Beyond Antipsychotics: a Twenty-First Century Update for Preclinical Development of Schizophrenia Therapeutics

Beyond antipsychotics: a twenty-first century update for preclinical development of schizophrenia therapeutics

Despite 50+ years of drug discovery, current antipsychotics have limited efficacy against negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia, and are ineffective—with the exception of clozapine—against any symptom domain for patients who are treatment resistant. Novel therapeutics with diverse non-dopamine D2 receptor targets have been explored extensively in clinical trials, yet often fail due to a lack of efficacy despite showing promise in prec…

Once-a-week pill for schizophrenia shows promise in clinical trials

For many patients with schizophrenia, other psychiatric illnesses, or diseases such as hypertension and asthma, it can be difficult to take their medicine every day. To help overcome that challenge, MIT researchers have developed a pill that can be taken just once a week and gradually releases medication from within the stomach.

Once-weekly oral schizophrenia treatment shows promise

A weekly oral medication for schizophrenia has shown promise in a stage 3 clinical trial by international researchers. The study followed 83 participants who first received the daily oral medication, and then received the new weekly drug over five weeks at a low or high dose. The drug was generally safe and well-tolerated by participants, with gastrointestinal side effects being the most commonly reported issue, and only one serious adverse even…