Cariprazine versus risperidone monotherapy for treatment of predominant negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia: a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial

This RCT (n=456) reports a small numerical improvement in the negative symptoms score (PANSS-FSNS) with cariprazine vs risperidone from baseline to week 26 (−8.90 points for cariprazine vs −7.44 points for risperidone, p=0.0022).

Cariprazine is a dopamine D2 and D3 receptor antagonist. A marketing authorisation application has been filed with the European Medicines Agency for this indication.

 

In a related editorial, the author states that the 1.46 points difference in the PANSS-FSNS on a scale with total scores that can theoretically range between 7 and 49, and an effect size of 0.31, which is between small and medium, are not impressive.