FDA approves new schizophrenia med
May 9, 2009 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
The United States FDA has granted marketing approval to a new drug to help treat schizophrenia. Called Fanapt (iloperidone), the medication is intended to treat adults with schizophrenia while in the acute phases. It isn’t yet known how long they should be kept on the medication once the acute phases is over, but researchers agree that if the patient is responding, continuing with the treatment is encouraged.
According to a company press release , “The approval was supported by two placebo-controlled Phase III clinical studies comparing Fanapt(TM) to placebo and active control in patients with schizophrenia, as well as safety data from more than 3,000 patients.”
Schizophrenia is a fairly common mental illness, estimated to strike one out of every 100 people in North America. While all mental illness is devastating, schizophrenia seems particularly so because it strikes in the prime young adult years, from late teens to mid-20s.
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Image: Newscom
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