Janssen Accrues 1 Mill Risperdal Patient Years

Clinical experience with the atypical antipsychotic Risperdal(risperidone) has now reached one million patient years, said Janssen Pharmaceutica at a recent meeting.

Data from trials involving more than 4,200 patients have demonstrated that patients with schizophrenia and other related psychoses see a significant improvement in both positive and negative symptoms compared to conventional neuroleptics, including Janssen's Haldol (haloperidol).

Analysis of the dose-response relationship has shown that the drug is more effective at low doses - up to 6mg - and up to this dose, extrapyramidal side effects are equivalent to placebo, and significantly reduced compared to older antipsychotics. Furthermore, risperidone has no cardiotoxicity problems, says the company.