Agomelatine in combination with psychosocial counselling could be highly effective for teenagers with major depressive disorder, a landmark study shows.

The melatonin analogue, which is already approved for use in adults, also appears to be well tolerated and is unlikely to result in withdrawal, according to findings in The Lancet Psychiatry.

Given the limited pharmacotherapy options available for major depression in children and adolescents, the international researchers say agomelatine “could provide an additional tool for the management of this debilitating condition”.

In a multicentre, double-blind trial, European and South African investigators assessed the short-term antidepressant efficacy and safety of agomelatine in 396 paediatric patients with major depressive disorder unresponsive to psychosocial therapy.