Janssen announces results of paliperidone-paroxetine study

Janssen, a member of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies, has announced the result of a study where patients were administered with paliperidone extended-release tablets, before being given a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor – Paroxetine.

The study showed that the level of paliperidone in the blood was not affected by the giving of the antidepressant, one known to interact with other antipsychotic medications.

Janssen notes that many antipsychotics are metabolised by the CYP2D6 enzyme in the liver, with the administration of more than one such drug processed by the body in this manner often resulting in reactions between the pharmaceutical products.

Dr Joseph Palumbo, franchise medical leader for psychiatry at Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, said: “Drug interactions frequently occur in patients with schizophrenia because this population is often treated for multiple medical and psychiatric conditions.”

He added that such interactions are often an understated factor that can adversely affect treatment outcomes in those suffering with depression, while this study shows that paliperidone extended release can be used alongside certain antidepressants in patients.

Last month, Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Jannsen-Cilag reported that Invega – its extended release tablet formulation of paliperidone – had been awarded a positive opinion from the European Committee for Human Medicinal Products as a treatment for schizophrenia.