Oral Aripiprazole as Maintenance Treatment in Adolescent Schizophrenia: Results From a 52-Week, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Withdrawal Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of aripiprazole, a dopamine D2 receptor partial agonist, as maintenance treatment in adolescent outpatients with schizophrenia. METHOD: This was a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized withdrawal design trial. Participants 13 to 17 years of age with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (DSM-IV-TR) were first cross-titrated from their other oral antipsychotic(s) (4-6 weeks), then stabilized (7-21 weeks) on oral aripiprazole 10 to 30 mg/d, and finally randomized 2:1 to continuation of oral aripiprazole or to placebo in a double-blind maintenance phase (≤52 weeks). The primary endpoint was time from randomization to exacerbation of psychotic symptoms/impending relapse. Safety and tolerability were assessed. RESULTS: Of 201 enrolled participants, 146 were randomized to aripiprazole (n = 98) or placebo (n = 48) in the double-blind maintenance phase. Treatment with aripiprazole was associated with a significantly longer time to exacerbation of psychotic symptoms/impending relapse compared with placebo (hazard ratio, 0.46 [95% CI = 0.24-0.88]; p = .016). Aripiprazole was associated with lower rates of serious treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) versus placebo (3.1% versus 12.5%; p = .059) and severe TEAEs (2.0% versus 10.4%; p = .039). The rate of discontinuation due to TEAEs was lower with aripiprazole versus placebo (20.4% versus 39.6%, p = .014; number-needed-to-harm = 5.1). The incidences of extrapyramidal symptoms, weight gain, and somnolence were similar or lower with aripiprazole than with placebo, and no TEAEs related to elevated serum prolactin were reported. Based on Tanner staging, 27.6% of participants treated with aripiprazole and 16.7% of those who received placebo progressed one or two stages from baseline. CONCLUSION: Aripiprazole was observed to be safe and effective for the maintenance treatment of adolescents with schizophrenia. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Efficacy and Safety Study of Oral Aripiprazole in Adolescents With Schizophrenia; http://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT01149655.

Plasma concentrations and dosing of 2 long-acting injectable formulations of aripiprazole.

Maintaining therapeutic plasma concentrations of an antipsychotic agent is essential in preventing relapse of symptoms in schizophrenia. Long-acting injectable (LAI) formulations provide extended exposure to antipsychotic therapy and have been useful in addressing treatment nonadherence. Aripiprazole is an atypical antipsychotic used in the treatment of schizophrenia and is available in 2 chemically different (aripiprazole monohydrate and aripiprazole lauroxil [AL]) and pharmaceutically different LAI formulations (aripiprazole once-monthly 400 mg [AOM 400] and AL). The pharmaceutical difference is that AL, unlike AOM 400, is a prodrug that requires additional metabolic steps to form the active drug aripiprazole. We present data demonstrating that aripiprazole plasma concentrations are similar for AOM 400 and the 882 mg dose of AL when administered once every 4 weeks and that both provide similar therapeutic plasma concentrations of aripiprazole when compared with therapeutic oral doses.

Efficacy and Safety of Aripiprazole Once-Monthly in the Maintenance Treatment of Bipolar I Disorder: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, 52-Week Randomized Withdrawal Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate efficacy, safety, and tolerability of long-acting injectable antipsychotic aripiprazole once-monthly 400 mg (AOM 400) as maintenance treatment for bipolar I disorder (BP-I). METHODS: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 52-week randomized withdrawal study conducted from August 2012 to April 2016, patients with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of BP-I currently experiencing a manic episode were stabilized sequentially on oral aripiprazole and AOM 400 and then randomized to AOM 400 or placebo. The primary end point was time from randomization to recurrence of any mood episode. Other end points included proportion of patients with recurrence of any mood episode and recurrence by mood episode type. RESULTS: Of 266 randomized patients, 64 (48.1%) of 133 in the AOM 400 group and 38 (28.6%) of 133 in the placebo group completed the study. AOM 400 significantly delayed the time to recurrence of any mood episode compared with placebo (hazard ratio: 0.45; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.68; P < .0001). Significantly fewer patients (P < .0001) experienced recurrence of any mood episode with AOM 400 (35/132; 26.5%) compared with placebo (68/133; 51.1%), with the effects observed predominantly on manic episodes (P < .0001). Patients were not depressed at study entry, and between-group differences in depressive episodes were not significant (P < .864). The treatment-emergent adverse events (incidence > 5%) that were reported at higher rates with AOM 400 than placebo were weight increase, akathisia, insomnia, and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: AOM 400 delayed the time to and reduced the rate of recurrence of mood episodes and was generally safe and well tolerated. These findings support the use of AOM 400 for maintenance treatment of BP-I. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01567527.

