The new drug is being hailed as a breakthrough for the 2.8 million American adults (out of 24 million worldwide) who live with schizophrenia.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the green light to Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Cobenfi, reportedly making it the first major new treatment in 70 years.
Unlike other antipsychotics, Cobenfi reduces delusions in schizophrenia without the side effects (drowsiness, weight gain, muscle spasms) that force some patients to stop taking the drug. It seems that it will.
Cobenfi does have side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and constipation, but Bristol-Myers Squibb doesn’t seem concerned that these will deter its use. Not only did the company pay $14 billion earlier this year to acquire the company that developed the drug, it is also testing its effectiveness against psychosis caused by Alzheimer’s disease, for which there is no FDA-approved treatment.
Efficacy for schizophrenia alone would be a milestone. The exact cause of the disorder is shrouded in mystery, and it appears to be a combination of physical, genetic, psychological and environmental factors that affect people who are prone to triggers such as stress and drug use.
Experts classify the symptoms of schizophrenia into “positive” symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, and “negative” symptoms, such as withdrawal and apathy from social interactions and the environment.
Researchers say the disease can have physical and social toll. The disease is linked to early death, and stigma persists, which can lead to discrimination and homelessness.
Two psychologists at Boston University’s Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences who study schizophrenia are excited about Cobenfi’s potential, with a few caveats.
here, kim muserprofessor of occupational therapy and co-author of the following books: Coping with Schizophrenia: A guide for families (New Harbinger Publications, 1994), and Daniel FulfordThe associate professor of occupational therapy, who co-developed an app that collects real-time social data about patients with the disorder, asks what the drug’s approval means for patients and whether the hype is overblown. This is explained as follows.
sauce: boston university
