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Intramuscular aripiprazole for the treatment of acute agitation in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder: a double-blind, placebo-controlled comparison with intramuscular haloperidol.

INTRODUCTION: This double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated the efficacy and safety of intramuscular (IM) aripiprazole and IM haloperidol for the treatment of acute agitation in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four-hundred and forty-eight patients were randomized (2:2:1 ratio) to IM aripiprazole 9.75 mg, IM haloperidol 6.5 mg, or IM placebo. Patients could receive up to three injections over the first 24 h, with second and third injections administered > or =2 and > or =4 h, respectively, after the first if deemed clinically necessary. Primary efficacy measure was mean change in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale Excited Component (PEC) score from baseline to 2 h. RESULTS: Mean improvement in PEC at 2 h was significantly greater for IM aripiprazole (-7.27) vs placebo (-4.78; p<0.001); IM aripiprazole was noninferior to IM haloperidol (-7.75) on PEC. All secondary efficacy measures showed significantly greater improvements at 2 h for IM aripiprazole and IM haloperidol over placebo. Mean number of injections/patient and percentage of patients requiring benzodiazepines were significantly lower for IM aripiprazole vs placebo (p<0.01). IM aripiprazole was well tolerated. Extrapyramidal symptom-related adverse events were similar for aripiprazole (1.7%) and placebo (2.3%) and lower than with haloperidol (12.6%). CONCLUSION: These results show that IM aripiprazole is an effective treatment, comparable to IM haloperidol, and well-tolerated for acute agitation in patients with schizophrenia.

Acute Disease↗

Effectiveness of long-term aripiprazole therapy in patients with acutely relapsing or chronic, stable schizophrenia: a 52-week, open-label comparison with olanzapine.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the long-term efficacy and safety of aripiprazole with olanzapine in patients with either acute relapsing or chronic, stable schizophrenia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 52-week, open-label extension to a 26-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients with chronic schizophrenia. Patients who completed the initial treatment or who met the protocol definition of relapse after > or =2 weeks of double-blind treatment were randomized to aripiprazole (15-30 mg/day, n = 104) or olanzapine (10-20 mg/day, n = 110) for 52 weeks. RESULTS: Sixty-nine percent of patients completed the study. Efficacy improvements were similar between groups at endpoint, mean reductions in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) Total scores from baseline for patients completing the study (observed cases) were similar in chronic stable patients (aripiprazole, -7.94; olanzapine, -7.36) and in patients with acute relapse (aripiprazole, -31.19; olanzapine, -29.55). Olanzapine-treated patients reported more extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS)-related adverse events (18%) than aripiprazole-treated patients (10%). No significant differences in EPS were seen between treatments at endpoint. Olanzapine was associated with significantly greater weight gain than aripiprazole at all time points (week 52 [LOCF]: +2.54 vs +0.04 kg; p < 0.001). Changes in fasting glucose and lipid levels at endpoint favored aripiprazole over olanzapine, with significant differences observed for total cholesterol, low- and high-density lipoprotein. While differences observed for changes in fasting glucose and triglycerides favored aripiprazole, they were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Aripiprazole showed similar efficacy to olanzapine for long-term treatment of acutely psychotic and chronic, stable schizophrenia patients, with a lower liability for weight gain or increased lipid levels.

Adolescent↗

Unique pharmacological profile of aripiprazole as the phasic component buster.

