Effect of Lurasidone on Weight and Metabolic Parameters: A Comprehensive Analysis of Short- and Long-Term Trials in Schizophrenia

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of lurasidone on weight and metabolic parameters.

Methods: Short-term data were pooled from 7 double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-week studies of patients with schizophrenia treated with lurasidone (20-160 mg, N=1508); haloperidol 10 mg (N=72); olanzapine 15 mg (N=122); risperidone 4 mg (N=65); quetiapine XR 600 mg (QXR; N=119); or placebo (N=708). Longer-term data (12 months) were pooled from 5 open-label studies of patients treated with lurasidone 20-120 mg/d (N=408 completers).

Results: In short-term studies, the % of patients with ≥7% increase in weight was 5.4% for lurasidone, 7.0% for haloperidol, 40.2% for olanzapine, 6.2% for risperidone, 15.3% for QXR, and 4.3% for placebo. Median endpoint change in triglycerides (mg/dL) were -4.4 for lurasidone, -2.7 for haloperidol, +24.8 for olanzapine, +3.5 for risperidone, +9.7 for QXR, and -6.2 for placebo; and median endpoint change in total cholesterol (mg/dL) was -5.0 for lurasidone, -8.1 for haloperidol, +7.7 for olanzapine, +6.6 for risperidone, +6.2 for QXR, and -5.0 for placebo. Similar trends were recorded for changes in LDL for lurasidone, QXR and olanzapine. Median glucose (mg/dL) was unchanged for lurasidone (0.0) and placebo (0.0). In the longer-term treatment sample, mean change in weight at Month 12 was -0.59 kg for the lurasidone group (observed case); and the median changes (mg/dL) in metabolic parameters at Month 12 were: -3.9 for total cholesterol and -6.2 for triglycerides (observed case).

Conclusions: In this pooled analysis of short- and longer-term studies, treatment with lurasidone was associated with minimal changes in weight and metabolic parameters.