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Antipsychotic Maintenance
Antipsychotic maintenance therapy works by blocking dopamine and/or serotonin receptors in the brain to reduce psychotic symptoms and prevent relapse in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
Antipsychotic maintenance therapy works by blocking dopamine and/or serotonin receptors in the brain to reduce psychotic symptoms and prevent relapse in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Used for Maintenance treatment of schizophrenia, Maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder (manic or mixed episodes), Prevention of relapse in chronic psychotic disorders.
At a glance
| Generic name | Antipsychotic Maintenance |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | University College, London |
| Drug class | Antipsychotic (typical or atypical) |
| Target | Dopamine D2 receptor; serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (varies by specific agent) |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Psychiatry / Mental Health |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
Antipsychotics antagonize dopamine D2 receptors and often serotonin 5-HT2A receptors, reducing hyperactivity in mesolimbic and mesocortical dopamine pathways that underlie positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions) and some negative symptoms. Maintenance therapy involves long-term administration—often as depot/long-acting formulations—to sustain symptom control and reduce hospitalization risk in chronic psychotic disorders.
Approved indications
- Maintenance treatment of schizophrenia
- Maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder (manic or mixed episodes)
- Prevention of relapse in chronic psychotic disorders
Common side effects
- Extrapyramidal symptoms (tremor, rigidity, akathisia)
- Weight gain
- Metabolic syndrome (hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia)
- Prolactin elevation (galactorrhea, sexual dysfunction)
- Sedation
- Tardive dyskinesia (with long-term use)
Key clinical trials
- Maintenance ElectroConvulsive Therapy in Clozapine RESISTant Schizophrenia - the MECT-RESIST Trial (NA)
- Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial for Bipolar Depression (PHASE4)
- HD-tDCS for Adolescent Bipolar Depression Targeting S1 (NA)
- Efficacy and Functional Recovery After Switching From Paliperidone Palmitate Injection to Oral Antipsychotics in Schizophrenia (PHASE4)
- Study Comparing Antipsychotic Dose Reduction vs. Maintenance Treatment in Patients With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder: a Personalized Medicine Approach (PHASE2)
- Effect of Exercise on Tapering Antipsychotics in Patients With Psycho-cardiological Disease(EXTRA-study) (NA)
- A Clinical Trial of Adjunctive Thyroxine for Avolition in Schizophrenia (EARLY_PHASE1)
- Evaluating the Effect of the STEP@STAH Semaglutide Protocol on the Physical Health Measures of Atypical Antipsychotic-Treated Patients (PHASE4)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Antipsychotic Maintenance CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Antipsychotic Maintenance updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- University College, London portfolio CI