RATIONALE: Aripiprazole is a recently introduced antipsychotic with a unique pharmacological profile, a dopamine partial agonist. Dopaminergic neural transmission has two different components, tonic and phasic, which have different physiological functions, but the effects of aripiprazole on tonic and phasic components are not reported. OBJECTIVE: Studies on antipsychotics including aripiprazole and tonic/phasic dopamine transmission are summarized. RESULTS: Antipsychotics exert efficacy without extrapyramidal side effects (EPS's) when their occupation of dopamine D2 receptors reaches 65-80%. When a "tightly binding" antipsychotic binds 70% of D2 receptors, the remaining 30% are available for endogenous dopamine to bind. These tight antipsychotics suppress dopamine transmission in both tonic/phasic components equally so that similar proportions are kept. Aripiprazole is effective when >90% of D2 receptors are occupied. In this condition, less than 10% of D2 receptors are available for endogenous dopamine to bind; however, EPS's do not occur because aripiprazole exerts partial dopaminergic agonistic activity. Because the concentration of aripiprazole in the brain is relatively constant and it binds to D2 receptors tightly, the added dopaminergic agonism may show a tonic nature. Thus, aripiprazole suppresses the phasic component relatively more than the tonic component. In contrast, under treatment with "loosely binding" antipsychotics, phasic dopaminergic transmission is relatively preserved. CONCLUSIONS: Tight antipsychotics suppress both tonic and phasic components equally. Aripiprazole suppresses the phasic component relatively more than the tonic; that is, aripiprazole is a phasic [corrected] component buster. By contrast, suppression of the phasic component by loosely binding antipsychotics may be relatively weak.

Animals↗

Aripiprazole blocks reinstatement of cocaine seeking in an animal model of relapse.

BACKGROUND: Aripiprazole (Abilify) is an atypical antipsychotic drug primarily characterized by partial agonist activity at dopamine (DA) D2 receptors and low side effects. Based on pharmacologic properties that include a stabilization of mesocorticolimbic DA activity, a pathway implicated in addiction, aripiprazole was tested for its ability to prevent relapse to cocaine seeking in rats. METHODS: We assessed the dose-dependent effects of aripiprazole on conditioned cue-induced and cocaine-primed reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior following chronic intravenous cocaine self-administration in an animal model of relapse. RESULTS: Aripiprazole potently and dose-dependently attenuated responding on the previously cocaine-paired lever during both reinstatement conditions, with slightly greater efficacy at reducing conditioned-cued reinstatement. Aripiprazole was effective at doses that failed to alter cocaine self-administration, food self-administration, reinstatement of food-seeking behavior, or basal locomotor activity, suggesting selective effects of aripiprazole on motivated drug-seeking behavior. CONCLUSIONS: These results in a relapse model show that aripiprazole can block cocaine seeking without affecting other behaviors. The D2 partial agonist properties of aripiprazole likely account for the blockade of reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior. Given its established efficacy and tolerability as a treatment for psychosis, aripiprazole may be an excellent therapeutic choice for reducing craving and preventing relapse in people with cocaine dependency.

Animals↗

The novel antipsychotic aripiprazole is a partial agonist at short and long isoforms of D2 receptors linked to the regulation of adenylyl cyclase activity and prolactin release.

Aripiprazole is a novel antipsychotic with a unique mechanism of action, which differs from currently marketed typical and atypical antipsychotics. Aripiprazole has been shown to be a partial agonist at the D(2) family of dopamine (DA) receptors in biochemical and pharmacological studies. To demonstrate aripiprazole's action as a partial D(2) agonist in pituitary cells at the molecular level, we retrovirally transduced the short (D(2S)) and the long (D(2L)) form of the human DA D(2) receptor gene into a rat pituitary cell line, GH4C1. [(3)H]-raclopride saturation binding analyses revealed a B(max) value approximately four-fold higher at D(2S) receptor-expressing GH4C1 cells than at D(2L) receptor-expressing GH4C1 cells, while a K(d) value was similar. Aripiprazole inhibited forskolin-stimulated release of prolactin in both D(2S) and D(2L) receptor-expressing GH4C1 cells, whereas the maximal inhibition of prolactin release was less than that of DA. Similarly, aripiprazole partially inhibited forskolin-induced cAMP accumulation in both D(2) receptor-expressing cells. Aripiprazole antagonized the suppression attained by DA (10(-7) M) in both D(2) receptor-expressing cells and, at the maximal blockade of cAMP, yielded residual cAMP levels equal to those produced by aripiprazole alone. These results indicate that aripiprazole acts as a partial agonist at both D(2S) and D(2L) receptors expressed in GH4C1 cells. These data may explain, at least in part, the observations that aripiprazole shows a novel antipsychotic activity with minimal potential for adverse events including no significant increase of serum prolactin levels in clinical studies.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Aripiprazole, a novel antipsychotic drug, preferentially increases dopamine release in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in rat brain.

