Antidepressant project Lu AA21004 moved into clinical phase II

21-06-2006, Lundbeck has decided to investigate Lu AA21004 for the treatment of depression in patients and will enrol the first patient in a 400 patient phase II study by the end of third quarter 2006. The decision is based on positive pre-clinical results as well as positive conclusion of the phase I trials in healthy individuals.

Lu AA21004 is the most advanced project in Lundbeck within a new chemical class, the bis-aryl-sulphanyl amines. The pharmacology of these projects is markedly different from any currently marketed antidepressants.

Compared with currently approved antidepressants preclinical models have demonstrated Lu AA21004 to address important unmet needs for patients on both fast onset of effect and increased efficacy.

“Lu AA 21004 is the result of the efforts of Lundbeck Research and Development to design and develop novel psychotropics displaying clear-cut improvements in efficacy without compromising patient tolerability and compliance,” says Anders Gersel Pedersen, Head of Lundbeck Development and continues, “Lundbeck scientists have identified a new chemical class of psychotropics, the bis-aryl-sulphanyl amines, which possess distinct properties compared with currently known psychotropics.”

About Lu AA21004
The in vitro pharmacological profile of the compound shows that the compound combines potent effects on several serotonin receptors and serotonin transporter proteins.

About bis-aryl-sulphanyl amine
Lundbeck has developed the bis-aryl-sulphanyl amine scaffold as a novel platform for development of a new class of antidepressant. Starting from the bis-aryl-sulphanyl amine platform, molecular engineering allows for rational design of compounds with various receptor profiles and with different pharmacological mechanisms that affect the key neuronal pathways in the brain. Bis-aryl-sulphanyl amines thus constitute a class of compounds with very promising characteristics.

From the bis-aryl-sulphanyl amine scaffold Lundbeck has developed a series of compounds in different stages of development with the project Lu AA21004 being the most advanced. The pharmacology of these compounds is markedly different from currently marketed antidepressants. The compounds have differences in their individual properties, but share common features in that they all act as serotonin enhancers, and they all modulate relevant parts of the neurochemical architecture in the brain in a beneficial way.

The content of this release will have no influence on the Lundbeck Group’s financial result for 2006.

About Lundbeck
H. Lundbeck A/S is an international pharmaceutical company engaged in the research and development, production, marketing and sale of drugs for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders. In 2005, the company’s revenue was DKK 9.1 billion (approximately EUR 1.2 billion). The number of employees is approx. 5,000. For further information, visit www.lundbeck.com

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Caroline Broge

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H. Lundbeck A/S

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