Skip to main content

Search

Neuroscience

Neuroscience

Janssen’s history is closely tied to neuroscience.

The very first medication developed by Dr Paul Janssen, our company founder, was for the treatment of schizophrenia. It set us on a path of discovery and development.

Since then Janssen has produced an impressive portfolio of treatments for neuropsychiatric conditions and pain.

But the science is only part of the story. Our commitment to transforming patients’ lives extends beyond the medicine. That’s why we’re collaborating with healthcare professionals, researchers, community organisations and carers to improve outcomes for people living with serious mental illness.

Our Disease Areas of Focus

Schizophrenia is a disorder of the mind that affects how you think, feel and behave.1 Often described as a type of psychosis, causes a range of different psychological symptoms, including hallucinations, delusions, muddled thoughts, and changes in behaviour. About 1 in 100 people will suffer an episode of schizophrenia at some point during their life.1

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a is a debilitating disease and a severe form of depression, which is characterised by depressed mood (e.g. sadness, feelings of guilt or low self-worth) diminished interests, and impaired cognitive and physical function, such as disturbed sleep or appetite.2,3 People with MDD may also have multiple physical complaints with no apparent physical cause.3 MDD occurs about twice as often in women than it does in men and affects one in six adults in their lifetime.2 Depression is a common mental disorder and one of the main causes of disability worldwide.3

References:
(i) Royal College of Psychiatrists: Schizophrenia. Available at: https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/problems-disorders/schizophrenia (accessed March 2022).
(ii) Otte C et al. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2016;2:16065. doi: 10.1038/nrdp.2016.65.
(iii) World Health Organization: Mental disorders. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders (accessed March 2022).

Innovation
Community partnerships
Medical Education
Carer Support

Advancing treatments and diagnostic tools

  • Johnson & Johnson Asia Pacific Innovation Centre: We recently opened the doors to our Asia Pacific Innovation Centre. It will be a hub for research collaborations, nurturing ideas through their early stages of development.One of our first projects is a partnership with the University of Queensland that will use spider venom to identify peptides as potential pain treatments.
  • Point of care diagnostic test: We’re developing a diagnostic tool that will give healthcare professionals more information: Our aim is that a simple fingerstick blood sample will be able to provide quantitative measurements of four commonly prescribed antipsychotic medications. Access to more information means more informed decisions, offering better outcomes for patients and healthcare professionals alike.

Partnering with the community for better health outcomes

  • Partnerships with the mental health community: We understand that we’re not alone in our efforts to change the lives of people with serious mental illness. Real progress requires a co-ordinated, community wide response. For Janssen Neuroscience that means working in partnership with Australia’s mental health community. In particular, we support disease awareness programs, professional education and a range of advocacy organisations. We also support direct, community-based programs to aid recovery for people with serious mental illness.
  • We have co-ordinated mental health community forums on a range of topics to help improve outcomes for patients. These include conversations around the impact of mental health reform on service delivery. Conducting forums like these help us to better understand the unmet needs in the community and guides us in our response.

Providing high quality medical education

We believe education is essential to improving patient outcomes. Our high quality medical education programs provide ongoing support for the healthcare community. They bring local and international experts together to share their knowledge and promote best practice in mental health. Whether it’s conferences and symposiums, skills training for GPs or support for mental health nurses, Janssen Neuroscience aims to be there.

Assisting carers

Mental health conditions affect more than the patients themselves.

That’s why we offer a range of support services specifically for family, friends and carers of those who are living with mental illness.

We also provide a range of patient materials around managing treatment and improving quality of life.