Aripiprazole,7-(4-[4-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-1-piperazinyl]butyloxy)-3,4-dihydro-carbostycil (OPC-14597), a novel atypical antipsychotic drug, is a dopamine D2 receptor partial agonist with functional 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, and 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist properties as well. Other atypical antipsychotic drugs, e.g. clozapine, but not typical antipsychotic drugs, e.g. haloperidol, produce significant increases in dopamine and acetylcholine release in the medial prefrontal cortex in rats, effects believed to be related to the ability to improve cognitive function. The increase in the medial prefrontal cortex dopamine release by the atypical antipsychotic drugs has been shown to be partially inhibited by N-[2[4-)2-methoxyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-N-(2-pyridinyl)cyclohexanecarboxamide trihydrochloride (WAY100635), a selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist. Aripiprazole, 0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg, significantly increased dopamine release in the hippocampus. Moreover, aripiprazole, 0.3 mg/kg, slightly but significantly increased dopamine release in the medial prefrontal cortex but not in the nucleus accumbens. These increases were significantly inhibited by WAY100635. By contrast, aripiprazole, 3.0 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg, significantly decreased dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens but not the medical prefrontal cortex. However, aripiprazole 10 mg/kg significantly decreased dopamine release in the both regions. Aripiprazole had no effect on acetylcholine release in the medial prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, or nucleus accumbens at any dose, except for 3.0 mg/kg, which decreased acetylcholine release in the nucleus accumbens only. Aripiprazole, 0.3 mg/kg, transiently potentiated haloperidol (0.1 mg/kg)-induced dopamine release in the medial prefrontal cortex but inhibited that in the nucleus accumbens. The present study demonstrated that aripiprazole, at low doses of 0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg, increases dopamine release in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. It also suggests that the function of both the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus may contribute to the ability of aripiprazole to improve negative symptom and cognition.

Acetylcholine↗

Aripiprazole and its human metabolite are partial agonists at the human dopamine D2 receptor, but the rodent metabolite displays antagonist properties.

Aripiprazole is a novel antipsychotic drug, which displays partial agonist activity at the dopamine D(2) receptor. Aripiprazole has been extensively studied pre-clinically, both in vitro and in vivo, and these results have been correlated with clinical findings. However, aripiprazole is metabolised differently in rats and man and these metabolites may contribute to the profile of aripiprazole observed in vivo. We have therefore studied the interaction of aripiprazole and its principal rat and human metabolites in both in vitro models of dopamine hD(2) receptor function and affinity, and of in vivo models of dopamine rat D(2) receptor function. The human metabolite displayed similar levels of partial agonist activity to aripiprazole at the dopamine hD(2) receptor and displayed similar behavioural profile to aripiprazole in vivo, suggesting that in man the metabolite may maintain the effects of aripiprazole. In contrast, the rat metabolite displayed antagonist activity both in vitro and in vivo. Thus care must be taken in ascribing effects seen in vivo with aripiprazole in rats to dopamine D(2) receptor partial agonist activity in man, and that care must also be taken in extrapolating effects seen in rats to man, particularly from long-term studies.

Amphetamine↗

Aripiprazole: a comprehensive review of its pharmacology, clinical efficacy, and tolerability.

