title: Aripiprazole Lauroxil: Pharmacokinetic Profile of This Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotic in Persons With Schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aripiprazole lauroxil is an extended-release prodrug of aripiprazole for intramuscular injection, approved for schizophrenia treatment. We developed a population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) model to characterize aripiprazole lauroxil PK and evaluate dosing scenarios likely to be encountered in clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 616 patients with schizophrenia, collected from 5 clinical studies, were used to construct the PopPK model. The model was subsequently used to evaluate various dose levels and frequency and the impact of dosing delay on aripiprazole concentrations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of the model indicate that aripiprazole is released into the systemic circulation after 5 to 6 days, and release continues for an additional 36 days. The slow increase in aripiprazole concentration after injection necessitates the coadministration of oral aripiprazole for 21 days with the first injection. Based on the PopPK model simulations, a dosing interval of 882 mg every 6 weeks results in aripiprazole concentrations that fall within the concentration range associated with the efficacious aripiprazole lauroxil dose range (441-882 mg dosed monthly). A 662-mg monthly dose also resulted in aripiprazole concentrations within the efficacious dose range. Aripiprazole lauroxil administration results in prolonged exposure, such that dose delays of 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the dose regimen, do not require oral aripiprazole supplementation upon resumption of dosing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This PopPK model and model-based simulations were effective means for evaluating aripiprazole lauroxil dosing regimens and management of missed doses. Such analyses play an important role in determining the use of this long-acting antipsychotic in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: From *Alkermes, Inc, Waltham, MA; †ICON plc, Marlow, United Kingdom; ‡ICON, Gaithersburg, MD; and §the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY.
authors.forename: Marjie L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hard
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Sadler
authors.forename: Ryan Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Turncliff
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Citrome
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D000068180:Aripiprazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D000068180:Aripiprazole; C000603935:aripiprazole lauroxil