Cariprazine Effective in Early-Stage Schizophrenia
A pooled analysis of three trials shows cariprazine improved symptoms in early-stage schizophrenia patients. The drug demonstrated significant efficacy in overall symptomatology, as well as positive and negative symptoms.
Gedeon Richter Plc. has released findings from a post-hoc analysis of three Phase II/III clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of cariprazine in patients with early-stage schizophrenia. The analysis pooled data from 304 patients treated with cariprazine and 143 treated with placebo, all diagnosed with schizophrenia for less than five years.
The six-week treatment period showed that patients receiving cariprazine experienced a significant improvement in overall symptomatology compared to those on placebo. Statistical analysis of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total scores indicated a least squares mean difference (LSMD) of -6.28 in favor of cariprazine.
Furthermore, cariprazine demonstrated efficacy in addressing specific symptom clusters relevant to early-stage schizophrenia, including positive, negative, and uncontrolled hostility/excitement symptoms, classified by Marder factor groupings. A significant decrease was observed in negative symptom factor scores.
These results suggest cariprazine is a viable treatment option for individuals in the early phases of schizophrenia, where timely intervention is critical for long-term outcomes. The studies were funded by Gedeon Richter Plc. and Allergan Plc."