BACKGROUND: Recently approved for the treatment of schizophrenia, aripiprazole represents the sixth second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) introduced to the US market. Aripiprazole is considered a partial dopaminergic agonist, acting on both postsynaptic dopamine(2) receptors and presynaptic autoreceptors, in addition to displaying partial agonism at serotonin(1A) receptors and antagonism at serotonin(2A) receptors. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to comprehensively review all available literature regarding the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, and adverse effects of aripiprazole. METHODS: Relevant data were collected using MEDLINE and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts searches with the terms aripiprazole and OPC-14597 and with no limitations on year. Abstracts and posters presented at national and international scientific meetings were also reviewed. RESULTS: Aripiprazole exhibits linear pharmacokinetics and is administered once daily. In multiple clinical trials, aripiprazole was effective in significantly reducing symptomatology associated with schizophrenia-related disorders compared with placebo (P < 0.05). Dosages > or =15 mg/d more consistently produced significant reductions from baseline of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total scores (P < 0.05) and were more likely to elicit a response than smaller dosages. Effects observed were comparable to those seen with risperidone and haloperidol, which were also significantly more effective than placebo (P < or = 0.05). Aripiprazole exhibited a favorable safety and tolerability profile, with a low propensity to cause extrapyramidal symptoms, weight gain, cardiovascular abnormalities, hyperprolactinemia, hypercholesterolemia, or glucose dysregulation. CONCLUSIONS: Aripiprazole represents a well-tolerated and effective addition to the antipsychotic armamentarium. However, definitive advantages associated with dopamine partial agonism have yet to be determined. Long-term, head-to-head comparisons with other SGAs are needed to establish the effects of chronic administration and the relative safety and efficacy of aripiprazole.

Antipsychotic Agents↗

Aripiprazole, a novel atypical antipsychotic drug with a unique and robust pharmacology.

Atypical antipsychotic drugs have revolutionized the treatment of schizophrenia and related disorders. The current clinically approved atypical antipsychotic drugs are characterized by having relatively low affinities for D(2)-dopamine receptors and relatively high affinities for 5-HT(2A) serotonin receptors (5-HT, 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin)). Aripiprazole (OPC-14597) is a novel atypical antipsychotic drug that is reported to be a high-affinity D(2)-dopamine receptor partial agonist. We now provide a comprehensive pharmacological profile of aripiprazole at a large number of cloned G protein-coupled receptors, transporters, and ion channels. These data reveal a number of interesting and potentially important molecular targets for which aripiprazole has affinity. Aripiprazole has highest affinity for h5-HT(2B)-, hD(2L)-, and hD(3)-dopamine receptors, but also has significant affinity (5-30 nM) for several other 5-HT receptors (5-HT(1A), 5-HT(2A), 5-HT(7)), as well as alpha(1A)-adrenergic and hH(1)-histamine receptors. Aripiprazole has less affinity (30-200 nM) for other G protein-coupled receptors, including the 5-HT(1D), 5-HT(2C), alpha(1B)-, alpha(2A)-, alpha(2B)-, alpha(2C)-, beta(1)-, and beta(2)-adrenergic, and H(3)-histamine receptors. Functionally, aripiprazole is an inverse agonist at 5-HT(2B) receptors and displays partial agonist actions at 5-HT(2A), 5-HT(2C), D(3), and D(4) receptors. Interestingly, we also discovered that the functional actions of aripiprazole at cloned human D(2)-dopamine receptors are cell-type selective, and that a range of actions (eg agonism, partial agonism, antagonism) at cloned D(2)-dopamine receptors are possible depending upon the cell type and function examined. This mixture of functional actions at D(2)-dopamine receptors is consistent with the hypothesis proposed by Lawler et al (1999) that aripiprazole has "functionally selective" actions. Taken together, our results support the hypothesis that the unique actions of aripiprazole in humans are likely a combination of "functionally selective" activation of D(2) (and possibly D(3))-dopamine receptors, coupled with important interactions with selected other biogenic amine receptors--particularly 5-HT receptor subtypes (5-HT(1A), 5-HT(2A)).

Antipsychotic Agents↗

Dissociation between in vivo occupancy and functional antagonism of dopamine D2 receptors: comparing aripiprazole to other antipsychotics in animal models.

