Biogen, Talkiatry team up on postpartum depression
Talkiatry co-founders Dr Georgia Gaveras (l) and Robert Krayn (r)
Telehealth company Talkiatry has partnered with Biogen to expand its support service for women who develop postpartum depression (PPD) in a move that could help drive uptake of the latter's new drug Zurzuvae.
The alliance adds new educational resources about PPD to Talkiatry's platform, including information about the signs and symptoms of the condition, an online assessment, and the possibility of arranging a virtual consultation with one of the company's network of board-certified psychiatrists if appropriate.
Biogen will also make these resources available through a link on their Zurzuvae (zuranolone) patient website to help support women with PPD symptoms, in another example of the trend for pharma companies harnessing telehealth to raise awareness and provide patient support alongside the promotion of their medicines.
Talkiatry said that approximately one in eight US women report experiencing PPD symptoms, which can include prolonged feelings of hopelessness, anger, guilt, and anxiety, but getting access to care can be complex, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment.
An obstacle is a lack of psychiatrists, leading to delays for initial consultations that can extend over months. A telehealth option provides a way to close that gap, according to the telepsychiatry specialist, which says most of its consultations cost $30 or less for people with insurance.
"The statistics don't lie – too many women are suffering from maternal mental health issues, but are not receiving accurate diagnoses or timely treatment," said Georgia Gaveras, co-founder and chief medical officer of Talkiatry.
"With these expanded services, we aim to facilitate an effective and efficient care pathway for parents who need support, ensuring they receive urgent, safe care from a licensed psychiatrist," she added.
The FDA approved Zurzuvae as the first oral therapy for post-partum depression (PPD) in August 2023, although, the agency rejected it for the larger indication of major depressive disorder (MDD), trimming back earlier blockbuster sales projections.
Biogen, which developed the drug in collaboration with Sage Therapeutics, reported $27 million in sales for Zurzuvae in the first half of this year. Analysts at Jefferies have previously suggested it could make between $250 million and $500 million a year as a PPD product.
The deal with Talkiatry opens up a network of psychiatrists that offer consultations across 43 states in the US, with the service covered by more than 60 health insurance plans. The company recently raised $130 million in a third-round financing led by Andreessen Horowitz that will be used to expand its value-based care model for behavioural health.
