Schizophrenia drug helps cut hospital re-admissions

A new treatment for schizophrenia helps cut hospital re-admissions in newly-diagnosed patients, a study has found.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals unveiled the findings at the Biennial Schizophrenia International Research Society (SIRS) congress in Florence, Italy.

It reported that its once-a-month, long-acting injectable treatment, paliperidone palmitate, achieved clinically relevant improvements in illness severity and functioning in the majority of newly-diagnosed patients with schizophrenia. The data showed 96% of the patients included in the study did not need to be re-hospitalized due to relapse during the 12 month trial period.