FDA Approves Schizoaffective Disorder Drug

There’s some good news for the 750,000 Americans with schizoaffective disorder, as the FDA has approved paliperidone palmitate (Invega Sustenna) as either monotherapy or adjunctive therapy to treat the disease, according to drugmaker Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Paliperidone palmitate is now the first and only FDA-approved once-monthly medication to treat schizoaffective disorder as monotherapy, according to the release.

A study of the medication showed a statistically significant delay in relapse due to mood and psychotic symptoms compared to placebo.

"Schizoaffective disorder is a difficult-to-treat disease. Approval of Invega Sustenna to manage the mood as well as the psychosis that define the condition has the potential to change the lives of the 750,000 adult Americans who suffer from it," said Dong-Jing Fu, MD, PhD, director of clinical development at Janssen Scientific Affairs LLC. "Janssen is proud to expand treatment options for those living with schizoaffective disorder and to provide new possibilities for the family members and friends who care for them.”

Some of the most common adverse reactions were injection site reactions, somnolence or sedation, dizziness, akathisia, and extrapyramidal disorder.