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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

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

Related Research Articles

PubMedCurrent medical research and opinion2026-08-30

Real-world adherence and healthcare resource utilization following transition to aripiprazole once-every-2-months from oral or once-monthly aripiprazole among patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in the United States.

Harrsen Kristine K, Yildirim Murat M, Beckham Clodagh C, Bell Lynum Karimah S KS et al.

To assess adherence and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) among adults diagnosed with schizophrenia who transitioned from oral aripiprazole or aripiprazole monohydrate once-monthly (AOM) to aripiprazole monohydrate 2-month ready-to-use (Ari 2MRTU). Data for patients who transitioned to Ari 2MRTU were retrospectively obtained from the Kythera Labs United States closed-claims database. Outcomes were examined 6 months pre- versus post-index (first Ari 2MRTU claim = index). Following transition from oral aripiprazole (n = 153), proportion of days covered (PDC) and medication possession ratio (MPR) increased by 21.3% and 24.6%, respectively, and proportion of adherent patients (MPR ≥ 0.8) increased by 59.2% (all p < 0.001). Mean ± standard deviation all-cause inpatient visits and hospital length of stay (LOS) were lower post- versus pre-index (0.28 ± 0.88 vs 0.67 ± 1.85 visits and 1.05 ± 3.95 vs 2.63 ± 6.14 days, p = 0.019 and p = 0.008, respectively). For schizophrenia-related HCRU, mean LOS (0.19 ± 1.05 vs 0.91 ± 3.94, p = 0.031) and proportion of patients with ≥ 1 outpatient visit (36.0% vs 54.9%, p = 0.019) were lower post- versus pre-index. Following transition from AOM (n = 526), PDC and MPR increased by 38.8% and 36.6%, respectively, and proportion of adherent patients increased by 47.9% (all p < 0.001). All-cause LOS was lower post- versus pre-transition (0.64 ± 2.63 vs 1.05 ± 3.93 days, p = 0.047). Transitioning to Ari 2MRTU was associated with significantly improved adherence and reductions in certain HCRU measures in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia.

PubMedJournal of nutritional science and vitaminology2026-08-30

Agaro-Oligosaccharides Modulate Gut Microbiota to Improve Lipid Metabolism in Obesity Model Rats.

Kuramitsu Kento K, Kitaura Yasuyuki Y, Karasawa Koji K, Hoshiba Natasia N et al.

Obesity is a global health concern, prompting extensive research to identify food components with potential anti-obesity properties. Agaro-oligosaccharides (AOS) have been reported to have anti-obesity effects; however, the precise mechanisms underlying these effects, particularly in relation to the gut microbial metabolites, remain unclear. This study investigated the anti-obesity effects of AOS using Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, an established animal model of obesity. Seven-week-old Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) and OLETF rats were fed a control diet or a diet supplemented with AOS for 13 wk. Blood parameters, liver lipids, and gene expression in the liver and ileum were analyzed. Bile acids were evaluated using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the cecal microbiota was analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. AOS supplementation suppressed body weight gain, improved metabolic parameters, and reduced hepatic triglycerides in OLETF rats. AOS supplementation altered bile acids and gut microbiota composition, increasing Akkermansia muciniphila abundance in the cecum. In addition, AOS intake downregulated the expression of lipid synthesis-related genes in the liver and ceramide synthesis-related genes in the ileum. AOS supplementation influences obesity and lipid metabolism by modulating the gut microbiota and bile acid metabolism. Therefore, AOS may help prevent various diseases by improving lipid metabolism.

PubMedHealthcare quarterly (Toronto, Ont.)2026-08-30

Addressing Canada's Pharmaceutical Research and Development Intensity Gap: The Role of Health Data Transformation.

Mullie Thomas T, Chuck Anderson A

The life sciences industry, and specifically the pharmaceutical sub-sector, is a major funder of private sector research and development. Canada's life sciences industry reinvests less of its revenues in research and development (R&D) activities than those in peer countries, which hinders innovation, creates supply risks and contributes to Canada's poor productivity growth. Traditional approaches to incentivizing reinvestment, including tax incentives, direct funding and public research spending, have failed. As an alternative, transforming Canada's health data systems would enable faster and more comprehensive secondary use, making R&D investments safer and more productive. Our peers are already pursuing this strategy, meaning Canada risks being left behind unless we act.

PubMedExploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy2026-08-30

In defence of the drug, two hearts, one profession: Reintegrating medicines expertise and patient-centred care in pharmacy's professional identity.

