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aripiprazole (Abilify Maintena / Lu AF41155 / aripiprazole ERIS)

✓ Approved

Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. · DRD2 · Small Molecule

What is aripiprazole?

aripiprazole is a small molecule developed by Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd.. It is approved for therapeutic indications via injectable (others) or intramuscular (im) injection.

Drug Profile

Brand NamesAbilify Maintena, Lu AF41155, aripiprazole ERIS
CompanyOtsuka Holdings Co., Ltd.
Drug ClassSmall Molecule
Molecular TargetDRD2, HTR1A, HTR2A
RouteInjectable (Others), Intramuscular (IM) Injection
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd.

Mechanism of Action

Molecular Targets

aripiprazole acts on 3 molecular targets:

DRD2dopamine receptor D2 (D2DR, D2R)
HTR1A5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1A (PFMCD, 5-HT1A)
HTR2A5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A (5-HT2A, HTR2)
Want deeper analysis?Noah AI can explain complex mechanisms and compare to similar drugs.

Therapeutic Indications

aripiprazole is developed for 2 unique indications across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Psychiatric disordersSchizophrenia✓ Approved
Psychiatric disordersBipolar disorder✓ Approved

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Development and validation of a GC-MS method for the determination of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol in pharmaceutical syrups.

Amil Muhammad Amirul MA, Mohamad Adzib Muhammad Shahariz MS, Bujang Nur Baizura NB, Gan Kok Zheng KZ et al.

Contamination of pharmaceutical syrups with ethylene glycol (EG) and diethylene glycol (DEG) has led to serious poisoning incidents worldwide, highlighting the necessity for strong regulations and reliable testing methods. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method was developed and validated in accordance with ICH Q2(R2) guidelines. The method was developed for pharmaceutical syrup matrices and validated using multiple commercially available products, supporting its applicability for routine regulatory surveillance. It exhibited excellent linearity, with r² of 0.9991 for EG and 0.9963 for DEG. The detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) limits were 0.02% v/v and 0.06% v/v, respectively, below the regulatory limit of 0.10% set by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA), Ministry of Health Malaysia. Accuracy ranged from 94.2% to 108.4%, and the %RSD for intermediate precision was 1.4% for EG and 2.5% for DEG, confirming the method's reproducibility. When the validated method was applied to 51 pharmaceutical syrup samples available in the Malaysian market as part of post-market surveillance, 13 samples were detected to have EG. Of these, 11 samples had EG concentrations between the LOD and the LOQ, while two samples (PS-13 and PS-26) had measurable levels at 0.09% v/v. DEG was not detected in any sample. Therefore, this study emphasises the importance of regulatory surveillance, supported by validated analytical testing, to ensure the quality and safety of pharmaceutical syrups. Strengthening local surveillance mechanisms will further strengthen NPRA's regulatory capacity and safeguard public health.

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Case Report: Analysis of antimicrobial therapy and pharmaceutical care of mixed Aspergillus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection following renal transplantation: a case study.

Zhang Jiao J, Zhao Yue Y, Peng Yang Y, Zheng Xin X

Invasive infection is a significant complication following renal transplantation. Due to long-term immunosuppressive therapy, renal transplant recipients are at high risk for fungal infections and tuberculosis, which are also major causes of mortality in this population. Triazole drugs, as first-line agents for invasive fungal infections, can cause fluctuations in the blood levels of immunosuppressants due to drug-drug interactions. Furthermore, the concomitant use of antituberculosis drugs further complicates the balance between maintaining immunosuppression and anti-infective therapy, often presenting a challenge to clinical decision-making. This article discusses the role of the clinical pharmacist in the treatment of a renal transplant recipient who developed concurrent pulmonary tuberculosis and aspergillus infection. By recommending initial regimens, adjusting doses during outpatient follow-ups, and assessing adverse drug reactions, the clinical pharmacist provided systematic pharmaceutical services. This collaboration assisted physicians in developing a personalized treatment plan, ultimately achieving favorable therapeutic outcomes for the patient.

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Ciprocopan: First Approval.

Fung Simon S

Ciprocopan (®) is a small molecule inhibitor of complement factor B, which is a key component of the alternative complement pathway. It is being developed by Haisco Pharmaceutical Group for the treatment of complement-mediated disorders. In July 2026, ciprocopan received its first approval for treatment of adult patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) who have not previously received treatment with a complement inhibitor therapy in China. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of ciprocopan leading to this first approval.

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PubMedNature2026-10-15

Artificial intelligence-enabled clinical phenotyping of human brown fat.

