To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Asenapine as Effective as Olanzapine for Treating Schizophrenia But Less Likely to Induce Weight Gain: Presented at CINP URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/225F72.htm Doctor's Guide July 18, 2008
By Bryan DeBusk, PhD MUNICH, Germany -- July 18, 2008 -- Asenapine provides results similar to olanzapine in adults with schizophrenia, but patients taking asenapine have one-third the risk of weight gain compared with patients on olanzapine, according to research presented here at the 26th Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychopharmacologicum (CINP) Congress. Pilar Cazorla, PhD, Organon USA, Roseland, New Jersey, presented the results of the 26-week, double-blind, comparison trial in a poster session on July 14. In their study of 481 patients with predominant, persistent negative symptoms of schizophrenia, Dr. Cazorla and colleagues evaluated the comparative effectiveness of asenapine 5 or 10 mg twice daily or olanzapine 5 to 20 mg 4 times daily. In each treatment arm, patients were also given a placebo formulation of the other drug. Investigators evaluated patient changes on the 16-item Negative Symptom Assessment (NSA-16) and changes in negative subscale scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) from baseline to study conclusion. Baseline NSA-16 scores were comparable between the groups (asenapine, 59.7; olanzapine, 59.8). Although NSA-16 scores decreased in both groups over the course of the study, no difference in mean change after 26 weeks was observed between groups (-12.2 vs -12.5). In addition, no differences were noted between groups in PANSS negative symptom scores at baseline (-7.1 vs -6.6) or at 26 weeks (-8.0 vs -7.4). Changes in depressive and positive symptoms were minimal over the course of the study in both groups. Treatment-related adverse events were reported in 55% of patients in the asenapine treatment group and in 55% of patients in the olanzapine treatment group. Reports of extrapyramidal symptoms were comparable between groups (7.9% vs 3.3%), and patients in both groups experienced a decline in prolactin levels. Interestingly, while 24.6% of patients receiving olanzapine reported weight gain of at least 7% over the course of the study, only 7.9% of patients receiving asenapine reported this effect. Dr. Cazorla concluded that the efficacy of asenapine is comparable to olanzapine and that the drug is well tolerated. She also identified the differences in weight gain as a significant finding, noting that asenapine may provide an important alternative for patients with schizophrenia who experience weight gain on other antipsychotic drugs. Funding for this study was provided by Organon, a division of Schering-Plough. [Presentation title: Asenapine Versus Olanzapine in Patients With Predominant, Persistent Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia. Abstract P02-26] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.