The aim of this analysis was to explore the effects of
brexpiprazole and
aripiprazole on
body weight when used as monotherapy to treat
schizophrenia and as adjunctive treatment to
antidepressant treatment (ADT) for
major depressive disorder (MDD) in short-term (4/6 weeks) and long-term (≤52 weeks) studies.
Body weight data were obtained from the clinical studies of each drug (
brexpiprazole and
aripiprazole), in
schizophrenia and adjunctive treatment of MDD. Data were pooled and analyzed to assess the mean change in
body weight and to determine the incidence of a clinically relevant change in
body weight from baseline (≥7% increase or decrease, at any time) in each treatment group. The overall weight profiles for
brexpiprazole and
aripiprazole in the short-term and long-term treatment of
schizophrenia, and MDD (adjunctive to ADT), were similar. In short-term
schizophrenia studies, the mean weight increase was 1.2 kg for
brexpiprazole and 0.6 kg for
aripiprazole. In short-term MDD studies (adjunctive to ADT), the mean weight increase was 1.5 kg for
brexpiprazole and 1.6 kg for
aripiprazole. In the long-term
schizophrenia studies, at week 52, the mean weight increase was 2.1 kg for
brexpiprazole and 3.0 kg for
aripiprazole. In long-term MDD studies (adjunctive to ADT), at week 52, the mean weight increase was 3.2 kg for
brexpiprazole and 4.0 kg for
aripiprazole. Clinically relevant increases or decreases in
body weight were also similar for
brexpiprazole and
aripiprazole. Overall, in the treatment of
schizophrenia, and in adjunctive treatment of MDD,
brexpiprazole and
aripiprazole have a similar effect on
body weight over the course of 1 year.