Gómez-Banoy Nicolás N, Barrero Jorge A JA, Pinheiro de Carvalho Luiza Rachel LR, Jiang Caroline S CS et al.

Adipose tissue has a central role in systemic energy balance and the pathogenesis of obesity and its sequelae1,2. In contrast to white adipose tissue, brown adipose tissue (BAT) uses energy to produce heat3. Detectable BAT in humans is associated with decreased prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases4. However, the complete spectrum of health conditions associated with BAT remains unknown, and high-throughput methods to quantify BAT activity in humans are lacking5,6. Here we leveraged big data and artificial intelligence to systematically define the clinical impact of BAT in a cohort of 101,243 patients from a large cancer centre. Our unbiased analyses revealed that, across all diagnoses, cardiovascular and psychiatric diseases were less prevalent in people with BAT. Using a machine learning approach, we semi-automatically quantified BAT activity in approximately 8,700 patients and demonstrated that higher BAT activity, especially in the axillary depot, is associated with lower odds of cardiometabolic diseases and healthier white fat distribution. People with BAT also exhibited more favourable glycaemic parameters, lipid profiles, inflammatory markers and echocardiographic indices. Analysis of medication usage demonstrated that angiotensin receptor blocker use was positively associated with BAT presence. As proof of concept, we showed that the angiotensin receptor blocker losartan increased brown adipocyte activity and whole-body energy expenditure. Altogether, our studies harnessing artificial intelligence and big data identify new clinical phenotypes linked to BAT and serve as a platform for drug repurposing to activate this tissue in humans.

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PubMedDrug delivery and translational research2026-10-15

Engineering long-acting injectable in situ forming implants for sustained delivery of citalopram in depression management.

Koppisetti Haripriya H, Nakmode Deepa D, Rajapaksha Weranga W, Singh Baljinder B et al.

Long-acting injectable formulations have emerged as promising systems for managing chronic psychiatric conditions by reducing dosing frequency and improving patient adherence. Oral antidepressants such as citalopram hydrobromide require daily administration, posing a significant risk of non-compliance in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). This study aimed to develop and characterize a poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based in situ forming implant (ISFI) for the sustained parenteral delivery of citalopram hydrobromide over 10 days. Systematic formulation screening across polymers, solvents, and lipid excipients identified the optimized formulation (F4) composition, which was evaluated for viscosity, syringeability, in vitro drug release, ex vivo depot formation, release kinetics, cytotoxicity, and in vivo pharmacokinetic prediction. The optimized formulation exhibited Newtonian flow behavior (viscosity 0.35 Pa.s) with a maximum expulsion force of 16.49 N through a 20G needle, confirming adequate injectability. The in vitro release profile demonstrated a moderate initial burst of ~ 13% within 24 h, followed by near-linear sustained release reaching ~ 87% by Day 10. The Korsmeyer-Peppas model provided the best fit (R² = 0.99, n = 0.865), confirming Super case II and non-Fickian diffusion-erosion transport. A strong in vitro-ex vivo correlation (R² = 0.9259) validated the release model. Cytotoxicity assessment confirmed biocompatibility with an IC₅₀ of 34.92 ± 2.28 µg/mL, representing a 300-fold safety margin above therapeutic plasma concentrations. Convolution-based pharmacokinetic prediction demonstrated sustained systemic exposure over 10 days from a single intramuscular injection. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a PLGA-based long-acting injectable platform for sustained citalopram delivery, supporting its potential utility in the management of Major Depressive Disorder.

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PubMedNature communications2026-10-15

Difunctionalization of unsaturated hydrocarbons via EDA complexes to access pentafluorosulfanyl thioethers.

Zhang Xiaofeng X, Jiang Yuanyang Y, Yang Hui-Yi HY, Ma Yifan Y et al.

Recently, the pentafluorosulfanyl (SF5) group has attracted considerable interest from medicinal chemists owing to its capacity to significantly enhance the pharmaceutical properties of small-molecule drug candidates. However, a general method for three-component pentafluorosulfanylation of electron-deficient alkenes remains elusive. Herein, we present an electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex photoactivation strategy for the thiopentafluorosulfanylation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, including electron-deficient alkenes, alkynes, 1,6-enynes, and even acetylene gas. The utility of this approach is demonstrated through the synthesis of a diverse array of pentafluorosulfanyl thioethers and the late-stage functionalization of complex molecules, including pharmaceuticals, natural products, and amino acid derivatives. This work establishes a framework for designing atom-economical difunctionalization reactions that employ green LEDs under mild conditions. Moreover, mechanistic studies support an EDA complex-mediated pathway and identify ArSCl as a key intermediate formed upon generation of the thiyl radical.

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