The novel antipsychotic aripiprazole requires high (>90%) striatal D2 receptor occupancy (D2RO) to be clinically active, but despite its high D2RO it does not show extrapyramidal symptoms. While most antipsychotics are active at nearly 65% D2RO, they show motor side effects when D2RO exceeds 80%. We investigated this discrepancy between D2RO, 5HT2 receptor occupancy (5-HT2RO) and in vivo functional activity of aripiprazole in comparison to haloperidol (typical) and risperidone (atypical) in animal models. All three drugs showed dose-dependent D2RO. While risperidone clearly showed higher 5-HT2RO than D2RO, aripiprazole and haloperidol showed higher D2RO than 5-HT2RO at all doses. Haloperidol and risperidone induced catalepsy at doses producing >80% D2RO, while aripiprazole despite higher D2RO (>90%) induced no catalepsy. Haloperidol and risperidone's ED50 values for inhibition of conditioned avoidance response (CAR) and amphetamine-induced locomotor activity (AIL) corresponded to approximately 60% D2RO. In contrast, aripiprazole showed a significant dissociation; while it blocked AIL at similar D2RO, a 23-fold higher dose (86% D2RO) was required to inhibit CAR. FOS expression in shell region of the nucleus accumbens was significant for all drugs at D2ROs that were effective in CAR. However, in the core region of the nucleus accumbens and dorsolateral striatum, aripiprazole differed from the others in that despite high D2RO it induced low FOS. Haloperidol and risperidone showed dose/occupancy-dependent prolactin elevations, while aripiprazole did not. Across models, haloperidol and risperidone show similar occupancy-functional antagonism of the D2 system, while aripiprazole shows a clear dissociation. Partial agonism of aripiprazole offers a good explanation for this dissociation and provides a framework for understanding occupancy-functional relationships of partial D2 agonist antipsychotics.

Animals↗

Aripiprazole.

The pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, adverse effects, drug interactions, and dosage and administration of aripiprazole are discussed. Aripiprazole is a third-generation antipsychotic agent indicated for use in the treatment of schizophrenia. Unlike other antipsychotics, aripiprazole demonstrates mixed D2 and serotonin (5-HT1A) receptor agonist-antagonist activity that is hypothesized to improve schlzophrenia's positive and negative symptoms; the drug has been referred to as a dopamine-serotonin stabilizer. Aripiprazole is well absorbed, with peak plasma concentrations occurring within three to five hours after administration. The oral availability is 87%. The mean elimination half-life is about 75 hours for aripiprazole and 94 hours for its active metabolite. In controlled, randomized, multicenter trials, aripiprazole has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of schizophrenia comparable to that of haloperidol and superior to placebo. In a single clinical trial, aripiprazole was superior to placebo in the treatment of acute mania. The most frequent adverse effects are headache, anxiety, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, and lightheadedness. Because aripiprazole is a substrate of both cytochrome P-450 isoenzymes 3A4 and 2D6, there is a potential for other drugs to affect its metabolism. The recommended starting dosage is 10 or 15 mg daily, preferably administered with meals. Aripiprazole offers an alternative to second-generation antipsychotic agents in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Antipsychotic Agents↗

Effects of aripiprazole on alcohol intake in an animal model of high-alcohol drinking.

AIMS: This study examined the effects of aripiprazole, a novel atypical antipsychotic drug with partial agonist properties at dopamine D2 receptors, on the voluntary limited access alcohol drinking of alcohol-preferring AA (Alko, Alcohol) rats. METHODS: AA rats were taught to drink 10% alcohol in a 4 h limited access paradigm. Effects of acute aripiprazole (0, 0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg) on the limited access alcohol drinking were studied. In repeated treatment experiment, aripiprazole (0, 1.0, and 6.0 mg/kg) was administered once daily over five successive days. To reveal any effect by aripiprazole not selective for alcohol drinking, 0.025% saccharin solution was substituted for alcohol during the 4 h limited access, and acute treatments were repeated. The effects of aripiprazole on ambulatory locomotor activity were tested with doses that were used in the acute experiments. RESULTS: Acute aripiprazole at the doses of 0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg had no effect on alcohol drinking. Repeated treatment with the aripiprazole dose of 6.0 mg/kg significantly diminished alcohol drinking at the 1 h time point. This dose had no effect on saccharin drinking when given acutely. Acute aripiprazole at the doses of 1.0, 3.0, and 6.0 mg/kg significantly suppressed locomotor activity. CONCLUSIONS: Aripiprazole decreased limited access alcohol drinking in AA rats, but only at a high dose that also strongly suppressed locomotor activity.

