Cariprazine

Cariprazine is an atypical antipsychotic agent and a piperazine derivative that was first developed in Hungary. It works as a partial agonist at central dopamine D2, dopamine D3, and serotonin 5-HT receptors and as an antagonist at serotonin 5-HT receptors. Cariprazine has been investigated in a variety of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and major depressive disorder. Cariprazine gained its first global approval in the US in September 2015 and was later approved by Health Canada in April 2022. It is currently used to treat schizophrenia, and manic or mixed episodes and depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder.

Cariprazine is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults to manage both positive and negative symptoms. It is also indicated to monotherapy for acute management of manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder (bipolar mania) in adults, and acute management of depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder (bipolar depression) in adults.