From the Guidelines
Aripiprazole is available in Canada in various formulations, including oral tablets, orally disintegrating tablets, oral solution, and long-acting injectable formulations, to cater to different patient needs and treatment requirements.
Available Formulations
- Oral tablets: come in multiple strengths, including 2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, and 30 mg tablets, marketed under the brand name Abilify and as generic versions 1.
- Orally disintegrating tablets: available as Abilify Discmelt in 10 mg and 15 mg strengths, which dissolves quickly on the tongue without water.
- Oral solution: available for patients who prefer liquid medication or have swallowing difficulties, with a strength of 1 mg/mL.
- Long-acting injectable formulations: + Abilify Maintena, available as a once-monthly intramuscular injection in 300 mg and 400 mg doses, for long-term maintenance treatment. + Aristada, another long-acting injectable formulation with dosing intervals of 4-8 weeks, may be available through special access programs. These various formulations enable healthcare providers to tailor treatment to individual patient needs, considering factors such as adherence challenges, dosing preferences, and specific clinical requirements.
Key Considerations
- The choice of formulation should be based on patient-specific factors, including ability to swallow pills, preference for liquid medication, and need for long-term maintenance treatment.
- Healthcare providers should consult the latest clinical guidelines and product monographs for detailed information on dosing, administration, and potential interactions with other medications, as noted in studies such as 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
Aripiprazole tablets, USP are available as described in Table 3. Table 3: Aripiprazole Tablets Presentations Tablet Strength Tablet Color/Shape Tablet Markings 2 mg Light green to green modified rectangle "I" and "94" 5 mg Light blue to blue modified rectangle "I" and "95" 10 mg Light pink to pink modified rectangle "I" and "96" 15 mg Light yellow to yellow round "I" and "97" 20 mg White to off white round "I" and "98" 30 mg Light pink to pink round "I" and "99 " Aripiprazole tablets, USP are available in 2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, and 30 mg strengths.
The available formulations of Aripiprazole (Abilify) are:
- Tablets: 2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, and 30 mg strengths [2] [3] Note that the provided drug labels do not explicitly state that these formulations are available in Canada.
From the Research
Available Formulations of Aripiprazole (Abilify) in Canada
- Aripiprazole is available in various formulations, including orally disintegrating tablets, powder formulation, and oral solutions 4
- A ready-to-use (RTU) long-acting injectable (LAI) formulation of aripiprazole monohydrate is available for administration once every 2 months, in 960 mg or 720 mg doses 5
- Gummi drugs containing aripiprazole have been developed as hospital formulations, including OD-G, PW-G, OS-G, and improved OD-G (iOD-G) 4
- Aripiprazole is also available in other countries, including the US, where it was approved by the FDA in 2002 for the treatment of schizophrenia 6
Dosage and Administration
- The RTU LAI formulation of aripiprazole can be administered once every 2 months, with dosing recommendations informed by simulations across multiple scenarios 5
- The gummi drugs containing aripiprazole can be stored for ≤1 month and have been shown to have suitable pharmaceutical characteristics for hospital formulations 4
Comparison with Other Atypical Antipsychotics
- Aripiprazole has been compared with other atypical antipsychotics, including olanzapine and risperidone, in terms of efficacy and tolerability 7
- Aripiprazole may be less effective than olanzapine, but more tolerable in terms of metabolic effects and sedation 7
- There is no evidence for a difference in efficacy compared to risperidone, but for better tolerability in terms of dystonias, cholesterol prolactin increase, and QTc prolongation 7