Investigational drugs in recent clinical trials for treatment-resistant depression.

The authors describe the medications for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in phase II/III of clinical development in the EU and USA and provide an opinion on how current treatment can be improved in the near future. Areas covered: Sixty-two trials were identified in US and EU clinical trial registries that included six investigational compounds in recent phase III development and 12 others in recent phase II clinical trials. Glutamatergic agents have been the focus of many studies.

Therapeutic improvements expected in the near future for schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: an appraisal of phase III clinical trials of schizophrenia-targeted therapies as found in US and EU clinical trial registries.

Introduction: In this review, the authors describe medications in phase III of clinical development for schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, and provide an opinion on how current treatment can be improved in the near future.

Areas Covered: Recent (post 2013) phase III clinical trials of schizophrenia-targeted therapies were found in US and EU clinical trial registries. Two hundred fifty-three trials were identified, that included 16 investigational compounds.

Potential serotonergic agents for the treatment of schizophrenia.

Introduction: For the last 30 years, drugs targeting serotonin receptors (5-HTR) have been intensively investigated in schizophrenia. New drugs targeting 5-HTRs are under development in patients with schizophrenia.

Areas Covered: In this review, the authors describe the recent clinical trials for schizophrenia with selective serotonergic agents and provide an opinion on how the investigated drugs can help to fulfil current treatment needs.

Bipolar disorder: recent clinical trials and emerging therapies for depressive episodes and maintenance treatment.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the world's ten most disabling conditions. More options are urgently needed for treating bipolar depressive episodes and for safer, more tolerable long-term maintenance treatment. We reviewed 30 recent clinical trials in depressive episodes (eight tested compounds) and 14 clinical trials in maintenance treatment (ten tested compounds).