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# Vanda Pharmaceuticals Puts Social Anxiety Drug On Hold
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/vanda-pharmaceuticals-puts-social-anxiety-drug-on-hold/
- Published: 2026-10-15T20:53:59.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-15T20:53:59.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs

Vanda Pharmaceuticals says its development program for VQW-765, a novel small molecule alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, is on hold after the therapy failed to meet its primary endpoint in a Phase 3 clinical study in patients with social anxiety.

The study, VP-VQW-765-3201 (Study 3201), was evaluating VQW-765 for the on-demand treatment of acute anxiety in adults with social anxiety disorder. The study randomized 546 adults 18 to 65 years of age with a current diagnosis of social anxiety disorder and elevated baseline scores on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale and Public Speaking Anxiety Scale.

Participants received a single oral dose of VQW-765 or placebo and were then challenged with a psychosocial stress test, the standardized Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). TSST is designed to “induce acute stress by having participants prepare (anticipation phase) and then deliver (performance phase) an interview-style presentation to a panel that gives no feedback or encouragement,” the company says.

Over 20% of the U.S. population is estimated to experience debilitating performance anxiety that ranges from public speaking to test taking, writer's block and musical performance.