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LATUDA® (lurasidone), a new once-daily treatment for schizophrenia, is now available in Switzerland for the treatment of schizophrenia.Research has shown that the atypical antipsychotic, lurasidone, has a specific receptor binding profile.
Symptom control and reducing relapse are primary goals of schizophrenia therapy.Lurasidone has been shown in clinical trials to offer both short and long-term efficacy with a rapid onset of action that has demonstrated effective symptom control as early as day four of treatment.It has also been shown to offer consistency of response across efficacy measures of schizophrenia symptoms.
In addition to effective symptom control, it is important to minimize the effect of treatment on long-term physical health as patients are likely to need to remain on therapy for many years. Research has shown that there can be associated problematic side effects such as weight gain and cholesterol increases with schizophrenia treatments – both of which can lead to metabolic and cardiovascular concerns in the longer term.[vi] Recent research has shown that lurasidone has a combination of efficacy and a favourable side effect profile[vii] which may help patients maintain their cardiometabolic health and thereby improve their outcomes in the long term.
“As a committed psychiatrist, I am interested in new, effective agents for the treatment of severely ill patients with mental disorders. This is particularly true for patients who are not suitable for or not responded to currently approved therapeutics. We need effective, well-tolerated and metabolically neutral alternatives, which can also be used in young patients. Lurasidone has an interesting profile of action.” says Dr Philipp Eich, Stv Chefarzt, Kantonale Psychiatrische Klinik Liestal, Switzerland.
Schizophrenia affects around 80,000 people in Switzerland and can affect both men and women, with symptoms emerging in early adulthood.8 As a severe, chronic mental illness, the course of schizophrenia varies, but it is generally characterized by psychotic episodes, with underlying negative and cognitive symptoms and incomplete recovery between episodes.[viii] Symptoms of the condition can include so-called positive symptoms such as delusions,8 hallucinations,8 reality distortion8 and so-called negative symptoms such as, blunted affect, emotional and social withdrawal/drive.8
“Today is an important landmark for Takeda in Europe as it marks our first launch of a medicine from our emerging CNS portfolio –lurasidone is an important driver in our initiatives to expand the franchise for specialty care in Europe. We have a broad range of medicines in development in significant areas of unmet clinical need and we look forward to bringing innovative treatments to market that bring benefits to the widest range of patients possible” said Rene Gilvert, Vice President Global Marketing and Therapeutic Area Lead CNS, Takeda Pharmaceuticals International.
Takeda has also submitted a marketing authorization application (MAA) for lurasidone in October 2012 to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Takeda will communicate the outcome of this application in the coming months.
