Johnson & Johnson announced Thursday it will discontinue development of aticaprant for major depressive disorder (MDD), dealing a significant blow to what was once considered a promising blockbuster candidate. The pharmaceutical giant made the decision after
determining the drug showed insufficient effectiveness in treating patients with hard-to-treat depression and anhedonia, despite maintaining a favorable safety profile.
The experimental drug, which had been undergoing extensive late-stage clinical trials, was previously projected by J&J to potentially generate between $1 billion and $5 billion in peak annual sales. Wall Street analysts, including David Risinger from Leerink Partners, had more conservative estimates, anticipating approximately $1 billion in annual revenue by 2032.
Despite this setback, J&J maintains its commitment to neuroscience research, as evidenced by its recent $15 billion acquisition of Intra-Cellular Therapies, the manufacturer of mental health medication Caplyta. The company also affirmed that its pharmaceutical division remains on track to achieve its projected 5-7% compound annual growth rate, following last year’s $57 billion in sales, which represented a 4% increase from 2023.
The news had minimal impact on J&J’s stock, which actually rose more than 1% on Friday. However, the announcement sent ripples through the biotechnology sector, particularly affecting Neumora Therapeutics, whose shares declined approximately 5%. Neumora, which went public in 2023 after securing substantial venture capital funding, is developing a similar drug targeting kappa opioid receptors – proteins that influence mood, stress, and pain perception.
Neumora had already faced challenges earlier this year when its own drug, navacaprant, failed to outperform placebo in treating
moderate-to-severe MDD. The company’s stock has plummeted more than 90% since its IPO, trading at roughly $1.45 per share by late Friday morning.
Industry analysts view J&J’s decision as potentially devastating for the entire class of kappa opioid receptor-targeting drugs. RBC Capital Markets analyst Brian Abrahams suggested the development could eliminate remaining optimism about these compounds’ effectiveness in depression treatment. Similarly, Stifel analyst Paul Matteis downgraded Neumora’s stock to “Hold,” citing the difficulty in defending the company’s position following J&J’s announcement.
J&J hasn’t completely abandoned aticaprant, indicating it will explore the drug’s potential applications in other areas of unmet medical need. The company emphasizes that aticaprant represents just one of nearly 20 novel drug programs in its pipeline with potential blockbuster status.
The ripple effects of this development extend beyond J&J and Neumora. AbbVie, which acquired Cerevel Therapeutics last year, is also developing a kappa opioid antagonist, currently in Phase 1 testing. The future of this drug class remains uncertain, as companies reassess their development strategies in light of these recent setbacks.
This development represents a significant shift in the landscape of depression treatment research, particularly for drugs targeting kappa opioid receptors. While J&J maintains its broader commitment to neuroscience and pharmaceutical innovation, the termination of aticaprant’s development for MDD highlights the continuing challenges in developing effective treatments for depression and related mental health conditions.