Long-term efficacy and safety of lurasidone in the treatment of schizophrenia

Lurasidone is a new second-generation antipsychotic approved in March 2014 by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of schizophrenia. Lurasidone has demonstrated its efficacy in long-term studies. It has been shown to reduce significantly the risk of relapse in comparison with placebo in patients with schizophrenia. In comparator study, lurasidone was noninferior to quetiapine XR in risk for relapse. In open-label studies, lurasidone was associated with sustained improvement in efficacy measures observed and well-tolerated in patients with schizophrenia who had switched to lurasidone from another antipsychotic. Available evidence showed also that lurasidone might be involved in the long-term improvement of cognitive performance in schizophrenic patients. Lurasidone differs from the other second-generation antipsychotics by a good tolerability profile, in particular in terms of metabolic and cardiovascular profiles. Lurasidone seems to have a moderate link with the occurrence of akathisia and extrapyramidal symptoms. Although lurasidone long-acting formulation is lacking, the Long-term profile of lurasidone appears compatible with a good acceptability and consequently a good compliance to treatment of patients with schizophrenia. (C) L'Encephale, Paris, 2015.