World of Psychology

CP-316, 311 Fails Trials, Pfizer

By John M. Grohol, PsyD
Founder & Editor-in-Chief

An experimental drug, called CP-316, 311 and made by Pfizer, was as effective as placebo (a sugar pill) in its initial clinical trials. At the interim analysis to determine efficacy, the researchers found the drug not to be working to help people with depression, and so the trial was terminated. CP-316, 311 is a selective nonpeptide antagonist of corticotropin-releasing hormone type 1 (CRH1) receptors.

Hormone receptors? you might ask. Well, it turns out that the corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) system has been implicated as a possible contributing factor (or, perhaps, cause) of several psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder. Back to the drawing board for Pfizer.

Reference:

Binneman, B., Feltner, D., Kolluri, S., Shi, Y., Qiu, R. & Stiger, T. (2008). A 6-Week Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of CP-316,311 (a Selective CRH1 Antagonist) in the Treatment of Major Depression. Am J Psychiatry, 10, 1176.


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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 16 Apr 2008
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

APA Reference
Grohol, J. (2008). CP-316, 311 Fails Trials, Pfizer. Psych Central. Retrieved on February 14, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/04/16/cp-316-311-fails-trials-pfizer/

 

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