Research Initiatives

Clinical Trials

In addition to facilitating PFS research, the PFS Foundation monitors FDA trials for potentially promising products in clinical development.

Sage Therapeutics has allopregnanolone and allopregnanolone analogue products that are currently in trials for various indications, including major depressive disorder and insomnia. Sage announced an expedited development plan for SAGE-217 in June 2018, following a Breakthrough Therapy meeting with the FDA. The plan is intended to support a potential filing for approval of SAGE-217 in the US for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and postpartum depression (PPD). “SAGE-217, if successfully developed and approved, may rewrite the textbook on how the tens of millions of people suffering from MDD are treated, ultimately turning depression into a disorder, not an identity,” said Sage CEO Jeff Jonas.


Research Goals

Determining the underlying biologic mechanisms of PFS, and in turn developing effective therapies for finasteride patients afflicted with the condition, requires ongoing clinical, basic-science and statistical research. Current research is focused on determining underlying biologic mechanisms for PFS at a molecular level, as will future initiatives. Specifically:

  • Genetic risk factors for PFS
  • Androgen receptor expression in PFS patients
  • Hormonal profiles of PFS patients
  • Full genome gene expression profiles and pathway analysis in PFS patients
  • Proteins encoded by androgen responsive genes (ARGs)
  • Neurosteroid levels in PFS patients
  • Epigenetic chromatin alterations in PFS patients