Desvenlafaxine is an active metabolite of venlafaxine.
In three placebo-controlled trials, the results on the reduction in HAM-D17 score were not consistent.
The most common adverse effects are of gastrointestinal origin or sleep disorders. There are no available long-term safety data.
In the only head-to-head trial carried out in post-menopause women, desvenlafaxine at high doses did not show superiority versus escitalopram.
The pharmaceutical company withdrew the application for marketing authorisation after an initial evaluation by the EMA´s CHMP that concluded that desvenlafaxine was less effective than venlafaxine and did not present any advantages with regard to safety.