title: Discontinued anxiolytic drugs (2009 - 2014).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anxiety is a complex psychiatric disorder with an unknown aetiology and involving several neurotransmitter systems. These constraints have meant that researchers have looked to develop drugs, which target a variety of molecular targets, with the aim of creating safer and more effective anxiolytic drugs. Apart from the 'traditional' GABAergic and serotonergic systems, the endocannabinoid, opioidergic, glutamatergic, neurokinin, and even cholinergic systems have been (and are being) considered as preferred targets for prospective new drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review presents candidate drugs that were investigated for the treatment of anxiety-spectrum disorders and then discontinued between the 2009 and 2014 period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the large variety of molecular targets, and the considerable financial and R&D resources dedicated to finding treatment solutions for anxiety-spectrum disorders, a great number of candidates have failed to reach the market. Indeed, there is still an unmet need for more effective anxiolytics that give patients a better quality of life. Although there are inherent problems with psychiatric drug development, it is thought that repurposed drugs may provide some benefit in the future.
authors.affiliation: Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Department for Life Quality Studies (QuVi) , Corso d'Augusto 237, 47921-Rimini , Italy +39 0541 434624 ; +39 0541 434608 ; roberto.mandrioli@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mandrioli
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mercolini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D015195:Drug Design; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D015507:Drugs, Investigational
keywords: anxiety; benzodiazepine; discontinued drugs; mechanism of action; prospective new drug; selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor; serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor