New Data from Teva Shows Substantial Rates of Undertreated Tardive Dyskinesia in Long-Term Care Settings at Psych Congress Elevate 2025
- More than half of residents with tardive dyskinesia (TD) residing in long-term care (LTC) settings do not receive standard of care treatment, and one-quarter are left untreated
- LTC residents are often given a broader diagnosis of extrapyramidal syndrome, which can lead to incorrect treatment options for TD
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Teva is committed to continuing to advance research to better understand and help address unmet needs among patients living with TD in LTC settings as well as other
settings
PARSIPPANY, N.J. and TEL AVIV, Israel, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA), today announced results from a study of treatment patterns among patients with tardive dyskinesia (TD) residing in long-term care (LTC) facilities, highlighting a critical gap in TD diagnosis and treatment.
"These results underscore the need for accurate diagnosis and timely treatment initiation for patients living with tardive dyskinesia in a long-term care setting,” said Eric Hughes, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President, Global R&D and Chief Medical Officer at Teva. "At Teva, we are committed to better understand and raise awareness of the gaps in TD care in all patients.”
Key results from the study revealed:
- Of the residents being treated with antipsychotic drugs (APDs), 5.6% had a diagnosis of extrapyramidal syndrome (EPS), – a broad term used to describe any drug-induced movement disorder with no wide-treating therapeutic option – while 1.1% had a specific diagnosis of TD.
- The most common comorbidities observed in residents on APDs at risk for TD included dementia, chronic pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure. Moderate or severe liver disease was observed in <1% of residents on APDs.
- Less than half of patients diagnosed with TD residing in LTC settings received the standard of care treatment recommended by the American Psychiatric Association – a vesicular monoamine
transporter 2 inhibitor (VMAT2i). The majority were treated with a non-FDA approved treatment, primarily benztropine, and a quarter were not treated at all.
“Tardive dyskinesia remains a challenge to identify and is often mistaken for other conditions resulting in undertreatment or inappropriate treatment, often because of confusion about the symptoms a patient is having and also around appropriate treatment options,” said Amita Patel, MD, CMD, MHA, CPE. “These findings underscore the need to better understand and address the gaps in care that exist for residents in long-term care. Ultimately, it’s imperative that residents work with their healthcare providers to seek appropriate diagnoses and learn about potential treatments for TD.”