Panic Disorder

Ingelheim, Germany, Oxford and Belfast, UK, April 29, 2025 – Boehringer Ingelheim, the University of Oxford, and Cumulus Neuroscience are joining forces to provide insights into the day-to-day experiences of people living with psychiatric disorders, and how these experiences relate to their brain activity. The first-of-its-kind study will use novel technology to quantify brain activity, mood, and behavior at home in people who have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), an often neglected group of patients. The aims are to explore the acceptability of this technology in patients and gain quantitative, fine-grained, insights that could potentially guide the research and development of much-needed new therapies. Current clinical and lab-based assessments rely on retrospective recall of symptoms. They are thus limited by how accurately patients remember past events and only provide a snapshot in time of an individual’s clinical state. Moreover, self-reported questionnaires lack objectivity. This can lead to an incomplete or inaccurate picture of the overall experience of the individual and the failure of new medicines in clinical studies. This new study aims to change that. It will use Cumulus´ NeuLogiq® neuroassessment platform for the first time in people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. This platform enables the tracking of brain function over time, both in the clinic, and from the comfort of a study participant’s home. Participants use a tablet to perform gamified versions of established objective behavioral tasks, while wearing the NeuLogiq headset which records EEG (electroencephalogram) brain waves that are precisely time-synced to the tasks. The intent is to capture data that will provide a more accurate picture of brain network activity.  In 2019, one in eight people worldwide were estimated to be living with a mental health condition, and half of the adult population can expect to experience a mental illness by age 75.i,ii*  People diagnosed with severe mental health conditions experience reduced life expectancy relative to the general population, with around 14 years of potential life lost,1 and the economic consequences of mental health conditions can be enormous.iii That’s why Boehringer Ingelheim is embracing ‘Precision Psychiatry’. This in-depth research approach delves into the neurobiology of symptoms with the goal of uncovering more targeted and holistic treatment solutions that address specific symptoms in people living serious mental illness to help them to live fulfilling lives. Kate Saunders, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Oxford says, “People diagnosed with borderline personality disorder experience a range of symptoms, including changeable mood, impulsivity, and associated difficulties in interpersonal relationships, all of which can have a significant impact on their lives. We're looking forward to exploring this new technology in people living with BPD, in collaboration with the scientists at Cumulus and Boehringer Ingelheim, to gain new insights into the mechanisms which underpin the symptoms people given this diagnosis experience.  This could open up pathways for the development of new therapies.” Dr. Hugh Marston, Senior Vice President and Global Head Neuroscience & Mental Health, Boehringer Ingelheim says, “Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to developing novel therapeutics to address the major unmet needs of people living with mental health disorders. If this platform is successfully validated in this patient population, it could be a game-changer for studies investigating novel precision psychiatry treatments. It could help us identify biomarkers for stratification and provide a rich dataset for reverse-translation.” “Many psychiatric conditions disrupt cognitive function, meaning that patients may find it harder to manage their daily life or continue to work effectively,” said Brian Murphy, PhD, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Cumulus. “These underappreciated symptoms can change from day to day, so frequent real-world measurement is important if we want to find new therapies that improve activities of daily living and quality of life. Today, we are fortunate that wearable technologies and AI are enabling a new era of drug development where we can understand objectively how a drug affects cognitive function and the underlying brain mechanisms that drive it.”  The study will be conducted by the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Oxford at the Warneford Hospital. It will frequently collect EEG and behavioral assessments, alongside remote measures of mood and activity. The main aims are to assess the feasibility of using the Cumulus platform in young adults aged 18-35 and to provide a rich dataset about brain activity and behavior in BPD for in-depth analysis.  Thirty participants who have been diagnosed with BPD and 20 participants with no diagnosed mental health disorder will be recruited. Dr. Lauren Atkinson, from the Department of Psychiatry who will be senior researcher on the study says, “We are looking forward to working with people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and prioritising research important to them. One of the key features of a BPD diagnosis is affective dysregulation. By regularly capturing mood, alongside measures of brain activity and cognitive function over an extended period of time, we hope to better capture patient experience and use objective measures to understand more about what is happening at those key moments.” *The mental health conditions studied in this epidemiological research included: panic disorder and/or agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobia, specific phobia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, alcohol abuse disorder, alcohol dependence disorder, drug abuse disorder, drug dependence disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and intermittent explosive disorder.About Boehringer Ingelheim Boehringer Ingelheim is a biopharmaceutical company active in both human and animal health. As one of the industry’s top investors in research and development, the company focuses on developing innovative therapies that can improve and extend lives in areas of high unmet medical need. Independent since its foundation in 1885, Boehringer takes a long-term perspective, embedding sustainability along the entire value chain. Our approximately 54,500 employees serve over 130 markets to build a healthier and more sustainable tomorrow. Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com (global) or www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/uk (UK). About Cumulus Neuroscience Our mission is to generate the data and insights required to accelerate the diagnosis and management of central nervous system (CNS) disorders for millions of patients and caregivers around the world. At Cumulus Neuroscience we are advancing NeuLogiq®, an AI-based, multi-domain digital biomarker platform designed with 10 of the world's leading pharma companies. This novel platform provides the critical data and insights needed for faster, more robust and cost-effective decision-making in clinical trials and patient care. NeuLogiq enables study sponsors to capture large amounts of real-world clinical data repeatedly over time, across multiple behavioral and physiological domains, in the clinic and at home. Together with machine learning (ML) analytics, Cumulus simplifies and improves the robustness of CNS clinical trials, providing objective assessment of study inclusion and treatment outcomes. About Oxford University The University Department of Psychiatry’s mission is to conduct world-class research, teach psychiatry to medical students, develop future researchers in a graduate programme, teach doctors in training, promote excellence in clinical practice, and develop and provide innovative clinical services. It supports research in four key areas: neurobiology, psychological treatments, developmental psychiatry and social psychiatry. The Department is committed to the translation of scientific discovery into benefits for patients. www.psych.ox.ac.uk  Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the ninth year running, and ​number 3 in the QS World Rankings 2024. At the heart of this success are the twin-pillars of our ground-breaking research and innovation and our distinctive educational offer. Oxford is world-famous for research and teaching excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research alongside our personalised approach to teaching sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions. Through its research commercialisation arm, Oxford University Innovation, Oxford is the highest university patent filer in the UK and is ranked first in the UK for university spinouts, having created more than 300 new companies since 1988. Over a third of these companies have been created in the past five years. The university is a catalyst for prosperity in Oxfordshire and the United Kingdom, contributing £15.7 billion to the UK economy in 2018/19, and supports more than 28,000 full time jobs. Media Contacts  Boehringer Ingelheim: Dr. Reinhard Malin Boehringer Ingelheim Corporate Center GmbH  Innovation Unit/Bio Comms, Corp. Affairs  Media + PR  press@boehringer-ingelheim.com  Cumulus:Tina Sampath tina.sampath@cumulusneuro.com Oxford University: Lisa Jones Communications Manager Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital lisa.jones@psych.ox.ac.uk 

