Long-acting injectable antipsychotics play a crucial role in the treatment of schizophrenia, offering a sustained approach to medication delivery. Our team specializes in developing long-acting injectables for treating schizophrenia, working with a range of formulations to meet diverse client needs.

Read on to explore everything you need to know about using long-acting injectables to treat schizophrenia and the benefits of the process over oral antipsychotics.

What Are Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics?

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are medications that are used to treat a wide range of major depressive disorders. They are formulated to stay in the body for an extended period of time, allowing for sustained effects between doses.

The History of Long-Acting Injectables

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics have evolved significantly since the process’s introduction. The first LAIs introduced, including fluphenazine decanoate and haloperidol decanoate, did provide extended symptom control but were associated with a higher risk of motor side effects.

However, the LAI formulations used today have a lower risk of movement-related side effects and offer more choices for personalized treatment, allowing patients and providers to select the most suitable option based on individual needs.

How Long-Acting Injectables Work for Treating Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is associated with an overactive dopamine system, which leads to symptoms like hallucinations and delusions. Long-acting injectable psychotics help manage schizophrenia by:

• Regulating dopamine levels – This, in turn, reduces symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions
• Creating a sustained-release effect – The approach forms a depot at the injection site, allowing the medication to be gradually absorbed over time

Benefits of Long-Acting Injectables for Schizophrenia Over Oral Antipsychotics

Long-acting injectable antipsychotic drugs have helped many individuals living with mental illness by providing:

• Improved adherence – Lowering the risk of missed medication and helping patients stay on track with treatment
• Lower risk of relapse – Ensuring continuous symptom control, reducing the likelihood of relapse due to skipped doses
• More consistent medication levels – Providing a steady dose over time, reducing the peaks and valleys associated with daily oral medication
• Less frequent dosing – Requiring administration only every few weeks or months, compared to oral antipsychotics that must be taken daily

Choosing the Right Long-Acting Injectable for Schizophrenia: A Guide to Available Formulations

There are many types of long-acting injectable antipsychotics to choose from that are designed to meet different patient needs. Some of the most commonly prescribed LAIs for schizophrenia include:

• Fluphenazine decanoate – One of the first generation LAIs, known for its extended symptom control
• Haloperidol decanoate – A long-standing option that is known to provide sustained symptom relief
• Risperidone microspheres – A second-generation LAI designed to maintain stable plasma concentrations

About the Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics from Oakwood Labs

Here at Oakwood Labs, we are a global leader in sustained-release drug delivery, specializing in diverse areas, including the development and manufacturing of long-acting injectable antipsychotics to treat schizophrenia. With over 25 years of experience in the industry, we provide full-service support, from initial feasibility studies to FDA-approved commercial supply.

Using our patented Chroniject™ technology, we design LAIs with controlled release durations, minimizing fluctuations in medical levels for consistent symptom management. This technology allows for scalable production, ensuring reliable formulations from lab-scale development to commercial manufacturing.

By combining innovative drug encapsulation technology with a commitment to quality, we play a key role in advancing long-acting injectables for schizophrenia by:

• Customizing formulations to provide steady medication release
• Supporting all phases of drug development
• Offering aseptic manufacturing to ensure product quality and safety

FAQs on Long-Acting Injectables for Schizophrenia

Are there any recommendations for managing treatment with long-acting injectables for schizophrenia?

Yes! Some recommendations for managing treatment include:

• Keeping up with scheduled injection appointments to maintain symptom control
• Following a consistent daily routine, including sleep and meals
• Participating in therapy or support programs for additional treatment benefits
• Watching for side effects and reporting any concerns to your healthcare provider
• Avoiding alcohol and drug use to prevent interactions with your medicine

What are some considerations when choosing a long-acting injectable antipsychotic for schizophrenia?

While LAIs offer significant advantages, there are some factors to keep in mind to ensure you select the right formation, including:

• Dose adjustment timeline – Unlike oral medications, LAI dose changes may require weeks to take full effect
• Injection site reactions – Some patients may experience discomfort or irritation at the injection site
• Travel needs for administration – Regular clinic visits may be necessary for injections, depending on the specific formulation

What other services does Oakwood Labs offer?

We are proud to offer a wide range of services in the development and manufacturing of sustained release parental products. Our services include:

Contact Oakwood Labs Today

Have questions regarding long-acting injectable antipsychotics? Our team is here to assist you. Please reach out to a team member today for more information.

At Oakwood Labs, we’re dedicated to providing alternative solutions to drug delivery and development. This includes our ongoing work creating long-acting injectables for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension.

For those interested in learning more about the specific strides we’ve made within this sector, as well as the opportunity to partner with us, read on or contact our team today.

Then and Now: A Brief History of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Drug Development

The introduction of Epoprostenol in 1995 marked the first true breakthrough in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treatment, as this medication was able to show the potential to target the prostacyclin pathway. Following this development, individuals began further research into other potential treatment options to help patients suffering from PAH.

It was not until 2001 that the first oral therapy, Bosentan, was approved and released to the public. Since then, 12 additional medications have been approved by the FDA to treat PAH, such as soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulators, endothelin receptor blockers (ERBs), and phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors, to name a few.

Additionally, there are a few current trends in the advancement of pulmonary arterial hypertension pharmaceutical development, including those focused on:

• Combination therapies
• Targeted therapies
• Delivery methods

About Our Work Creating Long-Acting Injectables for Treating Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

The team at Oakwood Labs has used its advanced technology to create injectables for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension. Though most of the formulations that are currently on the market for PAH treatment are mainly oral medications, the use of LAIs can come with several advantages, such as a decrease in the amount of drug administered to the patient, less frequent doses, and more.

Partner with Oakwood Labs

In order to further develop our cardiology program, Oakwood Labs is looking for an external partner to fulfill the responsibilities of the role. This includes managing phases 1–3 of clinical trials, funding development activities, and helping with ongoing commercialization and registration efforts.

For more information on the details of the position, please reach out to our team directly, as we would be happy to supply you with additional information about the development work to date, market opportunity, and estimated financial projections.

FAQs About Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension LAI Development

 What are the major benefits of an LAI in cardiovascular treatments?

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare, progressive disease that causes high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, and increased heartbeat.

LAI treatments in this area focus on vasodilators and platelet aggregation inhibitors. They work by relaxing blood vessels, including those in the lungs, and improving blood flow.

What are the current barriers to an LAI entering this particular space?

The barriers to entry for the LAI space are very high. You need to have a proven technology capable of delivering the right amount of the drug within a given therapeutic window. Plus, you need an FDA-approved GMP facility to manufacture the product, as well as a high level of expertise to understand, develop, and validate the process.

Oakwood Labs has all of these capabilities and over 25 years of experience within this field.

What sets Oakwood Labs apart from others in the development of LAIs to treat PAH and other cardiovascular issues?

Our team of experts has used its technology to develop formulations focused on treating pulmonary arterial hypertension with a release duration of one month. Current treatments, which mostly focus on oral medications, work in different ways but ultimately attempt to decrease symptom severity and increase exercise capacity.

The use of an LAI product would offer benefits similar to other therapeutic areas including reduction in the total amount of drug administered to the patient, as well as less frequent doses.

Reach Out to Us

If you have any additional questions about our continued work in pulmonary arterial hypertension drug development, or if you’re looking to partner with us, please contact us today.