Patients aged 15 to 17 years suffering from adolescent schizophrenia will now have access to a cost effective treatment for this debilitating condition under forthcoming new guidance from NICE. NICE has today published a Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) which recommends the use of aripiprazole as an option for the treatment of schizophrenia in people aged 15 to 17 years who are intolerant of risperidone, or for whom risperidone is contraindicated, or whose schizophrenia has not been adequately controlled with risperidone.
Abilify® (aripiprazole) is the only commonly used atypical anti‐psychotic licensed for the treatment of adolescent schizophrenia in the UK and the first to be appraised by NICE.
The decision was welcomed by patient groups working in the area. Marjorie Wallace, CBE, Chief Executive of SANE, said, “We are pleased with this decision. Everyone’s biochemistry differs and the more we can find a choice of medications to target individual needs, with side‐effects that can be tolerated, the more we can help people to manage their condition.
This is particularly important in teenagers: schizophrenia often strikes at this time and it is vital to find effective treatment and prevent relapse. With better medications and therapies, the lives of young people with schizophrenia can be greatly improved.”
Dr Rick Lones, Executive Medical Director of Bristol‐Myers Squibb, a partner to Otsuka Pharmaceuticals in the commercialisation of Abilify , said: “We are delighted with NICE’s decision on Abilify, which offers effective symptom control for a vulnerable group of patients.
Treatment of adolescent schizophrenia depends on access to a range of therapies, allowing clinicians to choose an option that best suits individual patient needs.”
Abilify received its first EU approval for the treatment of schizophrenia in 2004. It is available in the UK for the treatment of schizophrenia and moderate to severe manic episodes in Bipolar Disorder and for the prevention of a new manic episode in patients who experienced predominantly manic episodes and whose manic episodes responded to Abilify treatment.
Source: Bristol‐Myers Squibb
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.