Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim announce support for Cymbalta

Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim have announced Cymbalta (duloxetine hydrochloride) has won approval from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency.

The drug is to be used in the treatment of Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

Approval from the committee comes after five clinical studies of the drug involving 2,000 non-depressed adults suffering from GAD.

The studies found: “Duloxetine significantly improved core anxiety symptoms … compared with placebo … and demonstrated improvement in role functioning, including ability to perform everyday activities in work, home and in social situations.”

For six months after the initial treatment, Duloxetine reduced the likelihood of relapse among patients when compared to those taking the placebo.

GAD affects over nine million people in Europe and six million people in Central and South America.

Dr Christer Allgulander from the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at the Karolinska Institute said the positive opinion on the drug from the committee will provide another option for patients coping with GAD.

Eli Lilly also treats diabetes, osteoporosis and attention-deficit disorder.