Tianeptine was discovered by The French Society of Medical Research in the 1960s. Under the trade-names (Stablon, Coaxil, Tatinol) it is a drug used for treating major depressive episodes (mild, moderate, or severe).
It has structural similarities to the tricyclic antidepressant

Tricyclic antidepressant

Tricyclic antidepressants are heterocyclic chemical compounds used primarily as antidepressants. The TCAs were first discovered in the early 1950s and were subsequently introduced later in the decade; they are named after their chemical structure, which contains three rings of atoms...

s, but it has different pharmacological properties. Tianeptine is a selective serotonin reuptake enhancer

Selective serotonin reuptake enhancer

A selective serotonin reuptake enhancer is a type of drug which enhances the plasmalemmal reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin, leading to a decrease in its synaptic concentrations and therefore a decrease in serotonergic neurotransmission....

 (SSRE), opposite to the action of SSRIs.