Effect of aripiprazole lauroxil in patients with acute schizophrenia as assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale—supportive analyses from a Phase 3 study

ObjectiveAripiprazole lauroxil (AL) is a long-acting injectable atypical antipsychotic that was evaluated for the treatment of schizophrenia in a randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase 3 study. Here, we present exploratory analyses of supportive efficacy endpoints.MethodsPatients experiencing an acute exacerbation of schizophrenia received AL 441 mg intramuscularly (IM), AL 882 mg IM, or matching placebo IM monthly. Supportive endpoints included changes from baseline at subsequent time points in Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) scale score; Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) Total score; PANSS Positive, Negative, and General Psychopathology subscale scores; PANSS Marder factors (post hoc); and PANSS responder rate. Overall response rate, based on PANSS Total score and Clinical Global Impression–Improvement (CGI-I) scale score, was also analyzed.ResultsOf 622 patients who were randomized, 596 had ≥1 post-baseline PANSS score. Patients were markedly ill at baseline (mean PANSS Total scores 92–94). Compared with placebo, CGI-S scores; PANSS Positive, Negative, and General Psychopathology subscale scores; and PANSS Marder factors were all significantly (pConclusionAL demonstrated robust efficacy on CGI-S score, PANSS subscale scores, PANSS Marder factors, and response rates. Study limitations included use of a fixed dose for initial oral aripiprazole and fixed monthly AL doses without the option to individualize the oral initiation dosing or injection frequency for efficacy, tolerability, or safety.