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Cariprazine

Also sold as: Vraylar

Atypical AntipsychoticPrescription OnlyGeneric Available

Related Medications

Important: Only drugs listed as "Exact Equivalents" (FDA AB-rated) are confirmed interchangeable. All other listings are for informational reference only and do NOT indicate that drugs can be substituted without a physician's explicit guidance.

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Drug Information

Mechanism of Action

12.1 Mechanism of Action The mechanism of action of cariprazine is unknown. However, the efficacy of cariprazine could be mediated through a combination of partial agonist activity at central dopamine D 2 and serotonin 5-HT 1A receptors and antagonist activity at serotonin 5-HT 2A receptors. Cariprazine forms two major metabolites, desmethylcariprazine (DCAR) and didesmethylcariprazine (DDCAR), that have in vitro receptor binding profiles similar to the parent drug.

Indications & Uses

1 . INDICATIONS AND USAGE VRAYLAR ® is indicated for: • Treatment of schizophrenia in adult and pediatric patients 13 years of age and older [see Clinical Studies ( 14.1 )] • Acute treatment of manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adult and pediatric patients 10 years of age and older [see Clinical Studies ( 14.2 )] • Treatment of depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder (bipolar depression) in adult patients [see Clinical Studies ( 14.3 )] • Adjunctive therapy to antidepressants for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adult patients [see Clinical Studies ( 14.4 )] VRAYLAR is an atypical antipsychotic indicated for: Treatment of schizophrenia in adults and pediatric patients 13 years of age and older ( 1 ) Acute treatment of manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adults and pediatric patients 10 years of age and older ( 1 ) Treatment of depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder (bipolar depression) in adults ( 1 ) Adjunctive therapy to antidepressants for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults ( 1 )

Dosage & Administration

2 . DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Administer VRAYLAR orally once daily with or without food ( 2 ) Starting Dose Recommended Dose Schizophrenia in Adults ( 2.2 ) 1.5 mg daily 1.5 mg to 6 mg daily Schizophrenia in Pediatric Patients (13-17 years) ( 2.2 ) 0.5 mg daily 1.5 mg to 4.5 mg daily Bipolar Mania in Adults ( 2.3 ) 1.5 mg daily 3 mg to 6 mg daily Bipolar Mania in Pediatric Patients (10-17 years) ( 2.3 ) 0.5 mg daily 3 mg or 4.5 mg daily Bipolar Depression in Adults ( 2.4 ) 1.5 mg daily 1.5 mg or 3 mg daily Adjunctive therapy to antidepressants for MDD in Adults ( 2.5 ) 1.5 mg daily 1.5 mg or 3 mg daily Adults with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Mania: Maximum recommended daily dosage is 6 mg. Dosages above 6 mg daily do not confer significant benefit, but increase the risk of dose-related adverse reactions ( 2.2 , 2.3 ) Pediatric patients with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Mania: Maximum recommended daily dosage is 4.5 mg. Adults with Bipolar Depression: Maximum recommended daily dosage is 3 mg ( 2.4 ) Adjunctive therapy for treatment of MDD in Adults: Maximum recommended daily dosage is 3 mg ( 2.5 ) 2.1 General Dosing Information VRAYLAR is given orally once daily and can be taken with or without food. Because of the long half-life of cariprazine and its active metabolites, changes in dose will not be fully reflected in plasma for several weeks. Prescribers should monitor patients for adverse reactions and treatment response for several weeks after starting VRAYLAR and after each dosage change [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.6 ) , Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . 