Schizophrenia is mental disorder characterized by problems in thinking, perception, emotions and behavior. It requires long term medication to manage symptoms.
There are many drugs in the market to treat schizophrenia:
Antipsychotics: These block the dopamine D2 receptor, though with side effects such as tremors and tardive dyskinesia. The Atypical antipsychotics affect both the dopamine and serotonin receptors with less side effects though there are metabolic implications such as weight and diabetes complications. The current muscarinic agonists target the cholinergic receptors and reduce side effects.
The novelty has come from formulations and delivery such as oral films – Mezofy that uses oral films of aripiprazole.
But there are several in development. In the new indication space there is Evenamide which is glutamate modulator, serotonin-dopamine modulator, and Cobenfy for Alzhiemer’s psychosis.
The unique among them is Digital Therapeutic by Click Therapeutics developed in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim that is using a prescription digital therapeutic to target the negative symptoms. The PANSS scale a 30 item scale assesses the positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions0, negative symptoms (social withdrawal, lack of motivation) and general spchopathology (such as anxiety, depression and guilt) thus may not show as much effect.
CT155 is administered by the phone (https://www.clicktherapeutics.com/products/ct-155) and has achieved milestones in the CONVOKE clinical study so will be a new modality of treatment
that is beyond the standard neurotransmitter approach.
