Journal Club: Bridging the Gap in SSRI-Resistant Cases with Brexpiprazole N551

Course Summary

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects approximately 3.6% of U.S. adults annually and often persists despite standard treatments. While psychotherapies and SSRIs remain first-line, many patients experience only partial relief. This course reviews a phase 3 randomized controlled trial evaluating brexpiprazole as an adjunct to sertraline in adults with SSRI-resistant PTSD. Over 12 weeks, the combination led to significantly greater improvements in PTSD symptoms (CAPS-5, PCL-5), global functioning (CGI, SDS), and higher response and remission rates compared to placebo. Brexpiprazole was well tolerated, supporting its role as a potential augmentation strategy in treatment-refractory PTSD.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

• Introduction
  • The Need for More Effective Therapies
• JOURNAL CLUB: BREXPIPRAZOLE FOR PTSD
  • Study Population and Demographics
  • Results
  • Primary Outcome: CAPS-5 Total Score
  • Secondary Outcomes
  • Responder and Remission Rates
  • Onset of Symptom Improvement
  • Adverse Events and Safety
  • Summary Table of Key Results
  • Limitations
  • Impact on Therapy and Future Directions
  • Future research should aim to:
• Summary

Authors

Richard Daniels, PharmD, BCPS

Richard “Cole” Daniels earned his Doctor of Pharmacy(PharmD) from the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at the University of Montana in 2018. Throughout pharmacy school he completed a 3-year internship at Community Medical Center in Missoula, Montana in which he gained valuable experience in an acute care setting. Cole currently serves as a psychiatric clinical staff pharmacist at the Montana State Hospital. He has over 11 years of pharmacy experience having worked in several settings including retail, acute care, and inpatient psychiatric care. Cole has a diverse set of interests. However, acute care medicine, infectious disease, pain management, and asthma/COPD are a primary focus of his at the Montana State Hospital. He obtained board certification as a certified pharmacotherapy specialist in the Spring of 2022.

Elisabeth Gordon, BScPharm, RPh

Elisabeth Gordon earned her BSc(Pharm) from the University of British Columbia in 2004. After graduation, she worked in community retail pharmacies on Vancouver Island, before returning to her rural hometown of Salmon Arm. In 2016 and 2017, Elisabeth trained with Pallium Canada and Victoria Hospice to enhance her knowledge of end-of-life-care and palliative services. She is a volunteer medical supervisor for T1DOutreach, a peer support platform for adults living with type 1 diabetes, and a member of a Canadian peer support group for adults living with Birdshot Uveitis. Elisabeth enjoys working in a small, fast-paced rural pharmacy where she brings compassion and empathy to her everyday practice.