The effectiveness of lurasidone as an adjunct to lithium or divalproex in the treatment of bipolar disorder

Abstract

The majority of patients with bipolar disorder spend a lot of time in depressive episodes that impose a great burden on patients, caregivers, and society and accounts for the largest part of the morbidity-mortality of the illness. Lurasidone is an atypical antipsychotic with a potent binding affinity as antagonist for D2, 5-HT2A, 5-HT7, and partial agonist at 5-HT1A receptors. Affinity for other receptors as H1 and muscarinic were negligible. Lurasidone was approved in 2010 for the treatment of schizophrenia and recently, 2013, for bipolar depression in monotherapy and an adjunct to lithium or valproate. Clinical trials have established that lurasidone adjuvant to lithium or valproate has more efficacy than the placebo and is associated with minimal weight gain and no clinically meaningful alterations in glucose, lipids, or the QT interval. Additional studies are desirable to know the clinical profile of lurasidone in long-term treatment, in patients with bipolar II disorders, and versus other antipsychotic agents.