FDA approves injected form of Zyprexa Relprevv

INDIANAPOLIS The Food and Drug Administration has approved a long-acting injected form of a mental health drug by Eli Lilly & Co., the Indianapolis-based drug maker announced Monday.

The FDA approved Lilly’s Zyprexa Relprevv (olanzapine) extended-release injectable suspension for treating adults with schizoprenia. The drug, an intramuscular injection, sustains delivery of the drug for up to four weeks.

Non-adherence to antipsychotic drug regimens puts patients at risk of relapse. The new drug is designed to break the “revolving door” cycle often associated with schizophrenia by allowing doctors to keep track of when patients have received their medication and immediately detect non-adherence when patients don’t return for scheduled injections.

“There is a growing recognition among psychiatrists in the United States that non-adherence to medication is an even greater barrier to care for patients with schizophrenia than was previously understood, and that long-acting treatments can play a beneficial role in helping patients maintain a stable treatment regimen,” Lilly Research Laboratories VP John Hayes said. “Zyprexa Relprevv provides a new mechanism for helping appropriate patients benefit from the well-characterized efficacy of olanzapine.”