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FDA approves new drug for schizophrenia

Sept. 26 (UPI) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug for adults with schizophrenia, the FDA announced Thursday.

The drug, commonly called Cobenfy, is the first oral drug to treat the disease that targets the brain's so-called cholinergic receptors, rather than the dopamine receptors that have traditionally been the focus of treatment.

“Schizophrenia is a leading cause of disability worldwide. It is a serious, chronic mental illness that often affects a person's quality of life,” said Tiffany Farchione, MD, director of the Division of Psychiatry, Office of Neurosciences in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “This drug represents the first new approach to treating schizophrenia in decades. This approval provides a new alternative to the antipsychotics previously prescribed to people with schizophrenia.”

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by disrupted thought processes that can alter perceptions, emotions, and social interactions. It can also lead to more serious psychotic symptoms, including hallucinations (such as hearing voices), difficulty controlling thoughts, and distrust of other people, according to the FDA.

Approximately 1% of the US population suffers from schizophrenia. According to the FDA, 5% of those affected die by suicide. It is considered one of the 15 causes of disability and people suffering from the disease have a higher risk of dying at a young age.

The drug announcement follows news that scientists are using a type of MRI to determine who might develop treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

The scan – called neuromelanin-sensitive MRI – focuses on a brain pigment called neuromelanin, which can provide evidence of healthy dopamine function and help predict whether patients will respond to treatment.

Scientists say consistent sleep is important for everyone, but especially for people suffering from schizophrenia.

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