BlackThorn deprioritizing MDD compound after Phase IIa miss

BlackThorn Therapeutics Inc. (San Francisco, Calif.) said it will deprioritize development of BTRX-246040 (formerly LY-2940094) to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) after the compound missed the primary and secondary endpoints in a Phase IIa trial.

The primary endpoint of the double-blind, U.S. trial in about 100 MDD patients with or without anhedonia evaluated the change from baseline in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score at week eight between once-daily oral BTRX-246040 and placebo. Secondary endpoints included MADRS-6 subscale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) subscales, Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) and Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) scores...