New drug seltorexant shows promise for treating depression and insomnia in clinical trial

A new drug called seltorexant has shown promise in treating major depressive disorder (MDD) and insomnia in patients who did not respond well to existing antidepressants. In a phase III trial, participants taking seltorexant reported significant improvements in depression and sleep disturbances compared to those on a placebo. Seltorexant works by selectively blocking orexin-2 receptors, making it unique among current treatments. If approved by the FDA, it would be the first drug specifically designed to address both depression and insomnia, filling a gap in available therapies. The trial involved 588 adults with MDD, many of whom were already on other antidepressants. Seltorexant was generally well-tolerated, with fewer adverse events reported compared to the placebo group. Further studies are planned to explore its effectiveness in patients with mild insomnia symptoms.