonist, is an approved therapy for the treatment of MDD and which has been further investigated for GAD.Areas covered: This article covers the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of vilazodoneand provides an evaluation of the clinical usefulness of vilazodonefor the treatment of MDD and anxiety disorders. A literature search was performed using PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library.Expert opinion: Studies have shown that vilazodoneis significantly superior to placebo. However, vilazodonecannot as yet be recommended as a first-line treatment option for MDD as it is unclear whether the drug’s dual mechanism of action provides greater efficacy than prevailing treatment options. Moreover, more phase IV studies are needed to establish its efficacy and long-term safety in ...