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Experimental Drugs for Panic Disorder: An Updated Systematic Review
Daniela Caldirola1,2, Alessandra Alciati1,2,3, Francesco Cuniberti1,2
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, 20090, Italy.
Journal of Experimental Pharmacology
|April 23, 2021
Summary
Novel anti-panic medications are being explored. Orexin receptor 1 antagonists show promise in preclinical and early clinical studies for panic disorder (PD) treatment, with good short-term safety.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Established panic disorder (PD) treatments have limitations.
- Expanding anti-panic medication options is crucial for improving treatment outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review recent advances in anti-panic compounds.
- To evaluate novel-mechanism-based drugs and repurposed medications for PD.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of preclinical and clinical (Phase I-III) studies from the last six years.
- Included studies on orexin receptor (OXR) antagonists, D-cycloserine (DCS), and xenon gas.
Main Results:
- Preclinical data strongly support OXR1 antagonists as novel anti-panic agents.
- Early clinical data suggest the OXR1 antagonist JNJ-61393115 may have anti-panic effects.
- Xenon gas shows preliminary potential, while DCS appears unpromising for enhancing cognitive-behavioral therapy in PD.
Conclusions:
- Orexin receptor 1 antagonists demonstrate favorable short-term safety and tolerability.
- Further rigorous research, including objective physiological measures and biomarkers, is needed to confirm anti-panic properties of new compounds.
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