BUDAPEST, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Hungarian group Richter Gedeon said tests of cariprazine, a new agent for the treatment of bipolar depression, showed it was effective in a high dose version.
"Although the overall difference observed between the drug-treated and placebo-treated groups was not statistically significant, over the course of the trial there was evidence of a clinically relevant treatment effect in the high-dose arm of the study by comparison to placebo," Richter said on Monday.
"The companies are considering conducting an additional Phase II dose-response trial examining a wider range of doses," it said.
Richter, developing cariprazine with U.S. partner Forest Labs Inc, said 233 patients took part in the trial of two active low dose or high dose treatments or placebo.
Cariprazine had shown a reduction in symptoms in previously reported Phase II clinical trials for schizophrenia and bipolar mania and is undergoing Phase III trials for this. (Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Dan Lalor)