A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Orvepitant in Subjects With Major Depressive Disorder

This is a 6-week, randomised, multicenter, double-blind, placebo controlled, fixed dose parallel group study to assess the efficacy and safety of orvepitant (30 and 60 mg/day) versus placebo in subjects with a diagnosis of a Major Depressive Disorder, whose symptoms are considered moderate or severe. Following an initial screening visit, subjects fulfilling the study inclusion and exclusion criteria will enter a pre-treatment screening phase to permit evaluation of the laboratory and ECG assessments and to confirm eligibility for inclusion into the study. This screening phase will be a minimum of 7 days, but no longer than 21 days. At the completion of the screening period, eligible subjects will be randomised at the baseline visit to receive either orvepitant 30mg/day, orvepitant 60mg/day or placebo (equal chance of receiving any of the three possible treatments, i.e., a 1:1:1 ratio) for a six-week double-blind treatment phase. Those subjects randomised to receive placebo will receive study medication identical in appearance to that received by subjects assigned to receive orvepitant 30 or 60mg/day. Efficacy will be assessed via standard depression symptom and severity rating scales or questionaires. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) will be used as the primary measure. Secondary efficacy endpoints include the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR) and the Clinical Global Impression- Global Improvement and Severity of Illness Scale (CGI-I and CGI-S, respectively). Safety will be assessed by monitoring for adverse events (side effects) and through periodic laboratory evaluations (blood tests), vital signs assessments (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, temperature) and heart function measurements (electrocardiograms, or ECGs).