Alcohol Deterrents↗

Aripiprazole for the treatment of psychosis in patients with Alzheimer's disease: a randomized, placebo-controlled study.

This study compared the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of aripiprazole, a novel antipsychotic, with placebo in patients with psychosis associated with Alzheimer's Disease (AD). This 10-week, double-blind, multicenter study randomized 208 outpatients (mean age, 81.5 years) with AD-associated psychosis to aripiprazole (n = 106) or placebo (n = 102). The initial aripiprazole dose of 2 mg/d was titrated upwards (5, 10, or 15 mg/d) according to efficacy and tolerability. Evaluations included Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Psychosis subscale and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), adverse event (AE) reports, extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) rating scales, and body weight. Overall, 172 patients (83%) completed the study. Mean aripiprazole dose at end point was 10.0 mg/d. The NPI Psychosis subscale score showed improvements in both groups (aripiprazole, -6.55; placebo, -5.52; P = 0.17 at end point). Aripiprazole-treated patients showed significantly greater improvements from baseline in BPRS Psychosis and BPRS Core subscale scores at end point compared with placebo. AEs were generally mild to moderate in severity and included (aripiprazole vs. placebo): urinary tract infection (8% vs. 12%), accidental injury (8% vs. 5%), somnolence (8% vs. 1%), and bronchitis (6% vs. 3%). Somnolence was mild and not associated with falls or accidental injury. There were no significant differences from placebo in EPS scores, or clinically significant ECG abnormalities, vital signs, or weight. In conclusion, aripiprazole showed similar improvements to placebo in psychotic symptoms as assessed by NPI Psychosis subscale scores, but significantly greater effects on BPRS Core and Psychosis assessments in community-living AD patients with psychosis. Aripiprazole was safe and well tolerated in this patient population.

Aged↗

Influence of itraconazole co-administration and CYP2D6 genotype on the pharmacokinetics of the new antipsychotic ARIPIPRAZOLE.

The results of in vitro studies indicated that ARIPIPRAZOLE, a newly developed antipsychotic, is mainly metabolized by the human cytochrome P450 isozymes CYP3A4 and CYP2D6. The objective of the present study was to investigate the influence of itraconazole (hereafter referred to as ITZ) co-administration (CYP3A4 inhibition) on the pharmacokinetics of ARIPIPRAZOLE administered to 24 healthy adult male volunteers in a fasting condition. The influence of CYP3A4 inhibition was also examined by CYP2D6 genotype. All subjects were administered a single oral dose of ARIPIPRAZOLE alone in Period I and a single oral dose of ARIPIPRAZOLE following administration of ITZ at 100 mg/day for 7 consecutive days in Period II. The pharmacokinetic parameters of ARIPIPRAZOLE and its main metabolite OPC-14857 were determined. Co-administration of ITZ increased the Cmax, AUC336 hr, and t1/2,z of ARIPIPRAZOLE and OPC-14857 by 19.4%, 48.0%, and 18.6% and by 18.6%, 38.8%, and 53.4%, respectively. By co-administration of ITZ, the CL/F of ARIPIPRAZOLE in extensive metabolizers was decreased by 26.6%, with an even greater decrease (47.3%) in intermediate metabolizers. For the co-administration period, the CL/F of ARIPIPRAZOLE in intermediate metabolizers was about half of that in extensive metabolizers. For Cmax, there was no significant difference between extensive metabolizers and intermediate metabolizers, and the percent change by co-administration of ITZ was less than 20% in both extensive metabolizers and intermediate metabolizers. For OPC-14857, the t(max) in intermediate metabolizers was longer than that in extensive metabolizers, with the difference being amplified by co-administration of ITZ. The AUC336 hr showed similar increases by co-administration of ITZ in all genotypes. The urinary 6beta-hydroxycortisol/cortisol concentration ratio following ITZ administration for 7 consecutive days was about half of that before the start of ITZ administration, indicating that CYP3A4 metabolic activity was inhibited by administration of ITZ. The influence of CYP3A4 inhibition on the pharmacokinetics of ARIPIPRAZOLE was not considered to be clinically significant. On the other hand, definite differences in pharmacokinetics were observed between CYP2D6 genotypes.

