Drug Overview
The Seroquel franchise contains quetiapine, which acts as an antagonist at multiple neurotransmitter receptors in the brain, such as serotonin 5-HT1A and 5-HT2, dopamine D1 and D2, histamine H1, and adrenergic alpha 1 and alpha 2 receptors.
AstraZeneca initially launched Seroquel in the US and Europe in 1997 for the treatment of schizophrenia. In October 2003, the company successfully extended Seroquel’s use as both a monotherapy and adjunct therapy to lithium or valproate for the treatment of acute manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder. The company subsequently sought several indication expansions for Seroquel within bipolar disorder, and launched a sustained-release version – Seroquel XR – which allows a more convenient once-daily dosing regimen.
In December 2010, Astellas Pharma was granted the exclusive rights to Seroquel XR in Japan. In July 2017, exclusive marketing rights were transferred to Kyowa Pharmaceutical upon the drug’s approval for bipolar depression. AstraZeneca’s commercial partner for the Seroquel franchise in Japan, Astellas, had also been developing Seroquel XR for major depressive disorder (MDD), but has not progressed it beyond Phase II after a negative trial. The immediate-release Seroquel formulation is not approved for MDD in any market.
The Seroquel franchise contains quetiapine, which acts as an antagonist at multiple neurotransmitter receptors in the brain, such as serotonin 5-HT1A and 5-HT2, dopamine D1 and D2, histamine H1, and adrenergic alpha 1 and alpha 2 receptors.
AstraZeneca initially launched Seroquel in the US and Europe in 1997 for the treatment of schizophrenia. In October 2003, the company successfully extended Seroquel’s use as both a monotherapy and adjunct therapy to lithium or valproate for the treatment of acute manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder. The company subsequently sought several indication expansions for Seroquel within bipolar disorder, and launched a sustained-release version – Seroquel XR – which allows a more convenient once-daily dosing regimen.
In December 2010, Astellas Pharma was granted the exclusive rights to Seroquel XR in Japan. In July 2017, exclusive marketing rights were transferred to Kyowa Pharmaceutical upon the drug’s approval for bipolar depression. AstraZeneca’s commercial partner for the Seroquel franchise in Japan, Astellas, had also been developing Seroquel XR for major depressive disorder (MDD), but has not progressed it beyond Phase II after a negative trial. The immediate-release Seroquel formulation is not approved for MDD in any market.
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