Quetiapine (Molecule of the Month for October 2006)
Seroquel, Schizophrenia, Manic Depression
Quetiapine marketed by AstraZeneca with the brand name Seroquel, is used for the treatment of schizophrenia and this month had Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for treatment of manic depression. It is also to treat other disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, alcoholism, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, hallucinations in Parkinson's disease patients using ropinirole, and as a sedative for those with sleep disorders.
Seroquel is currently AstraZeneca's second most profitable drug with global annual sales of $2.8 billion. Seroquel is the most commonly prescribed antipsychotic drug in America and has been used by more than 19 million patients worldwide since its launch in 1997. The company has faced litigation in the US because of claims that use of the drug could be associated with diabetes and pancreatitis.
The mechanism of action of Quetiapine, as with other drugs having efficacy in the treatment of schizophrenia and acute manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder, is unknown.
Formal Chemical Name (IUPAC)
2-(2-(4-dibenzo(b,f)(1,4)thiazepine-11-yl-1-piperazinyl)ethoxy)ethanol
References
Update by Karl Harrison
(Molecule of the Month for
October 2006
)
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