Davies Neal M NM

For more than three decades, pharmacy has narrated its evolution as a movement away from the product and toward the patient. The pharmaceutical care era ushered in by Hepler and Strand in 1990 framed dispensing and product expertise as a chrysalis the profession needed to shed in order to mature. That framing has been useful, but it has also been misread, and the misreading has now been institutionalised. Some accreditation councils, regulatory and licensing bodies, and advocacy bodies have positioned the profession as one moving away from a so-called "product centric" past. The thesis of this commentary is otherwise. Pharmacy has never had a single heart; it has always had two, one beating for the drug and the other for the patient, and they have always beaten in the same chest, for four centuries and more. The pharmacist's claim to a place at the patient's bedside rests entirely on what the pharmacist knows about the molecule: medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, compounding, biopharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacogenomics, radiopharmacy, pharmacognosy and now pharmaceutical artificial intelligence. The argument here is not nostalgic but expansive. Embrace them all. Without the drug, the diagnosis is a verdict, not a treatment; and without the pharmacist, no drug appears.

PubMedInternational journal of pharmaceutics: X2026-08-30

Water-triggered in-situ gelling phospholipid oil enema for enhanced budesonide delivery and mucosal healing in ulcerative colitis.

Ouyang Ting T, Chen Yumo Y, Jia Yiying Y, Li Jiarui J et al.

Budesonide (BUD) enema therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC) is limited by poor solubility, inadequate bio-adhesion, and rapid clearance due to intestinal peristalsis. To address the limitations of conventional budesonide enemas, we designed a water-triggered in situ phase-transition phospholipid formulation (termed PG oil). This system comprises soybean phosphatidylcholine (PC-98), glyceryl dioleate (GDO), propylene glycol, and anhydrous ethanol, and achieves markedly enhanced BUD solubilization (35 mg/mL), in contrast to its negligible aqueous solubility (0.021 mg/mL). Upon contact with colonic fluid, PG oil rapidly underwent sol-gel transition, forming a bio-adhesive lamellar liquid crystalline gel that serves as both a physical mucosal barrier and a sustained-release drug depot. In a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model, rectal administration of BUD-PG oil (0.3 mg/kg) significantly outperformed free BUD suspension, as evidenced by restored body weight, reduced disease activity index, normalized colon length, and decreased spleen index. Immunohistochemistry revealed marked suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, MCP-1) in colonic tissue. Histological analysis demonstrated that BUD-PG promoted favorable mucosal repair characterized by reduced collagen deposition (Masson's trichrome: from 48.5% to 16.7%) while restoring gut barrier integrity through replenishment of goblet cells and upregulation of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, Occludin-1, Claudin-5, β-catenin). Collectively, this water-responsive in situ gelling phospholipid oil platform addresses critical limitations of conventional BUD enemas by combining sustained local drug delivery with physical mucosal protection, offering a promising therapeutic strategy for comprehensive mucosal healing in UC.

PubMedDrug delivery and translational research2026-08-30

Biodegradable furylacryloyl-modified hyaluronan: in vivo evaluation and its use as a nanofibrous drug delivery system.

Brtková Barbora B, Bártová Tereza T, Piskláková Lenka L, Šimek Matěj M et al.

Furylacryloyl-modified hyaluronan (F-HA) has emerged as an appropriate material for the fabrication of UV-crosslinkable, water-stable nanofibrous scaffolds with preserved porosity. However, the safety profile and in vivo applicability of F-HA have not yet been established. In this study, we present biological assessment of F-HA, including biodegradation studies and its first in vivo evaluation in C57BL/6J mice following both intravenous and intraperitoneal administration. The results demonstrate good tolerability under the tested conditions and confirm biodegradability. Additionally, we confirm the ability of composite nanofibers consisting of F-HA with established nanofiber-forming polymers, to incorporate active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), while retaining their porous structure and favorable mechanical properties. Importantly, the incorporation of F-HA alters the release profile of embedded API. Using octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT) as a model compound, we demonstrate sustained release from F-HA/lauroyl hyaluronan (L-HA) nanofibrous scaffolds in biologically relevant protein-containing media, while retaining its structural integrity, thus supporting its suitability for biomedical applications. These findings highlight the potential of F-HA as a versatile platform for the development of advanced nanofibrous biomaterials with translational relevance in topical wound healing and drug delivery.

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