Effects of aripiprazole once-monthly on symptoms of schizophrenia in patients switched from oral antipsychotics.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of aripiprazole once-monthly 400 mg (AOM 400) on clinical symptoms and global improvement in schizophrenia after switching from an oral antipsychotic. METHODS: In a multicenter, open-label, mirror-image, naturalistic study in patients with schizophrenia (>1 year, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision [DSM-IV-TR] criteria), changes in efficacy measures were assessed during prospective treatment (6 months) with AOM 400 after switching from standard-of-care oral antipsychotics. During prospective treatment, patients were cross-titrated to oral aripiprazole monotherapy (1-4) weeks followed by open-label AOM 400 (24 weeks). Mean change from baseline of the open-label AOM 400 phase in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores (total, positive and negative subscales) and Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) scores; mean CGI-Improvement (CGI-I) score; and proportion of responders (≥30% decrease from baseline in PANSS total score or CGI-I score of 1 [very much improved] or 2 [much improved]) were assessed. RESULTS: PANSS and CGI-S scores improved from baseline (P<0.0001) and CGI-I demonstrated improvement at all time points. By the end of the study, 49.0% of patients were PANSS or CGI-I responders. CONCLUSIONS: In a community setting, patients with schizophrenia who were stabilized at baseline and switched to AOM 400 from oral antipsychotics showed clear improvements in clinical symptoms.

Rasagiline: time to onset of antiparkinson effect is similar when used as a monotherapy or adjunct treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Rasagiline, a monoamine oxidase type B inhibitor, is indicated for both the initial treatment of Parkinson disease (PD) and as adjunctive (add-on) treatment for patients already taking dopaminergic therapy. This open-label prospective community-based clinical trial was designed to determine the time-to-onset and the magnitude of the beneficial effects of rasagiline in PD patients. METHODS: Patients received rasagiline of 1.0 mg once daily as monotherapy or 0.5 mg once daily as adjunct therapy (adjunct therapy dose could be increased to 1 mg/d if clinically indicated) for 12 weeks. Dietary restrictions and recommendations regarding concurrent antidepressant treatment consistent with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations were in keeping with typical usage. Effectiveness was measured as change from baseline in bradykinesia scores and physicians' and patients' global impression. Patients were prospectively monitored for treatment emergent dopaminergic side effects, tyramine reactions, and possible interactions with commonly used antidepressants. RESULTS: Objective and subjective measures of symptom severity improved at 1 week in 272 PD patients treated with once-daily rasagiline (n=123 monotherapy, n=149 adjunct therapy). The magnitude of beneficial effect was similar in monotherapy and adjunct therapy patients. No significant dopaminergic side effects, tyramine reactions, or interactions with antidepressants were observed in the 12-week trial. CONCLUSIONS: Rasagiline has a measurable beneficial effect on PD symptoms within 1 week of treatment. Rasagiline has a similar magnitude of benefit in monotherapy and adjunct therapy patients. Adverse interactions between antidepressants and rasagiline were not observed in patients in this trial. The usual use of rasagiline in community neurology practice, consistent with the FDA labeling, seems safe and effective.