About PAX-BD
PAX-BD is a randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial of pramipexole in addition to mood stabilisers for patients with treatment resistant bipolar depression.
The study is being led by Professor Hamish McAllister-Williams from Newcastle University and Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust.
The study has now closed for recruitment. You can see a list of sites that recruited to PAX-BD here: Recruiting sites.
The views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the HTA, NIHR, NHS or the Department of Health.
Our partners
Sponsor: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW).
Funder: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Health Technology Assessment programme.
Trial Management: Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit (NCTU) a fully registered UKCRC Clinical Trials Unit.
The PAX-BD study investigates the safety and effectiveness of pramipexole, a drug used to treat Parkinson’s disease, for which there is some preliminary evidence that it may be effective in treating bipolar depression.
The study, which is funded by the National Institute for Health Research, aims to investigate whether pramipexole is beneficial to people with bipolar disorder who have depression that has not responded to other treatments.
Currently, there are limited treatment options for depression in bipolar disorder and many of these can have significant side effects. Antidepressants are also less likely to work for people who have bipolar depression compared to in people with depression but not bipolar disorder.
Recent months have been particularly challenging due to social isolation and people not being able to engage in activities as usual that are beneficial to their mental health.
The online QIDS-SR questionnaire can be accessed here: QIDS-SR
