RxTrials Institute Drug Pipeline Alert

Targacept plans to advance TC-5214, one of two enantiomers of mecamylamine hydrochloride, into clinical development as an augmentation therapy for patients who inadequately respond to first-line antidepressant treatments.

Targacept expects to initiate a Phase I trial of TC-5214 in the first quarter of 2008 and begin Phase II development soon thereafter. The company has no current plans to conduct further clinical development of mecamylamine.

In a 2006 Phase II trial in patients who did not respond adequately to first-line treatment with citalopram hydrobromide, patients whose citalopram regimen was augmented with mecamylamine showed greater improvement on symptoms of depression and irritability than patients who received citalopram and a placebo, Targacept said.