Schering-Plough reports asenapine study results

Schering-Plough has reported new study results showing that asenapine is well tolerated in patients and more effective than placebo as a treatment for acute schizophrenia.

Trial results show that asenapine in either 5 mg twice daily and 10 mg twice daily doses improved total scores for patients on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale – a system used to measure both positive and negative symptoms associated with acute schizophrenia.

A total of 448 patients were involved in the trial and were administered with either asenapine at 5 mg or 10 mg twice daily, or placebo, or haloperidol 4 mg twice daily as an active comparator.

John M Kane, chairman of psychiatry at the Zucker Hillside Hospital, said: “Patients with schizophrenia and their physicians need to have a variety of treatment options available for the symptoms of this disorder because many patients stop taking their medication.”

He added that a new effective therapy that is well-tolerated in patients would be a significant addition to the currently available treatment options for acute schizophrenia.

Last month, Schering-Plough announced that its new drug application for asenapine as a treatment for schizophrenia and acute mania or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder was accepted by the US Food and Drug Administration.