Suicidal ideation and behavior in adults with major depressive disorder treated with vortioxetine: post hoc pooled analyses of randomized, placebo-controlled, short-term and open-label, long-term extension trials

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the risk of suicidal ideation and behavior associated with vortioxetine treatment in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: Suicide-related events were evaluated post hoc using 2 study pools: one short-term pool of 10 randomized, placebo-controlled studies (6-8 weeks) and another long-term pool that included 3 open-label extension studies (52 weeks). Evaluation of suicide-related events was performed using Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) scores and treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) data. RESULTS: At baseline, the percentage of patients reporting any C-SSRS ideation or behavior events in short-term studies was similar between placebo (14.7%), vortioxetine (19.8%, 13.0%, 11.2%, and 13.7% for 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-mg groups, respectively), and duloxetine active reference (13.2%) and did not change throughout the 6- to 8-week treatment period for placebo (17.0%), vortioxetine (19.3%, 13.5%, 12.6%, and 15% for 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-mg groups, respectively), or duloxetine (11.3%). The incidence of suicide-related events for TEAEs in the short-term pool was 0.4% for placebo, 0.2% or 1.0% for vortioxetine 5 mg or 10 mg, and 0.7% each for vortioxetine 15 mg and 20 mg, as well as duloxetine. After 52-week treatment with vortioxetine, suicidal ideation based on C-SSRS was 9.8%, C-SSRS suicidal behavior was 0.2%, and the incidence of suicide-related events based on TEAEs was <1%. There were no completed suicides in any study. CONCLUSIONS: Vortioxetine is not associated with increased risk of suicidal ideation or behavior in MDD patients.