title: Development of novel therapy of schizophrenia in children and adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Typical and atypical antipsychotics are efficacious treatments for early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) with very subtle differences in their efficacy. Therefore, when choosing an antipsychotic, the side-effect profile of the individual antipsychotic needs to be taken into account. There is a growing body of neurobiological and genetic evidence for early-onset patients, but these findings have not yet translated into the clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors summarize the current treatment options for EOS and discuss the novel treatment options that are under evaluation. The authors focus specifically on Phase II and Phase III clinical trials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Currently, there are no truly groundbreaking pharmacological treatment options emerging in EOS. There are several newer antipsychotic agents (iloperidone, lurasidone, asenapine, blonanserin) that are currently in clinical trials. It is unclear whether therapeutic efficacy of any of these agents will be superior or even similar to the existing treatment and the main differentiating factor between individual drugs remains to be their side-effect profile. Beyond these antipsychotics, oxytocin and N-acetylcysteine are the only new pharmacological treatment options that are being evaluated in EOS. Therefore, a major change in the treatment development paradigm is necessary to identify novel and efficacious drugs.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Neuroscience Research, AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co KG , Knollstrasse, D-67008 Ludwigshafen , Germany +49 621 589 1370 ; +49 621 589 3232 ; anton.bespalov@abbvie.com.
authors: Corinna
authors: C
authors: Klein
authors: Anton
authors: A
authors: Bespalov
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
keywords: adolescent; antipsychotic; children; schizophrenia