title: Lurasidone: a review of its use in adult patients with bipolar I depression.
abstract: Lurasidone (Latuda(®)), a benzisothiazole derivative antipsychotic, is approved in the USA and Canada for the treatment of adults with major depressive episodes (MDE) associated with bipolar I disorder; this article reviews studies of lurasidone in this indication. In two 6-week, placebo-controlled trials in adults with bipolar I depression, lurasidone 20-120 mg/day reduced depressive symptoms, either as monotherapy or as an adjunct to lithium or valproate. Lurasidone reduced the mean Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score from baseline (primary endpoint) by >50 %; the reductions in scores were significantly greater than with placebo. The treatment effects were small to medium and the numbers needed to treat to obtain an additional MDE response (≥50 % reduction from baseline in the MADRS total score) were ≤7 across the lurasidone groups. In a third, similarly designed trial of lurasidone 20-120 mg/day adjunctive to lithium or valproate, there was no significant between-group difference in the change in the mean MADRS total score at week 6 (primary endpoint), although significant differences favouring lurasidone were observed from week 2 to week 5. Across trials, the most frequently occurring adverse events included akathisia, extrapyramidal symptoms and somnolence. Lurasidone had a favourable profile with respect to weight gain and metabolic disturbances, known to occur with some other antipsychotics. Thus, lurasidone offers a valuable addition to the therapies available for adult patients with bipolar depression, either as monotherapy or as an adjunct to lithium or valproate.
authors.affiliation: Springer, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay 0754, Auckland, New Zealand, demail@springer.com.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanford
authors.forename: Sohita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dhillon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D018020:Lithium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000069056:Lurasidone Hydrochloride / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D018020:Lithium Compounds; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D014635:Valproic Acid; D000069056:Lurasidone Hydrochloride