Lilly: Landmark, Placebo-Controlled Trial Suggests Olanzapine May Delay and Reduce Rates of Manic and Depressive Relapse in Patients With Bipolar Disorder.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 19, 2003

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)

Relapse Can Be Devastating to People With Bipolar Disorder

A landmark, placebo-controlled study presented today at the American Psychiatric Association's 156th annual meeting in San Francisco suggests that olanzapine may be useful in delaying relapse of both manic and depressive episodes of bipolar disorder. Olanzapine is the only agent other than lithium to demonstrate that it may delay relapse to both poles of bipolar disorder in a placebo-controlled, double-blind study.

"The major challenge in the management of bipolar disorder is how to maintain mood stability over the long haul, once the manic or depressive episode is resolved," said Dr. Frederick K. Goodwin, director, Center on Neuroscience, Medical Progress, and Society, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. "These results with olanzapine are encouraging, especially in light of another recent study in which olanzapine demonstrated lower rates of relapse into mania than lithium, the gold standard mood stabilizer."

Olanzapine is currently indicated for…