The investigational agent bifeprunox maintains stabilized schizophrenia significantly longer than placebo but with comparable weight and lipid profiles, according to 6-month trial data presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.

"Schizophrenia is a chronic, lifelong illness, and long-term management of the illness presents many challenges," commented Daniel Casey, MD, Professor, Psychiatry and Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University. "Clinicians need new treatment options to help patients manage schizophrenia over the long term."

Analysis of data from the 6-month, phase III trial showed that bifeprunox significantly prolonged time to symptomatic deterioration and that patients treated with bifeprunox experienced decreases in body weight and body mass index compared with placebo.

In addition, bifeprunox showed favorable effects on total cholesterol, triglycerides, and very-low-density lipoprotein and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol comparable with those found for placebo over the course of the study.

In these analyses, the most common side effects reported with bifeprunox (incidence of greater than or equal to 5 percent and twice the placebo rate) included nausea, vomiting, dizziness, anorexia, akathisia, dyskinesia and asthenia.

"We are encouraged by these additional analyses of clinical data, which underscore bifeprunox's favorable weight and lipid profile," said Earl Sands, MD, Vice President, Research and Development at Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "Bifeprunox, if approved, may be an important treatment option in the long- term management of adult patients with schizophrenia."