Lurasidone Indications: FDA-Approved Uses

Source: Drug labeling information submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), updated by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) .

Lurasidone is a second-generation antipsychotic approved for the treatment of schizophrenia and depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder.

The table below shows recommended dosing for each indication:

Clinical Trials

Efficacy for the Treatment of Schizophrenia

The efficacy of LATUDA for the treatment of schizophrenia was established in five short-term (6-week), placebo-controlled studies in adult patients (mean age of 38.4 years, range 18-72) who met DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia. An active-control arm (olanzapine or quetiapine extended-release) was included in two studies to assess assay sensitivity. Several instruments were used for assessing psychiatric signs and symptoms in these studies:

1. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), is a multi-item inventory of general psychopathology used to evaluate the effects of drug treatment in schizophrenia. PANSS total scores may range from 30 to 210.
2. Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale derived (BPRSd), derived from the PANSS, is a multi-item inventory primarily focusing on positive symptoms of schizophrenia, whereas the PANSS includes a wider range of positive, negative and other symptoms of schizophrenia. The BPRSd consists of 18 items rated on a scale of 1 (not present) to 7 (severe). BPRSd scores may range from 18 to 126.
3. The Clinical Global Impression severity scale (CGI-S) is a clinician-rated scale that measures the subject’s current illness state on a 1- to 7-point scale.

The endpoint associated with each instrument is change from baseline in the total score to the end of week 6. These changes are then compared to placebo changes for the drug and control groups. The results of the studies follow:

1. Study 1: In a 6-week, placebo-controlled trial (N=145) involving two fixed doses of LATUDA (40 or 120 mg/day), both doses of LATUDA at Endpoint were superior to placebo on the BPRSd total score, and the CGI-S.
2. Study 2: In a 6-week, placebo-controlled trial (N=180) involving a fixed dose of LATUDA (80 mg/day), LATUDA at Endpoint was superior to placebo on the BPRSd total score, and the CGI-S.
3. Study 3: In a 6-week, placebo- and active-controlled trial (N=473) involving two fixed doses of LATUDA (40 or 120 mg/day) and an active control (olanzapine), both LATUDA doses and the active control at Endpoint were superior to placebo on the PANSS total score, and the CGI-S.
4. Study 4: In a 6-week, placebo-controlled trial (N=489) involving three fixed doses of LATUDA (40, 80 or 120 mg/day), only the 80 mg/day dose of LATUDA at Endpoint was superior to placebo on the PANSS total score, and the CGI-S.
5. Study 5: In a 6-week, placebo- and active-controlled trial (N=482) involving two fixed doses of LATUDA (80 or 160 mg/day) and an active control (quetiapine extended-release), both LATUDA doses and the active control at Endpoint were superior to placebo on the PANSS total score, and the CGI-S.

Thus, the efficacy of LATUDA at doses of 40, 80, 120 and 160 mg/day has been established (Table 24).

Examination of population subgroups based on age (there were few patients over 65), gender and race did not reveal any clear evidence of differential responsiveness.

Efficacy for Depressive Episodes Associated with Bipolar I Disorder

Monotherapy The efficacy of LATUDA, as monotherapy, was established in a 6-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of adult patients (mean age of 41.5 years, range 18 to 74) who met DSM-IV-TR criteria for major depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder, with or without rapid cycling, and without psychotic features (N=485). Patients were randomized to one of two flexible-dose ranges of LATUDA (20 to 60 mg/day, or 80 to 120 mg/day) or placebo. The primary rating instrument used to assess depressive symptoms in this study was the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), a 10-item clinician-rated scale with total scores ranging from 0 (no depressive features) to 60 (maximum score). The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in MADRS score at Week 6. The key secondary instrument was the Clinical Global Impression-Bipolar-Severity of Illness scale (CGI-BP-S), a clinician-rated scale that measures the subject’s current illness state on a 7-point scale, where a higher score is associated with greater illness severity. For both dose groups, LATUDA was superior to placebo in reduction of MADRS and CGI-BP-S scores at Week 6. The primary efficacy results are provided in Table 25. The high dose range (80 to 120 mg per day) did not provide additional efficacy on average, compared to the low dose range (20 to 60 mg per day). Adjunctive Therapy with Lithium or Valproate The efficacy of LATUDA, as an adjunctive therapy with lithium or valproate, was established in a 6-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of adult patients (mean age of 41.7 years, range 18 to 72) who met DSM-IV-TR criteria for major depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder, with or without rapid cycling, and without psychotic features (N=340). Patients who remained symptomatic after treatment with lithium or valproate were randomized to flexibly dosed LATUDA 20 to 120 mg/day or placebo. The primary rating instrument used to assess depressive symptoms in this study was the MADRS. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in MADRS score at Week 6. The key secondary instrument was the CGI-BP-S scale. LATUDA was superior to placebo in reduction of MADRS and CGI-BP-S scores at Week 6, as an adjunctive therapy with lithium or valproate (Table 25).

Related lurasidone prescribing information

• Lurasidone (Latuda) Interactions
• Lurasidone Pharmacokinetics
• Lurasidone: Adverse Effects