Schering-Plough Announces Asenapine Results

Schering-Plough reported results that showed asenapine was more effective than placebo in treating patients with acute schizophrenia.

In the study, 448 patients with schizophrenia received asenapine 5 or 10 mg twice daily, haloperidol 4 mg twice daily or placebo for six weeks. The primary endpoint was changes in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score from baseline to day 42.

PANSS score changes were greater for asenapine 5 and 10 mg twice daily (-21.3 and
-19.4) and haloperidol (-20) compared with placebo (-14.6), Schering-Plough reported.

More patients on both asenapine 5 and 10 mg (55 percent and 49 percent, respectively) and haloperidol (43 percent) demonstrated reductions in the PANSS score of greater than or equal to 30 percent versus placebo (33 percent).