Clinical Psychiatry News - Quetiapine rivals lithium, haloperidol
SAN Francisco - Quetiapine monotherapy for bipolar I mania is as effective as lithium or haloperidol–and with markedly fewer side effects, Martin W Jones, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.
He reported on a pooled analysis of two double-blind phase III clinical trials involving 604 patients with a manic episode of bipolar I disorder who were randomized to 12 weeks of quetiapine (Seroquel), placebo, lithium, or haloperidol (Haldol).
The results were used by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals in its recent filing for a new indication for quetiapine as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy for acute mania associated with bipolar depression.
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That application remains under review by the Food and Drug Administration. Quetiapine is currently indicated only for treatment of adult schizophrenia, noted Dr. Jones of AstraZeneca in Wilmington, Del.
The 12-week studies were completed by 60.8% of patients randomized to the atypical antipsychotic and 38.9% on placebo.
Beginning on day 4, quetiapine-treated patients experienced significantly greater improvement than those on placebo.
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