Alkermes gains on Phase II MDD data

Alkermes plc (NASDAQ:ALKS) gained $4.12 (16%) to $29.72 on Wednesday after reporting that once-daily oral ALKS 5461 as adjunctive treatment met the primary endpoint in a Phase II trial to treat refractory major depressive disorder (MDD). ALKS 5461 significantly improved 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17) scores from baseline to week four vs. placebo (p=0.026). The double-blind, U.S. trial enrolled 142 patients with MDD who had an inadequate response to a stable dose of either a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or a serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). ...