2.2 Recommended Dosage in Schizophrenia Adult Patients The starting dosage of VRAYLAR is 1.5 mg orally once daily. The recommended dosage range is 1.5 mg to 6 mg orally once daily. The dosage can be increased to 3 mg on Day 2. Depending upon clinical response and tolerability, further dose adjustments can be made in 1.5 mg or 3 mg increments. The maximum recommended dosage is 6 mg orally once daily. In short-term controlled trials, dosages above 6 mg daily do not confer increased effectiveness sufficient to outweigh dose-related adverse reactions [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 ), Clinical Studies ( 14.1 )] . Pediatric Patients (13 to 17 years of age) The starting dosage of VRAYLAR is 0.5 mg orally once daily. The recommended dosage range is 1.5 mg to 4.5 mg orally once daily. Increase the dosage to 1.5 mg orally once daily on Day 3. Depending upon clinical response and tolerability, the dosage may be increased to 3 mg orally once daily starting on Day 5, and to 4.5 mg orally once daily starting on Day 8. The maximum recommended dosage is 4.5 mg orally once daily. 2.3 Recommended Dosage in Manic or M ixed E pisodes Associated with Bipolar I Disorder Adult Patients The starting dosage of VRAYLAR is 1.5 mg orally once daily. Increase the dosage to 3 mg orally once daily on Day 2. The recommended dosage range is 3 mg to 6 mg orally once daily. Depending upon clinical response and tolerability, further dose adjustments can be made in 1.5 mg or 3 mg increments. The maximum recommended dosage is 6 mg orally once daily. In short-term controlled trials, dosages above 6 mg daily do not confer increased effectiveness sufficient to outweigh dose-related adverse reactions [ see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 ), Clinical Studies ( 14.2 ) ] . Pediatric Patients (10 to 17 years of age)​ The starting dosage of VRAYLAR is 0.5 mg orally once daily. The recommended dosage is 3 mg or 4.5 mg orally once daily. Increase the dosage to 1.5 mg orally once daily on Day 3 and to 3 mg orally once daily on Day 5. Depending upon clinical response and tolerability, the dosage may be increased to 4.5 mg orally once daily starting on Day 8. The maximum recommended dosage is 4.5 mg orally once daily. 2.4 Recommended Dosage in Depressive Episodes Associated with Bipolar I Disorder (Bipolar Depression) in Adult Patients The starting dosage of VRAYLAR is 1.5 mg orally once daily. Depending upon clinical response and tolerability, the dosage can be increased to 3 mg orally once daily on Day 15. Maximum recommended dosage is 3 mg orally once daily. 2.5 Recommended Dosage for Adjunctive Therapy to Antidepressants for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder in Adult Patients The starting dosage of VRAYLAR is 1.5 mg orally once daily. Depending upon clinical response and tolerability, the dosage can be increased to 3 mg orally once daily on Day 15. In clinical trials, dosage titration at intervals of less than 14 days resulted in a higher incidence of adverse reactions [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )] . Maximum recommended dosage is 3 mg orally once daily. 2. 6 Dosage Modifications for CYP3A4 Inhibitors and Inducers Initiating VRAYLAR While Taking a Strong or Moderate CYP3A4 Inhibitor Dosage modifications for the starting dosage of VRAYLAR in adult patients taking a strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitor are presented in Table 1: Table 1: Dosage Modifications for the Starting Dosage of VRAYLAR in Adult Pa

