Solvay Pharmaceuticals will retain the right to market both products in other territories around the world.
Solvay's Luvox, also known as fluvoxamine, was introduced in 1983 in Europe as one of the very first selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). This class of compounds is used for the treatment of depression, anxiety and other related disorders. Fluvoxamine was later introduced in the US in 1994.
More recently, Solvay submitted a new drug application in April 2006 to the FDA for fluvoxamine maleate extended-release capsules, an investigational compound being studied for the treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder in adults.
The clinical data supporting the application is based on three clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of the compound.