Pharmaceutical company Allergan has a new prescription on the market for the treatment of adults living with acute manic or mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder and schizophrenia.
Vraylar is a once-daily oral atypical antipsychotic. The drug received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this past September.
"We are excited that Vraylar is now available to the millions of people living with bipolar I disorder and schizophrenia," David Nicholson, president of global research and development at Allergan, said. "This launch reinforces Allergan's rich heritage in mental health and our ongoing commitment to developing treatment options that address unmet needs for people who are affected by these serious conditions."
Bipolar I disorder is more commonly known as manic-depressive illness. That condition and schizophrenia affect about 8.5 million American adults -- and both are notoriously difficult illnesses to manage, as they carry high relapse rates. Furthermore, the course of the diseases varies widely from patient to patient, as does response to treatment.
"The important differences in how patients with bipolar I disorder and schizophrenia respond to treatment underscore the need for more treatment options for these serious illnesses," Gary Sachs, founding director of the Bipolar Clinic and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, said. "The availability of Vraylar gives physicians access to a new treatment option that I think will be appealing to patients who are living with these often devastating conditions."
Vraylar has been the subject of clinical trial programs. It will be available in 30-count bottles of 1.5, 3, 4.5 and six-milligram doses, as well as in a seven-count mixed blister pack.