Administration, Oral↗

Efficacy and safety of aripiprazole and haloperidol versus placebo in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.

BACKGROUND: Aripiprazole is an investigational agent for treating schizophrenia that has a novel pharmacologic profile. The present study investigated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of aripiprazole and haloperidol compared with placebo. METHOD: A 4-week, double-blind, randomized study, conducted at 36 U.S. centers between July 1997 and June 1998, compared aripiprazole (15 mg/day, 30 mg/day) to placebo, with haloperidol (10 mg/day) as an active control. Fixed doses of each agent were administered from day 1 throughout the study. A total of 414 patients with a primary DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were randomized. Efficacy measures included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total, PANSS positive, PANSS negative, PANSS-derived Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) core, Clinical Global Impressions (CGI)-Severity of Illness, and mean CGI-Improvement scores. Safety and tolerability evaluations included extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS), weight gain, serum prolactin level, and QTc interval. RESULTS: Both doses of aripiprazole and haloperidol, 10 mg, produced statistically significant (p < or = .05) improvements from baseline in PANSS total, PANSS positive, PANSS-derived BPRS core, and CGI-Severity scores and significantly lower CGI-Improvement scores at endpoint, compared with placebo. Aripiprazole, 15 mg, and haloperidol, 10 mg, significantly improved PANSS negative score compared with placebo. Both aripiprazole doses and haloperidol separated from placebo for PANSS total scores at week 2. Unlike haloperidol, aripiprazole was not associated with significant EPS or prolactin elevation at endpoint compared with placebo. There were no statistically significant differences in mean changes in body weight across the treatment groups versus placebo, and no patients receiving aripiprazole experienced clinically significant increases in QTc interval. CONCLUSION: Aripiprazole, effective against positive and negative symptoms, is a safe and well-tolerated potential treatment for schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.

Acute Disease↗

A comparison of weight change during treatment with olanzapine or aripiprazole: results from a randomized, double-blind study.

BACKGROUND: Weight gain is a side effect of therapy with many atypical antipsychotics and may have important clinical repercussions with respect to long-term health and treatment compliance. The primary objective of this double-blind study was to compare the safety and tolerability of aripiprazole and olanzapine in patients with schizophrenia as evidenced by the percentage of patients exhibiting significant weight gain. METHOD: This was a 26-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled trial in patients with DSM-IV schizophrenia who were in acute relapse and required hospitalization. Significant weight gain was defined as a > or = 7% increase in body weight from baseline. Body weight, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale (CGI-I) assessments were performed at baseline and at regular intervals during the study. The study period was from April 2000 through June 2001. RESULTS: 317 patients were randomly assigned to aripiprazole (N = 156) or olanzapine (N = 161). Compared with those treated with aripiprazole, a greater proportion of patients treated with olanzapine exhibited clinically significant weight gain during the trial. By week 26, 37% of olanzapine-treated patients had experienced significant weight gain compared with 14% of aripiprazole-treated patients (p < .001). Statistically significant differences in mean weight change were observed between treatments beginning at week 1 and sustained throughout the study. At week 26, there was a mean weight loss of 1.37 kg (3.04 lb) with aripiprazole compared with a mean increase of 4.23 kg (9.40 lb) with olanzapine among patients who remained on therapy (p < .001). Changes in fasting plasma levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides were significantly different in the 2 treatment groups, with worsening of the lipid profile among patients treated with olanzapine. There was a consistent and sustained improvement in symptoms in patients who remained on therapy with either olanzapine or aripiprazole as assessed by CGI-I scores and responder rates throughout the study. CONCLUSION: Olanzapine had a greater impact on patients' weight than aripiprazole. Significant differences in favor of aripiprazole were also observed in the effects of therapy on plasma lipid profile. Both treatment groups achieved comparable clinically meaningful improvements on efficacy measures. The observed effects on weight and lipids indicate a potentially lower metabolic and cardiovascular risk in patients treated with aripiprazole compared with those treated with olanzapine.

