Health Canada issues safety alert on Abilify

3 November 2015

Labels for the prescription antipsychotic drugs Abilify and Abilify Maintena (aripiprazole) have been updated to advise of an increased risk of impulsive behaviors of pathological gambling and hypersexuality, said pharma regulatory agency Health Canada on Monday.

The two brands are marketed by US pharma major Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) and Japanese drugmaker Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s (TYO: 4768). However, the patent on Abilify has now expired and the brand is exposed to generic competition.

Abilify, a tablet taken by mouth, is authorized to treat a certain type of bipolar disorder (bipolar 1, a serious manic-depressive illness involving extreme manic or mixed episodes) in adults and adolescents aged 13 years and older. It is also authorized to treat schizophrenia and related severe psychotic disorders in patients aged 15 years and older, and major depressive disorder in adults when used in combination with other drugs. Abilify Maintena is an injectable drug administered by health professionals and is used to treat schizophrenia in adults.

This article is accessible to registered users, to continue reading please register for free.  A free trial will give you access to exclusive features, interviews, round-ups and commentary from the sharpest minds in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space for a week. If you are already a registered user please login. If your trial has come to an end, you can subscribe here.

Login to your account

Become a subscriber

 

£820

Or £77 per month

Subscribe Now
  • Unfettered access to industry-leading news, commentary and analysis in pharma and biotech.
  • Updates from clinical trials, conferences, M&A, licensing, financing, regulation, patents & legal, executive appointments, commercial strategy and financial results.
  • Daily roundup of key events in pharma and biotech.
  • Monthly in-depth briefings on Boardroom appointments and M&A news.
  • Choose from a cost-effective annual package or a flexible monthly subscription
The Pharma Letter is an extremely useful and valuable Life Sciences service that brings together a daily update on performance people and products. It’s part of the key information for keeping me informed

Chairman, Sanofi Aventis UK

Companies featured in this story

More ones to watch >


Today's issue

Company Spotlight





More Features in Pharmaceutical