Wider Circle, a company that works with health plans and providers to deliver community care programs, is joining forces with managed care company Highmark Health Options West Virginia (HHO WV) to help foster better health outcomes for its members. The aim is to have Wider Circle’s peer-to-peer approach included in HHO WV’s benefit offerings and help the organization overcome the healthcare challenges of its members, especially those living in rural communities. Wider Circle recruits local community members to head its programs, utilizing advanced data analytics to group members effectively. The combination enables Wider Circle to overcome barriers to rural healthcare. "West Virginia is among the most rural states in the country and health care resources in these areas can be inadequate," Jason Landers, president of Highmark Health Options West Virginia, said in a statement. "We are committed to building networks and relationships that bridge these barriers to care and increase access to critical health care resources in our rural communities. We welcome the expertise and proven success of Wider Circle to help accelerate our efforts." THE LARGER TREND In September, Wider Circle announced a partnership with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Community Health Plan Maryland (CareFirst CHPMD). The aim of the partnership is to have Wider Circle work with CareFirst's Medicaid Plan to increase member engagement and make health outcomes better by promoting strong, supportive community bonds. In September, AppliedVR, an extended reality company focused on chronic pain management, announced that Pittsburgh-based Highmark, a Blue Cross Blue Shield-affiliated health insurer, would be the first health plan to cover RelieVRx, formerly EaseVRx, which is AppliedVR's FDA-cleared virtual reality offering to treat chronic low back pain. Eligible Highmark members 18 years and older diagnosed with moderate to severe chronic low back pain are able to get a prescription for RelieVRx without prior authorization. In 2021, Highmark expanded access to Freespira's digital therapeutic for PTSD, panic disorder, panic attacks and other panic symptoms. Besides bringing the treatment to members living in Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia, the agreement also provided remote coaching on how to use Freespira to those not already receiving support from a behavioral health professional, according to the announcement.

Overall, 16 suspect lots have been implicated in the latest generic clonazepam pull. The batches in question cover 0.125-mg, 0.25-,mg 1-mg and 2-mg doses of the drug. After a labeling mix-up prompted a recall of a popular panic disorder drug this summer, Endo’s U.S. subsidiary is widening the scope of its product pull.Endo USA is expanding its previous recall of orally disintegrating clonazepam tablets to include more than a dozen additional product lots, the company said in a notice posted on the FDA’s website Tuesday.The recall is being issued thanks to an “error by a third-party packager” that led to certain cartons displaying the wrong strength and National Drug Code for the product they contain, Endo said.Overall, 16 suspect lots have been implicated in the latest generic clonazepam pull. The batches in question contain 0.125-mg, 0.25-mg, 1-mg and 2-mg doses of the drug and were shipped out to wholesalers and retail pharmacies around the U.S.The blister strips and tablets inside the carton packaging should reflect the correct strengths for their respective lots, Endo explained.Endo’s generic clonazepam—which references the well-established benzodiazepine Klonopin—is approved to treat panic disorder as well as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and akinetic and myoclonic seizures.People who take more clonazepam than intended could suffer serious side effects such as significant sedation, confusion and dizziness, according to the recall notice. Plus, patients with pulmonary disease, patients near maximum clonazepam dosing and those on certain other medications are at risk of potentially life-threatening respiratory depression should they receive the wrong doses, Endo warned.To date, the company says it has not received any side effect or safety signal reports tied to the recall. The latest update in Endo’s clonazepam packaging odyssey comes after the company in July initiated a voluntary recall on a single lot of 0.25-mg tablets with cartons mislabeled to read 0.125 mg.Prior to that, Endo’s Par Pharmaceutical unit said in March that it was recovering one batch of the injectable pulmonary arterial hypertension drug treprostinil from the U.S. market. In that instance, the recall was spurred on by concerns of silicone particles potentially turning up in vials of the drug.The prostacyclin vasodilator treprostinil is a generic to United Therapeutics’ Remodulin, which has been on the market for more than two decades.