Drug Database
ME

methylphenidate (Methydur)

✓ Approved

Durect · SLC6A2 · Small Molecule

What is methylphenidate?

methylphenidate is a small molecule developed by Durect. It is approved for therapeutic indications via oral (po).

Drug Profile

Brand NamesMethydur
CompanyDurect
Drug ClassSmall Molecule
Molecular TargetSLC6A2, SLC6A3
RouteOral (PO)
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Durect

Mechanism of Action

Molecular Targets

methylphenidate acts on 2 molecular targets:

SLC6A2solute carrier family 6 member 2 (NAT1, NET)
SLC6A3solute carrier family 6 member 3 (PKDYS, DAT1)
Want deeper analysis?Noah AI can explain complex mechanisms and compare to similar drugs.

Therapeutic Indications

methylphenidate is developed for 1 unique indication across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Psychiatric disordersAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedMolecular psychiatry2026-10-15

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: transition to psychotic disorders.

Thapar Anita A, Dennison Charlotte A CA, Kandeğer Ali A, Owen Michael J MJ

It is well recognized that Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with heightened risk for common psychiatric disorders; early identification and treatment of ADHD may help reduce some of this risk. However, the substantially increased risk of bipolar disorder, psychosis, and schizophrenia (hereafter psychotic disorders) is often overlooked (odds ratios 4.7-8.9). Given how common ADHD is, there is growing pressure for greater involvement of primary care services, especially for less complex forms of ADHD. However, those at highest risk for transition to a psychotic disorder need to be prioritised for secondary care follow up. Currently it is unknown how to stratify ADHD according to risk or indeed why only some develop a psychotic disorder. This perspective examines key hypotheses that may explain why transition occurs only in a subset of individuals. One hypothesis is that features suggestive of ADHD may represent early manifestations of psychotic disorders, although direct support for this is limited. The potential role of ADHD treatment is also considered; current data indicate that therapeutic use of methylphenidate is not associated with increased risk of psychotic disorders, while uncertainty remains for amphetamines. The possible mediating roles of ADHD-evoked environmental exposures are discussed, but evidence for mediation is lacking. We also consider the evidence that ADHD and psychotic disorders result from shared underlying neurodevelopmental processes. We highlight key clinical implications for screening and monitoring individuals with ADHD for psychotic disorders and consider what factors may help in weighting risk. Finally, we identify important evidence gaps for future research.

PMID 42875515
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PubMedEuropean child & adolescent psychiatry2026-10-14

Voice features in paediatric ADHD: baseline group differences and longitudinal change under methylphenidate.

Bamberger Rachel R, Kuhles Gianna G, Lotter Leon D LD, Dukart Juergen J et al.

Diagnosis and treatment monitoring of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) largely rely on subjective assessments, highlighting the need for objective markers. Voice features and speech embeddings represent promising candidates, as they may offer an objective, scalable and clinically valuable complement to current practice. Yet it remains largely unclear which features are most informative for distinguishing ADHD and monitoring treatment effects, and which speech tasks best elicit these differences. Twenty-seven children with ADHD and 27 age-matched neurotypical controls completed six speech tasks across two study visits. Children with ADHD were unmedicated at baseline and were assessed under prescribed methylphenidate treatment at follow-up, whereas controls underwent repeated assessment without intervention. Established acoustic voice features and high-dimensional speech embeddings were extracted and analysed using linear mixed models to examine baseline group differences and group-by-time interaction effects reflecting medication-associated change patterns. At baseline, children with ADHD showed a lower and more variable pitch (F0 mean, F0 variability), altered spectral properties (MFCC1/MFCC2 variability), and reduced rhythmic stability (variability of voiced-segment length) compared to controls. Group-by-time interaction effects indicated medication-associated modulation in the ADHD group, including reduced loudness variability and normalization of first formant bandwidth toward control values. Speech embeddings (Whisper but not WavLM) showed FDR-significant baseline and interaction effects. Free speech tasks, particularly picture description, yielded the most robust and consistent effects. These findings support further investigation of speech-based measures as potential digital biomarkers in ADHD, with picture description emerging as a particularly promising task for future clinical assessment protocols.Clinical trial registration: German Clinical Trials Registry, registration no. DRKS00030766, Registration Date: 12 December 2022. Available: https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00030766.

PMID 42873249
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PubMedPharmacoepidemiology and drug safety2026-10-13

Long-Term Treatment Patterns in Norwegian ADHD-Medicine Users: A Cohort Register-Based Study With 5 Years of Follow-Up, 2012-2021.

