Discontinued anxiolytic drugs (2009 - 2014).
INTRODUCTION
Anxiety is a complex psychiatric disorder with an unknown aetiology and involving several neurotransmitter systems. These constraints have meant that researchers have looked to develop drugs, which target a variety of molecular targets, with the aim of creating safer and more effective anxiolytic drugs. Apart from the 'traditional' GABAergic and serotonergic systems, the endocannabinoid, opioidergic, glutamatergic, neurokinin, and even cholinergic systems have been (and are being) considered as preferred targets for prospective new drugs.


AREAS COVERED
This review presents candidate drugs that were investigated for the treatment of anxiety-spectrum disorders and then discontinued between the 2009 and 2014 period.


EXPERT OPINION
Despite the large variety of molecular targets, and the considerable financial and R&D resources dedicated to finding treatment solutions for anxiety-spectrum disorders, a great number of candidates have failed to reach the market. Indeed, there is still an unmet need for more effective anxiolytics that give patients a better quality of life. Although there are inherent problems with psychiatric drug development, it is thought that repurposed drugs may provide some benefit in the future.
['Mandrioli|Roberto|R|', 'Mercolini|Laura|L|']
D000818:Animals D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents D001008:Anxiety Disorders D015195:Drug Design D015507:Drugs, Investigational D006801:Humans D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy D017211:Treatment Failure
anxiety prospective new drug benzodiazepine discontinued drugs mechanism of action selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor