In the commercially insured population, the percent of adult members treated for major depressive disorder (MDD) is substantial and MDD treatment remains challenging for many patients, despite a broad range of available antidepressant treatments.

MDD is associated with higher costs, and these costs are increased for treatment resistant MDD. Costs for members with MDD is more than two times higher than the matched population. Among newly diagnosed MDD patients, only 33 percent had claims indicating antidepressant treatment success; 45 percent of newly diagnosed MDD patients experienced antidepressant treatment resistance or suboptimal dosing and/or duration of treatment. Newly diagnosed MDD patients with antidepressant treatment resistance had the highest spending of all the MDD cohorts, and costs increased with each different antidepressant used.

Treatment resistance, patient tolerability, and prevalent comorbidities are important considerations for the selection of antidepressant formulary agents. Evaluating antidepressant formulary access and benefit design should help support effective antidepressant therapeutic options.

This report was commissioned by Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. and Lundbeck LLC.