Clinical Study on the Efficacy of an Antidepressant, Vortioxetine, in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma

Summary description of the study

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor for which there is currently no satisfactory treatment. The standard treatment for newly diagnosed patients includes a combination of surgical removal, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy with temozolomide. However, almost all patients experience a disease relapse, and survival rates are very low after a recurrence diagnosis. There is therefore an urgent need for new treatment options. Recent experimental studies have identified the antidepressant Vortioxetine as a promising therapeutic approach against glioblastomas. Vortioxetine, which is well tolerated and used in the treatment of depression, could thus represent a new, well-tolerated therapy option for patients with glioblastoma. The ReVoGlio study project aims to test the efficacy of Vortioxetine in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. The main focus is on prolonging progression-free survival while also investigating whether Vortioxetine improves patients' quality of life. Since Vortioxetine is well tolerated and could potentially alleviate symptoms such as depression and cognitive impairments, it represents a promising option for an adjunct to the current standard therapy.

(BASEC)

Intervention under investigation

The intervention being investigated in this study is Vortioxetine, an antidepressant used for the treatment of depressive disorders. It is being studied for its potential antitumor effects on glioblastoma, an aggressive primary brain tumor. Vortioxetine has shown promising results in preclinical studies regarding its ability to inhibit the growth of glioblastoma cells. This study will examine the effect of Vortioxetine on progression-free survival and the quality of life of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. This therapy is administered in addition to standard therapy (radiation therapy, chemotherapy) and will continue as long as no relapse occurs or other reasons such as side effects arise that make continuation unfeasible or impossible. There are no additional outpatient appointments due to study participation.

(BASEC)

Disease under investigation

Glioblastoma

(BASEC)

Sponsor

University Zurich, represented by Prof. Dr. med. Michael Weller

(BASEC)

Name of the authorising ethics committee (for multicentre studies, only the lead committee)

Ethics Committee Zurich

(BASEC)

Date of authorisation

19.05.2026

(BASEC)

Results of the trial