Schizophrenia win for BMS’ Cobenfy, but challenges lie ahead, says analyst

US pharma major Bristol Myers Squibb’s (NYSE: BMY) recent approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Cobenfy (xanomeline and trospium chloride) for the treatment of adults with schizophrenia is a win for the company.

However, as the drugs most widely used to treat schizophrenia are inexpensive, genericized atypical antipsychotics, the schizophrenia market is competitive and crowded. This could make it difficult for Cobenfy to penetrate the market, according to pharma analytics company GlobalData, although it noted that Cobenfy has a mechanism of action (MOA) distinct from traditional antipsychotics.

Christie Wong, GlobalData’s managing neurology analyst, commented: “Cobenfy unlocks the first new drug class for schizophrenia with a novel MOA to be approved in decades. It is a coformulation of a muscarinic acetylcholine M1 and M4 receptor agonist, xanomeline, and peripheral muscarinic acetylcholine antagonist, trospium chloride, and does not directly modulate dopaminergic or serotonergic transmission.”