Risperdal effective in depot formulation

Janssen Pharmaceutica has announced new data from Phase III trials ofits long-acting injectable formulation of Riserdal (risperidone) for the treatment of schizophrenia, which reveal, for the the first time, consistent reliable symptom relief for a depot formulation of an atypical antipsychotic. At the moment, only the older neuroleptics are available in depot formulations in the USA and, while they are useful for patients who find it difficult to comply with daily, oral medication, they are associated with a poorer side-effect profile than the atypical agents.

The long-acting form of Risperdal has not yet received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, although Phase III trials have been completed and a filing is planned later this year (Marketletter February 26). In this formulation, Risperidone is gradually released into the body using Alkermes' Medisorb technology, which encapsulates the drug in tiny microspheres that are then injected intramuscularly every two weeks.