Cariprazine: New hope for schizophrenia patients in Europe!

Cariprazine: New hope for schizophrenia patients in Europe!

Gedeon Richter Plc presented the latest findings on Cariprazine at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the European Psychiatric Association (EPA), held in Madrid from April 5th to 8th. These new analyzes demonstrate that cariprazine represents a promising treatment option for patients with schizophrenia and concurrent cannabis use. The effectiveness of the drug was demonstrated through various scientific posters presented during the conference. In particular, the results of a six-month observational study were highlighted, highlighting the positive effects of Cariprazine in patients with dual schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder and supporting the effectiveness of the drug. Cariprazine also shows that it significantly reduces the risk of relapse compared to placebo, regardless of the patient's gender.

The first poster evaluated the effectiveness of Cariprazine in patients with dual schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder. The results of a six-month observational study showed clear effectiveness of the drug. The second poster made it clear that the gender of the patient has no significant influence on the risk of relapse. Cariprazine reduces the risk of relapse in both sexes compared to placebo.

Effect on negative symptoms

A third poster focused on the negative symptoms experienced by female patients during their hospital stay. The results show that Cariprazine leads to a significant decrease in these symptoms in both mono- and polytherapy. This is particularly relevant in the context of the current discussion about the challenges in treating negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

Additionally, a fourth poster was presented summarizing findings on the combination of cariprazine with clozapine. This augmentation strategy shows promise for patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia, particularly in terms of alleviating negative symptoms. The discussion about the benefits of third-generation antipsychotics, which include cariprazine, was highlighted by a scientific symposium entitled “Partial activity, full impact: innovations in schizophrenia treatment”.

Statistical relevance and study situation

Cariprazine has proven itself not only in observational studies, but also in a systematic review that included 12 studies with a total of 6,477 patients. This review, as reported by the researchers in [PMC], highlights that cariprazine significantly reduces global clinical severity and provides better results at higher doses. The improvement extends to psychotic, depressive, manic and anxiety symptoms. Such results place cariprazine as a potential cornerstone in the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The discussion about the combination of antipsychotics is also supplemented by the results of the COMBINE study. This examines the emerging advantages of combining clozapine with cariprazine, particularly in treatment-resistant patients. It is clear that the antipsychotic combination treatment approach is promising and should be further investigated in clinical practice.

Cariprazine is approved in 67 countries worldwide and has already reached approximately 1.7 million patients since its launch in Europe and the USA. Its broad applicability and positive results in clinical trials give this drug an important role in psychiatry.