U.S. approves first drug to treat postpartum depression

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first drug specifically developed for severe depression after childbirth.

The drug produced by Sage Therapeutics called Zulresso was given the green light on Tuesday to be used as an intravenous treatment administered over two-and-a-half days for severe postpartum depression. A course of the drug will cost 34,000 U.S. dollars for patients without insurance, which excludes the cost of the stay in a hospital or infusion center.

“Postpartum depression is a serious condition that, when severe, can be life-threatening,” Dr. Tiffany Farchione from the drug regulator’s Division of Psychiatry Products said in a statement. “Women may experience thoughts about harming themselves or harming their child.”

Postpartum depression affects about 400,000 women in the United States each year. It often runs its course within a couple of weeks, but for some women it can continue for months or even years. In some cases it can be treated with counselling or antidepressants. But unlike this new fast-acting treatment, drugs previously available on the market can take six to eight weeks to work.

The active ingredient in Zulresso is brexanolone, which mimics a derivative of the naturally occurring hormone progesterone. Levels of the naturally-occurring hormone can plunge after childbirth. The infusion helps to restore the hormone to normal levels, which provide relief from the feelings of depression, according to Sage Chief Executive Dr. Jeff Jonas.

Sage plans to start selling the drug in late June.

News about the new drug has become a topic of discussion on social media in China. Many of the comments, especially from females, welcomed the news that a new treatment will be available for a psychological illness that has been a burden on many mothers in China but that has received inadequate attention from their doctors and families. But others have pointed out that the hefty price of the treatment will be a considerable hurdle for many new mothers.

“Family rows, especially those that occur within six months after the birth of the baby, are one of the contributing factors that lead to depression for new mothers. The conflicts are invariably caused by problems such as different mindsets about child rearing and the tiredness that results from taking care of a newborn baby,” said Sun Jiayi, a counselor quoted by Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper. “The family, and especially the husband’s, care and understanding is very important for mothers to alleviate the negative emotions.”

China is yet to issue any diagnostic criteria for postpartum depression.

(Story includes material sourced from AP.)