Title:Auvelity: A New Era in Medicine - Unraveling the Multifaceted Benefits
of Dextromethorphan/Bupropion Combination
Volume: 19
Issue: 6
Author(s): Anchal Dhawan, Sunayna Choudhary*, Sumeet Gupta, Abhishek Chander and Meenakshi Dhanawat
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmacognosy, M.M. College of Pharmacy, Maharishi
Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana-Ambala, Haryana, 133207, India
Keywords:
Auvelity, Alzheimer’s disease, major depressive disorder, dextromethorphan, bupropion, dementia, antidepressants.
Abstract:
Background: Depression is a prevalent global illness, impacting 280 million people
worldwide, and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is ranked as the third leading cause of disease burden
globally. People previously diagnosed with depression are more likely to develop Alzheimer's
disease (AD). The recent approval of Auvelity by the FDA has made a remarkable breakthrough in
drug development, offering a multi-dimensional approach for managing multiple diseases.
Objective: The main objective of this study is to investigate the role of Auvelity, a new drug, in treating
MDD and its potential to manage agitation in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Methodology: Data on Auvelity was collected from various sources, including accessdata.fda.gov,
PubMed, and Scopus, and compiled for analysis.
Discussion: Auvelity is the first oral medication to demonstrate the rapid onset of action, with statistically
significant antidepressant efficacy observed as early as one week compared to a placebo. It contains
a combination of dextromethorphan (45 mg) and bupropion (105 mg). The drug's mechanism of
action involves a combination of NMDA receptor blockade and agonism of the sigma-1 receptor, resulting
in the antagonization of the glutamatergic neurotransmitter pathway. Due to the similarity in
the mechanism of action with AD medications like Memantine, there is a hypothesis that Auvelity
could effectively reduce symptoms of AD.
Conclusion: The approval of Auvelity marks a significant advancement in depression treatment with
its unique NMDA antagonist mechanism, rapid onset of action, and low-risk profile.
