Weight change during long-term treatment with lurasidone: pooled analysis of studies in patients with schizophrenia

The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the effect of 12 months of treatment with lurasidone on weight in patients with schizophrenia. Post-hoc, observed-case analysis included pooled data from six studies on 40–160 mg/day lurasidone; two studies included active comparators (2–6 mg/day risperidone or 200–800 mg/day quetiapine XR). Overall, 593 patients completed 12 months of treatment (N=471 lurasidone, N=89 risperidone, N=33 quetiapine XR). The mean baseline weight was 72.8, 80.8, and 72.4 kg in the lurasidone, risperidone, and quetiapine XR groups, respectively. The mean weight change at month 12 was −0.4 kg with lurasidone, +2.6 kg with risperidone, and +1.2 kg with quetiapine XR. Weight gain of at least 7% from study baseline was observed in 16.0, 25.8, and 15.2% of patients, and weight loss of at least 7% was seen in 18.5, 6.7, and 9.1% of patients treated with lurasidone, risperidone, and quetiapine XR, respectively. A shift from normal/underweight baseline BMI status to overweight/obese at month 12 occurred in 10.2, 27.6, and 15.0% of patients in the lurasidone, risperidone, and quetiapine XR groups, respectively. Conversely, 14.3, 1.7, and 7.7% of patients, respectively, shifted from overweight/obese to normal/underweight. In summary, a low potential for clinically significant weight gain was observed in patients with schizophrenia treated continuously with lurasidone for 12 months.