A Safety and Efficacy Study of Escitalopram on Acute Treatment of Severe Depression

A Single-arm, Open-label, Multi-center Study to Investigate Efficacy and Safety of Lexapro on Acute Treatment of Severe Depression

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of escitalopram treatment in participants with severe major depressive disorder (MDD [marked depression appearing in the involution period and characterized by hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and agitation]).

This is a single-arm (clinical study in only one group of participants), open-label (all people know the identity of the intervention), multi-center (when more than one hospital or medical school team work on a medical research study), and prospective (study following participants forward in time) study. The study consists of 2 parts: Screening (that is, 5 days before study commences on Day 1) and Treatment (that is, Week 1-8). All the eligible participants will be receiving flexible doses of escitalopram orally in the dose range of 10 to 20 milligram per day (mg/day) for 8 weeks. Efficacy will primarily be evaluated by remission rate at the end of the study. Participants' safety will be monitored throughout the study.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV)
• Scores of greater than or equal to 30 on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) Exclusion Criteria:
• Pregnant or lactating female participants
• Participants who are previously or currently diagnosed with the following mental disorders by DSM-IV: organic mental disorder, schizophrenia (psychiatric disorder with symptoms of emotional instability, detachment from reality, often with delusions and hallucinations, and withdrawal into the self), schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, undifferentiated mental disorders and bipolar affective disorder, participants with history of drug abuse, including alcohol and drug abuse in the past 12 months
• Participants who have significant risk of suicide on clinical assessment (has a score of greater than or equal to 5 on item 5 of MADRS) or have made a serious suicide attempt within the past 6 months and have any contraindication to escitalopram
• Participants who have known history of serious or unstable medical illness, including cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, respiratory, endocrine, neurologic or hematologic disease currently taking other psychotropic drugs and anticonvulsant agents or continuously taking benzodiazepines or sleeping pills for over five days in the past one week
• Participants who have history of seizure (sudden, uncontrolled muscle spasms and loss of consciousness resulting from abnormal brain function) disorder, brain injury, any history of known neurological disease (multiple sclerosis, degenerative diseases, parkinson disease and any movement disorders) and have multiple drug adverse reactions