Vienna, June 29th 2005 Preliminary results from a large-scale global study of people living with bipolar disorder,¹ presented today at the World Congress of Biological Psychiatry (WCBP), found that patient satisfaction with treatment is achieved through combining broad-based efficacy with a favourable tolerability profile.

The Thinking Ahead Survey,¹ included 687 bipolar patients from seven countries (UK, US, Germany, Italy, Canada, Spain and Greece). These preliminary results indicate that:

• 88% of respondents said drug treatment satisfaction is largely influenced by how effective it is, followed then by patients experiencing few or manageable side effects (77%)

• 79% of respondents believe that a successful treatment would be one which leads to significant quality of life changes in terms of increased functionality and improved lifestyle

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a severe biological disorder that affects approximately 3-4% of the adult population.^5,6 More than half of those with bipolar disorder stop taking their medication at some point during their illness, subjecting themselves to a high risk of relapse and an increased risk of suicide.⁷

"As someone who lives with bipolar disorder I need a treatment which can control the manic symptoms but also treat the more disabling depressive symptoms," comments Michael Grinter, SEROQUEL patient and Thinking Ahead Taskforce member. "The treatment that I am currently taking, SEROQUEL, has brought an enormous benefit to my life in terms of controlling both poles of my mood and has enabled me to return to work and live a fully functioning life. It has provided me with the confidence to enjoy each day again."

Recently-published SEROQUEL (quetiapine) data in the Journal of Current Medical Research and Opinion confirm SEROQUEL's efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of bipolar mania symp
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Contact: Lisa O'Sullivan
lisa.o'sullivan@shirehealthinternational.com
44-207-108-6515
Shire Health International
29-Jun-2005

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