Antipsychotic May Improve Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
The antipsychotic cariprazine helps improve negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia, and social functioning, suggests a new analysis of clinical trial data.
Researchers analyzed data from a Phase 3, randomized, 6- week double-blind trial of cariprazine. Findings were presented at this month’s 29th European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Congress in Vienna.
The post-hoc analysis evaluated the drug’s effects over 6 weeks on negative symptoms, cognition, and social functioning in patients with schizophrenia, using subscales related to the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Dosages of 3 mg/day and 6 mg/day were used, and compared to placebo and aripiprazole.
“Antipsychotics are generally effective in treating the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, but negative symptoms and cognitive deficits are difficult to treat and may contribute to poor social functioning,” researchers wrote.
Both cariprazine groups showed significant and sustained improvements in all three areas within 1 to 3 weeks, versus placebo. The aripiprazole group also saw significant, but slightly smaller, improvements in all three areas.
“These results suggest that cariprazine may be beneficial in improving negative and cognitive symptoms as well as social functioning in patients with acute exacerbation of schizophrenia,” the authors wrote.
Cariprazine was approved by the FDA in September 2015, for treatment of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in adults.
– Terri Airov
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