Aviandr is a new original drug for treating anxiety

Educational programs, psychotherapy (cognitive behavioural psychotherapy – CBP, relaxation methods), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are effective in anxiety disorders (AD). In a significant proportion of patients with AD, treatment with SSRIs and SNRIs is ineffective and is discontinued due to adverse events, so the search for new drugs is needed. One of the new drugs that have been shown to be effective in AD is Aviandr, which blocks serotonergic 5-HT7, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C and 5-HT6 receptors, adrenergic 2A, 2B and 2C receptors and histamine H1 receptors. In experimental animal models, Aviander has been shown to have significant anxiolytic and antidepressant effects. The efficacy and safety of Aviandr was investigated in patients with generalized AD (GAD) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study conducted in 17 centers in the Russian Federation. Patients with GAD (n = 129; mean age 42.5 ± 13.1 years; 75 % women) were randomized to receive Aviandr 40 mg/day (group 1; n=42) or 60 mg/day (group 2; n = 44) or placebo (PL; group 3; n = 43) for a period of 8 weeks. Efficacy was assessed using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) and Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI-S). After 8 weeks of treatment, anxiety according to HAM-A scale decreased by 53.7, 47.7 and 16.3 % in group1, 2 and 3, respectively, indicating a significant (p < 0.002) benefit of Aviandr over PL and fulfilling the primary efficacy criterion. A significant (p<0.001–0.009) advantage of the treatment groups over the PL group was also observed for all secondary efficacy criteria (HAM-A, HAM-D, CGI-S, CGI-I). Adverse events occurred more frequently in group 2 (60 mg/day), but not more frequently in group 1 (40 mg/day) than in the PL group. Therefore, treatment of GAD with Aviandr at a dose of 40 mg/day is considered optimal and recommended for the treatment of AD. Currently, Aviandr starts being used in AD in our country, so the results of its use in real-life clinical practice will be available. In AD, the optimal use of Aviandr is at a dose of 40 mg/day for at least 12 weeks in combination with an educational program, if possible with CBP and effective treatment of comorbidities.