The Long and Short of It

Long-acting drug delivery systems or long-acting medications can take a number of forms – implants, depot injections, long-acting injectables (LAIs), combination products – but they all offer the potential for targeted drug release, lower dosage requirements, and improved patient compliance. A well-designed drug-eluting system can improve the bioavailability, stability, and pharmacokinetics of an API, while also offering potential intellectual property and life-cycle management opportunities.

For example, studies have repeatedly documented high non-adherence rates (around 50 percent) for patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (1); 18 months after treatment initiation, non-adherence can be as high as 74 percent. Non-adherence is associated with increased relapse rates, frequent hospitalizations, greater costs, and higher morbidity, and mortality rates (2). Wouldn’t antipsychotic LAIs be a more practical option?