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New schizophrenia, mania drug approved
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National Institutes of Health
Saphris from Schering-Plough yesterday joined the growing category of drugs that control hallucinations, hyperactivity and psychotic behavior in people diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Saphris after three clinical trials showed that the drug worked better than a placebo to prevent people with schizophrenia from hearing voices, seeing thing that do not exist or holding false beliefs. Two other clinical trials showed Saphris to be more effect than sugar pills at preventing mania and psychoses among people with bipolar I disorder.
Saphris contains the medication asenapine. As with similar medications classified as atypical antipsychotic such as AstraZeneca's Seroquel and Lilly' s Zyprexa, Saphris can cause weight gain, tics and restlessness, drowsiness, dizziness and changes in taste sensation.
Doctors should never prescribe Saphris or any other atypical antipsychotic to control psychotic symptoms in people who have Alzheimer's disease.
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