Combatting the Enemy Many Veterans Bring Home: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

NEW YORK, Sept. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark complains about his troubled mind, wishing for a restful sleep with these words: "To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them: to die, to sleep no more; and by a sleep, to say we end the heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to?"

Sadly, restful sleep is as elusive to many returning veterans as it was for Hamlet, who kept reliving the horrific vision of his mother murdering the King, his father, in order to marry his uncle. According to the Mayo Clinic, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event. 

Our returning warriors comprise the largest group of PTSD patients, but they are not alone. Civilian PTSD can be triggered by serious accidents, disasters, terrorist attacks, violent personal assaults, sexual abuse, emotional losses and ICU stays. What more can be done to help "end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to" for those suffering, and assure them not just a more restful sleep, but a restorative night's sleep?

There may be a vicious cycle involving poor sleep quality and the severity of daytime symptoms of PTSD. Specifically, it is believed that unrestorative sleep can exacerbate the other symptoms of the disorder, which in turn can make restful sleep even more difficult to achieve. 

There are two FDA-approved products for PTSD, but their use can be limited by side effects. Other anti-anxiety and sleep medicines are sometimes helpful, but prescription sleep medicines are not ideal due to their short-term efficacy and safety concerns. There is clearly an unmet need for a non-habit forming, safe, pharmaceutical option.  

Seth Lederman, M.D., co-founder, President and CEO of New York City-based Tonix Pharmaceuticals, may have the answer. Dr. Lederman—a physician, scientist and experienced inventor and developer of prescription pharmaceuticals—believes (and clinical studies continue to bear out) that his company's investigational therapy TNX-102 SL could change PTSD outcomes. This novel treatment is based on cyclobenzaprine (CBP), a compound that has been FDA-approved as a muscle relaxant since 1977 for short-term use over a range of doses. Tonix is determining if TNX-102 SL, administered as a low-dose sublingual tablet at bedtime, can improve the symptoms of PTSD—and help restore that elusive good night's sleep. Tonix is currently planning for a clinical study of TNX-102 SL in PTSD.

For more information, visit www.tonixpharma.com.

Contact:   Laura Radocaj, Dian Griesel Int'l.   212.825.3210

SOURCE Tonix Pharmaceuticals