Can Latuda (lurasidone) be administered in half tablets?

From the Guidelines

Splitting Latuda (lurasidone) tablets is generally not recommended due to the potential for inaccurate dosing and the availability of various dosage strengths. When considering the administration of Latuda, it's crucial to prioritize the patient's safety and the medication's efficacy. The fact that Latuda tablets are not scored, as mentioned in the context of proper medication administration, implies that cutting them could lead to dosing errors [no direct evidence from 1, but based on general medical knowledge]. Key points to consider include:

• Latuda is available in several dosage strengths (20mg, 40mg, 60mg, 80mg, and 120mg), which allows for flexible and accurate dosing without the need for splitting tablets.
• The importance of taking Latuda with at least 350 calories of food to ensure proper absorption, as highlighted in the context of medication administration, is a critical aspect of its use [no direct evidence from 1, but based on general medical knowledge].
• Any changes to the medication dosage should be made under the guidance of a healthcare provider to avoid potential side effects or impacts on the patient's condition management [no direct evidence from 1, but based on general medical knowledge and principles of pharmacotherapy]. Given the information from 1, while it does not directly address the question of splitting Latuda tablets, it emphasizes the importance of proper dosing and adherence in antipsychotic therapy, which supports the recommendation against splitting tablets to maintain dosing accuracy and ensure the patient's safety and the medication's effectiveness.

From the Research

Administration of Latuda (Lurasidone)

• The studies provided do not directly address the administration of Latuda (lurasidone) in half tablets 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
• However, the studies discuss the preparation of lurasidone suspensions from tablets for enteral feeding tubes 2 and the development of long-acting injectable formulations of lurasidone 3.
• The recommended dose of lurasidone is 40-80 mg given once daily, with no titration needed, and it should be taken with food 4.
• The pharmacokinetic profile of lurasidone requires administration with food, and it is approximately 99% bound to serum plasma proteins 6.

Stability and Compatibility

• A study demonstrated that lurasidone suspensions prepared from tablets are compatible with commonly used enteral feeding tube materials and dimensions, and a beyond-use date of 14 days was established for the suspensions stored at room temperature 2.
• The stability of lurasidone suspensions was also evaluated in another study, which showed that the suspensions retained greater than 93% of their original concentration during a 14-day stability study 2.

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

• Lurasidone is a second-generation antipsychotic agent that has received regulatory approval for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar depression 5, 6.
• It is administered once daily within the range of 40-160 mg/day for schizophrenia and 20-120 mg/day for bipolar depression, and its pharmacokinetic profile requires administration with food 6.
• Lurasidone's pharmacokinetics are approximately dose proportional in healthy adults and clinical populations within the approved dosing range 6.