Gedeon Richter

Cariprazine is well tolerated in the early stage of schizophrenia and has a positive effect on engagement compared to another antipsychotic

BUDAPEST, Hungary, April 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Between the 10-13^th  April 2021, during the 29th Annual Meeting of the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) – which was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation – new analysis of cariprazine studies with patients experiencing acute or predominant negative symptoms (PNS) of schizophrenia was presented by Gedeon Richter Plc. According to the scientific posters, cariprazine significantly improved patient engagement in individuals suffering from PNS compared to risperidone, and the co-administration of cariprazine with other antipsychotic medications did not show an unexpected safety profile nor overlapping toxicities. It was also shown that cariprazine was well-tolerated in the early stage of the illness (first five years) and the discontinuation rates due to unbearable side effects were also low.

Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder comprising positive, negative, and affective symptoms, as well as cognitive impairment. Schizophrenia affects about 1% of the population; an estimated 5 million people struggle with this disorder in the EU. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia affect up to 60% of patients and have a significant impact on their daily functioning. Antipsychotics have been proven to be an effective treatment of positive symptoms, nonetheless the management of negative symptoms remains a considerable clinical challenge.

Based on evidence from a double-blind clinical trial, cariprazine has been proven to significantly improve engagement, defined as the patient's desire and capability to re-engage with life, in individuals with PNS compared to risperidone based on the post-hoc analysis of 11 items of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS-11). The improvement (in favor of cariprazine) was statistically significant from week 14 onwards. In addition, greater change from baseline was showed in almost all investigated PANSS items compared to risperidone. The importance of these results – highlighted in one of our scientific posters – is that cariprazine can not only alleviate symptoms and improve everyday functioning of PNS patients, but also has a positive impact on their engagement with their life and treatment, which is undeniably one of the most important issues for patients and their caregivers too.