Abilify Maintena cuts hospitalization rates for patients with schizophrenia vs oral antipsychotics

Danish CNS drug specialist Lundbeck (LUN: CO) and partner Japanese drugmaker Otsuka Pharmaceuticals (TYO: 4768) today announced positive results from the final analysis of a mirror-image study with Abilify Maintena (aripiprazole).

This showed statistically significant reductions (p<0.0001) in total psychiatric hospitalization rates in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia who were switched from oral antipsychotics to Abilify Maintena once-monthly 400mg - a prolonged-release suspension for intramuscular injection of aripiprazole.These findings were presented as a late breaker poster at the 4th Biennial Schizophrenia International Research Society (SIRS) conference in Florence, Italy.

"Our ability to reduce the risk of relapse and rehospitalization is critical in facilitating improvement in psychosocial and vocational functioning. With each relapse patients can lose hard won gains and find it more and more difficult to progress towards recovery," said study investigator John Kane, chairman of psychiatry, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, and vice president, Behavioral Health Services, North Shore-LIJ Health System.