Side Effects (Adverse Reactions)

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following adverse reactions are discussed in more detail in other sections of the labeling: Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis [see Boxed Warning and Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors [see Boxed Warning and Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] Cerebrovascular Adverse Reactions, Including Stroke, in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] Tardive Dyskinesia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )] Late Occurring Adverse Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.6 )] Metabolic Changes [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7 )] Leukopenia, Neutropenia, and Agranulocytosis [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.8 )] Orthostatic Hypotension and Syncope [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.9 )] Falls [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.10 )] Seizures [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.11 )] Potential for Cognitive and Motor Impairment [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.12 )] Body Temperature Dysregulation [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.13 )] Dysphagia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.14 )] Most common adverse reactions in adults (incidence ≥ 5% and at least twice the rate of placebo) were ( 6.1 ) : Schizophrenia: extrapyramidal symptoms and akathisia Bipolar mania: extrapyramidal symptoms, akathisia, dyspepsia, vomiting, somnolence, and restlessness Bipolar depression: nausea, akathisia, restlessness, and extrapyramidal symptoms Adjunctive treatment of MDD: akathisia, restlessness, fatigue, constipation, nausea, insomnia, increased appetite, dizziness, and extrapyramidal symptoms To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact AbbVie at 1-800-633-9110 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The information below is derived from an integrated clinical study database for VRAYLAR consisting of 6,722 adult patients exposed to one or more doses of VRAYLAR for the treatment of schizophrenia, manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder, bipolar depression, and adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder in placebo-controlled studies. This experience corresponds with a total experience of 1,182.8 patient-years. A total of 4,329 VRAYLAR-treated patients had at least 6 weeks and 296 VRAYLAR-treated patients had at least 48 weeks of exposure. Adult Patients with Schizophrenia The following findings are based on four placebo-controlled, 6-week schizophrenia trials with VRAYLAR doses ranging from 1.5 to 12 mg once daily. The maximum recommended dosage is 6 mg daily. Adverse Reactions Associated with Discontinuation of Treatment : There was no single adverse reaction leading to discontinuation that occurred at a rate of ≥ 2% in VRAYLAR-treated patients and at least twice the rate of placebo. Common Adverse Reactions (≥ 5% and at least twice the rate of placebo) : extrapyramidal symptoms and akathisia. Adverse Reactions with an incidence of ≥ 2% and greater than placebo, at any dose are shown in Table 8. Table 8. Adverse Reactions Occurring in ≥ 2% of VRAYLAR-treated Patients and > Placebo-treated Adult Patients in 6-Week Schizophrenia Trials VRAYLAR * System Organ Class / Preferred Term Placebo (N= 584) (%) 1.5 to 3 mg/day (N=539) (%) 4.5 to 6 mg/day (N=575) (%) 9 to 12 mg/day ⸰ (N=203) (%) Cardiac Disorder s Tachycardia a 1 2 2 3 Gastrointestinal Disorders Abdominal pain b 5 3 4 7 Constipation 5 6 7 10 Diarrhea c 3 1 4 5 Dry Mouth 2 1 2 3 Dyspepsia 4 4 5 5 Nausea 5 5 7 8 Toothache 4 3 3 6 Vomiting 3 4 5 5 General Disorders/Administration Site Conditions Fatigue d 1 1 3 2 Infections and Infestations Nasopharyngitis 1 1 1 2 Urinary tract infection 1 1 <1 2 Investigations Blood creatine phosphokinase increased 1 1 2 3 Hepatic enzyme increased e <1 1 1 2 Weight increased 1 3 2 3 Metabolism and Nutrition Disorders Decreased appetite 2 1 3 2 Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders Arthralgia 1 2 1 2 Back pain 2 3 3 1 Pain in extremity 3 2 2 4 Nervous System Disorders Akathisia 4 9 13 14 Extrapyramidal symptoms f 8 15 19 20 Headache g 13 9 11 18 Somnolence h 5 5 8 10 Dizziness 2 3 5 5 Psychiatric Disorders Agitation 4 3 5 3 Insomnia i 11 12 13 11 Restlessness 3 4 6 5 Anxiety 4 6 5 3 Respiratory, Thoracic and Mediastinal D isorders Cough 2 1 2 4 Skin and S ubcutaneous D isorders Rash 1 <1 1 2 Vascular Disorders Hypertension j 1 2 3 6 Note: Figures rounded to the nearest integer * Data shown by modal daily dose, defined as most frequently administered dose per patient a Tachycardia terms: heart rate increased, sinus tachycardia, tachycardia b Abdominal pain terms: abdominal discomfort, abdominal pain, abdominal pai

Drug Interactions

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Table 15 displays clinically significant drug interactions with VRAYLAR. Table 15. Clinically Significant Drug Interactions with VRAYLAR Strong or Moderate CYP3A4 Inhibitors Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of VRAYLAR with a strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitor increases the exposures of cariprazine and its major active metabolite, didesmethylcariprazine (DDCAR), compared to use of VRAYLAR alone [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 ) ]. Intervention: If VRAYLAR is used with a strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitor, reduce VRAYLAR dosage [see D osage and A dministration ( 2.6 ) ] . CYP3A4 Inducers Clinical Impact: CYP3A4 is responsible for the formation and elimination of the active metabolites of cariprazine. The effect of CYP3A4 inducers on the exposure of VRAYLAR has not been evaluated, and the net effect is unclear [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 ) ]. Intervention: Concomitant use of VRAYLAR with a CYP3A4 inducer is not recommended [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.1 , 2.6 ) ] . Strong and Moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors: Reduce VRAYLAR dosage ( 2.6 , 7 ) CYP3A4 inducers: Concomitant use is not recommended ( 2.6 , 7 )

Contraindications

4 . CONTRAINDICATIONS VRAYLAR is contraindicated in patients with history of a hypersensitivity reaction to cariprazine. Reactions have ranged from rash, pruritus, urticaria, and reactions suggestive of angioedema (e.g., swollen tongue, lip swelling, face edema, pharyngeal edema, and swelling face). Known hypersensitivity to VRAYLAR ( 4 )

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