Anker Espen E, Halmøy Anne A, Fredriksen Mats M

To improve interpretation of long-term ADHD medication treatment trajectories in Norway by examining sex- and age-specific persistence, distinguishing within-substance product switching from active-ingredient (ATC substance) switching, and describing the medication and prescriber context of the last observed dispensation before non-persistence. This study used population-based data from the Norwegian Prescription Database (NorPD) to identify 33 706 incident users initiating ADHD medication in 2012-2016, defined using an individual-specific 5-year look-back. Participants were followed for up to 5 years until 2021. We estimated dispensing-based persistence, defined non-persistence as the first dispensing gap of ≥ 396 days/13 months, characterised switching as either within-substance product switching or active-ingredient (ATC substance) switching, and described the last dispensed medication and prescriber specialty recorded before non-persistence. The cohort included 19 898 men (59%) and 13 808 women (41%); 97%-98% initiated methylphenidate. Five-year persistence was 39% in men and 35% in women. During follow-up, 41% had no switch and 26% had ≥ 4 switches. Among first switches, within-substance product switching predominated (80.9% in men; 77.5% in women), while active-ingredient switching was less common (19.1% and 22.5%, respectively). Among those who met the non-persistence definition during follow-up (62.4%), the last dispensed medication was methylphenidate (76%), atomoxetine/guanfacine (12%), lisdexamfetamine (7%), and dexamphetamine (3%), respectively; the last prescriber specialty recorded on the last dispensation was a general practitioner for 51.9% and a specialist for 48.1%. In Norway, most incident ADHD medication users met a dispensing-based definition of non-persistence within 5 years. Switching was frequent, but most first switches occurred within the same active substance rather than between substances, suggesting that many observed changes in dispensing data may reflect product substitution or formulation change rather than a true change in pharmacological strategy. These findings may improve interpretation of long-term treatment trajectories.

PMID 42863890
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PubMedPharmacoepidemiology and drug safety2026-10-12

Methylphenidate and Long-Term Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Berthod Christelle C, Loppinet Thomas T, Ndiaye Marietou M, Boussaha Inesse I et al.

Cardiovascular safety of methylphenidate remains a matter of debate. To evaluate the long-term cardiovascular risk associated with methylphenidate use, a cohort study was conducted using the French National Health Data System. New users were defined by a first methylphenidate dispensation (index date) between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2023. Each new user was matched with three nonusers by sex and by month and year of birth. Individuals with prior cardiovascular disease or relevant cardiovascular comorbidities were excluded. The primary outcome was cardiovascular disease, defined by International Classification of Diseases codes or antihypertensive drug use. Cox proportional hazards models estimated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs), accounting for demographic and clinical covariates. Negative control outcomes were used to assess residual confounding, allowing the derivation of calibrated HRs and confidence intervals. A total of 212 216 new users and 636 648 matching nonusers were included. Mean age was 13.7 years and 72% were males. Over a follow-up of ~4 years, 3858 cardiovascular diseases occurred (0.45%): 1960 in new users (9.2 per 1000) and 1898 in nonusers (3 per 1000). The adjusted HR was 2.37 (95% CI [2.21; 2.54]), with a calibrated HR of 1.85 (95% CI [1.55; 2.21]). The results suggest that methylphenidate use may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Although the calibrated estimates indicate attenuation due to residual confounding, the association remained statistically significant. This supports recommendations for cardiovascular monitoring during treatment.

PMID 42860840
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PubMedJournal of pain and symptom management2026-10-11

Underuse of Palliative Medications and Services in Children with Life-Limiting Conditions.

Levine Hagit H, Freud Tamar T, Ginati Yotam David YD, Landau Yuval Y et al.

Children with life-limiting conditions experience substantial pain, depression, and anxiety, yet the real-world use of symptom-directed medications and palliative services in this population is largely uncharacterized. To examine the use, and potential underuse, of antidepressant and other symptom-directed psychotropic medications, psychological services, and dedicated palliative care services (palliative consultation, hospice referral, and pain consultation) among children with life-limiting conditions. Retrospective population-based cohort study using the electronic medical records of Clalit Health Services, Israel's largest health care organization. Children aged 0-18 years with chronic life-limiting or life-threatening conditions diagnosed between 2000 and 2025 were followed until death or end of follow-up. Medication dispensing, psychiatric and psychological consultations, and palliative care services were compared across age groups and regions. The cohort included 83,419 children, of whom 3,267 died. In the final year of life, only 18.2% of children who died received benzodiazepines and fewer than 3% received selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Psychiatric and psychological consultations reached only 1.8% and 0.6%, respectively; 95.7% received no palliative consultation, and hospice referrals and pain consultations were each provided to 0.2%. SSRI, SNRI, and methylphenidate use rose steeply with age (SSRIs: 0.5% of infants vs. 13.1% of adolescents; p<0.001). Benzodiazepine use was higher in the center and north, whereas palliative consultations were more common in the south and center (p<0.001). Among living children, palliative service use was virtually absent. Children with life-limiting conditions in Israel experience profound, systematic underuse of symptom-directed medications, psychological services, and dedicated palliative care across the entire disease trajectory, demanding urgent policy action.

PMID 42860167
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PubMedJournal of child and adolescent psychopharmacology2026-10-09

Letter: Lisdexamfetamine for Improving Symptoms of Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome After Trials of Methylphenidate in an 11-Year-Old Girl with FOXP1 Syndrome.

Testut Samuel S, Oppetit Alice A, Cohen David D, Benarous Xavier X

PMID 42852806
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