Acute Disease↗

Switching patients to aripiprazole from other antipsychotic agents: a multicenter randomized study.

RATIONALE: Switching patients from one antipsychotic to another can lead to tolerability problems or transient symptom exacerbations. It is important to compare switching strategies to determine which methods produce the best possible patient outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of three dosing strategies for switching chronic, stable patients with schizophrenia from current oral antipsychotic monotherapy to once-daily oral aripiprazole monotherapy. METHOD: Patients in this 8-week, open-label, outpatient study were randomized to: 1). immediate initiation of 30 mg/day aripiprazole with simultaneous immediate discontinuation of current antipsychotic; 2). immediate initiation of 30 mg/day aripiprazole while tapering off current antipsychotic over 2 weeks; or 3). up-titrating aripiprazole to 30 mg/day over 2 weeks, while simultaneously tapering off current antipsychotic. Efficacy assessments included PANSS, CGI-S, and CGI-I scores. Safety assessments included: adverse events (AEs) recording, evaluation of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS), vital signs, ECG, and clinical laboratory tests. RESULTS: Efficacy with aripiprazole was maintained during the study with numerical improvements compared with baseline in all three groups. The overall incidence of AEs was broadly comparable across all groups, and AEs were generally mild to moderate in severity and time-limited. Discontinuations due to AEs were comparable across the groups. No deterioration in EPS occurred in any group. The reduction in body weight and plasma prolactin levels following switch to aripiprazole were comparable across the three groups. CONCLUSION: Any of the three strategies evaluated can be used safely for switching patients to aripiprazole from antipsychotic monotherapy. Furthermore, patients' symptoms may continue to improve after switching to aripiprazole.

Adult↗

A placebo-controlled, double-blind study of the efficacy and safety of aripiprazole in patients with acute bipolar mania.

OBJECTIVE: The authors compared the efficacy and safety of aripiprazole, a novel antipsychotic, to placebo for treatment of patients in an acute manic or mixed episode of bipolar disorder. METHOD: This 3-week, multicenter, double-blind study randomly assigned 262 bipolar disorder patients in an acute manic or mixed episode to aripiprazole, 30 mg/day (reduced to 15 mg/day if needed for tolerability), or placebo. Patients remained hospitalized for at least 2 of the weeks. The primary efficacy measure was mean change from baseline in total score on the Young Mania Rating Scale; response was defined as a decrease in score of > or =50%. RESULTS: Aripiprazole produced statistically significant mean improvements in total score on the Young Mania Rating Scale compared with placebo (-8.2 versus -3.4, respectively) and produced a significantly higher response rate (40% versus 19%). For key efficacy variables (response per Young Mania Rating Scale; Clinical Global Impression-Bipolar Version scores for severity of illness [mania] and change from preceding phase [mania]), aripiprazole separated from placebo by day 4. The completion rate was significantly higher with aripiprazole than with placebo (42% versus 21%). Discontinuations due to adverse events did not differ significantly between the aripiprazole and placebo groups. There were no significant changes in body weight versus placebo, and aripiprazole was not associated with elevated serum prolactin or QTc prolongation. CONCLUSIONS: Aripiprazole had significantly greater efficacy than placebo for the treatment of bipolar disorder patients in acute manic or mixed episodes and was safe and well tolerated in this randomized controlled trial.

Acute Disease↗