Method of treating conditions

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for safe and efficacious administration of esketamine.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of treating bipolar disorder in a human patient in need thereof comprising orally administering to said patient an oral dosage form comprising between about 5 mg and about 40 mg of esketamine over a treatment regimen of at least 28 days. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bipolar disorder is selected from the group consisting of bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder and cyclothymic disorder. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oral dosage form comprises about 40 mg of esketamine. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment regimen is between 28 days and about 730 days. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment regimen results in a reduction of the symptoms of bipolar disorder after at least 28 days of treatment. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the administration is at least once daily over the treatment regimen. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the administration is once daily over the treatment regimen. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the administration is intermittent over the treatment regimen. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the administration is once every second day to once a month of the treatment regimen. 
     
     
         10 . The administration of  claim 8 , wherein the frequency of the administration varies over the treatment regimen. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the administration of a second medication other than (R)-ketamine. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second medication is an antidepressant or an antimanic agent. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the antidepressant is selected from the group consisting of fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, escitalopram, venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine, duloxetine, and fluvoxamine. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the esketamine C max  of said administration is 30 ng/ml or less. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the esketamine AUC 0-t  of said administration is 60 ng*h/ml or less. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the esketamine C max  of said administration is 30 ng/ml or less and the esketamine AUC 0-t  of said administration is 60 ng*h/ml or less. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the esketamine C max  of said administration is 15 ng/ml or less and the esketamine AUC 0-t  of said administration is 30 ng*h/ml or less. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the esketamine is esketamine hydrochloride. 
     
     
         19 . A method of treating bipolar disorder in a human patient in need thereof comprising orally administering to said patient a dosage form, wherein said dosage form provides for an esketamine C max  of 30 ng*h/ml or less. 
     
     
         20 . A method of treating bipolar disorder in a human patient in need thereof comprising orally administering to said patient a dosage form, wherein said dosage form provides for an esketamine AUC 0-t  of 850 ng*h/ml or less.