FDA approves Igalmi for agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar I or II disorder
BioXcel Therapeutics announced that the FDA has approved Igalmi (dexmedetomidine) sublingual film for the acute treatment of agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar I or II disorder in adults.
Igalmi can be self-administrated by patients under the supervision of a healthcare provider.
The FDA approval of Igalmi is based on data from two pivotal randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel group Phase III trials evaluating Igalmi for the acute treatment of agitation associated with schizophrenia (SERENITY I) or bipolar I or II disorder (SERENITY II). The primary endpoint was the mean change from baseline in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-Excited Component (PEC) total score assessed at 2 hours following dosing. The key secondary endpoint was the earliest time where efficacy, measured by the change from baseline in PEC score, was statistically separated from placebo. PEC is an investigator-rated instrument for measuring agitation in patients that evaluates five elements associated with agitation: poor impulse control, tension, hostility, uncooperativeness, and excitement.
In both trials, Igalmi met the primary endpoint at two hours after the first dose in patients treated with the 120 mcg and 180 mcg doses, demonstrating statistically significant improvements from baseline. Igalmi also met the key secondary endpoint, demonstrating a rapid onset of action, with statistically significant separation from placebo observed at 20 minutes for both the 180 mcg and 120 mcg doses in SERENITY II and 20 minutes and 30 minutes in SERENITY I, respectively.
The most common adverse reactions (incidence of at least 5% and at least twice the rate of placebo) were somnolence (drowsiness and feeling sleepy), paresthesia or oral hypoesthesia, dizziness, dry mouth, hypotension (low blood pressure) and orthostatic hypotension. All adverse drug reactions were mild to moderate in severity. While Igalmi did not exhibit any treatment-related serious adverse effects (SAEs) in Phase III studies, it may cause notable side effects including hypotension, orthostatic hypotension and bradycardia, QT interval prolongation, and somnolence.
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