VRAYLAR® – A New Treatment Option for Schizophrenia & Bipolar I Disorder

Drug Review: Volume 23, Issue 5 (PDF) 

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a range of symptoms including psychosis (hallucinations, delusions, and hyperactivity), reduced motivation, and withdrawal from social settings. It is estimated that almost 1% of Canadians suffer from schizophrenia. Bipolar I disorder is another mental disorder characterized by significant fluctuations in mood. It is estimated that 0.87% of Canadians suffer from bipolar I disorder.

If left untreated, both schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder can result in an impairment of daily function and a decrease in quality of life. To prevent this, symptoms can be managed with a combination of lifestyle measures, psychotherapy, and medications.

The goals of therapy for schizophrenia are to prevent the sudden onset or worsening of symptoms of psychosis, prevent relapses and improve quality of life. Similarly, the goals of therapy for bipolar I disorder are to improve quality of life by stabilizing mood.

For both schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder, current clinical guidelines recommend the use of antipsychotic medications. Current antipsychotics available for these conditions include but are not limited to Abilify, Seroquel, Latuda, etc. These medications are associated with many side effects which is the main reason most patients discontinue therapy.

Vraylar^® is a new antipsychotic medication indicated to treat schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder. It has a better tolerability profile versus other antipsychotics, with minimal weight gain and sedation. Clinical trials demonstrated that Vraylar^® is effective in managing symptoms in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder.

The annual cost of Vraylar^® is considerably greater than the current standard of care. Therefore, Vraylar^® will be placed under Special authorization for groups subscribed to ClaimSecure’s Managed Formulary.