News Release

New Seroquel data show significant improvement in compliance and cognition in schizophrenia

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Shire Health International

Alderley Park, UK, 23 May 2005 – Patients with schizophrenia who are treated with the atypical antipsychotic SEROQUEL (Quetiapine) show significantly superior rates of treatment compliance compared to patients treated with other atypical and typical antipsychotics, according to new data presented today at the American Psychiatry Association (APA) meeting in Atlanta, USA. Additional data presented today also showed improved cognitive functioning for patients with schizophrenia who are treated with SEROQUEL.

The compliance study is one of the few to compare both atypical antipsychotics with each other as well as with typical antipsychotics in schizophrenia. The findings show SEROQUEL to have the highest compliance rate of both typicals and atypicals, which was significantly (P<0.05) greater than that of risperidone (6% greater) and olanzapine (4% greater). These are welcome results in a patient environment where up to 50% of patients fail to comply with their prescribed medication, leading to an increased risk of relapse. This can result in the need for rehospitalisation and potential for high socioeconomic costs.

"Compliance with medication is fundamental to a successful treatment outcome in schizophrenia. However, all too often patients have to struggle with medications that cause distressing side effects such as extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS), increased prolactin levels leading to galactorroeha and sexual dysfunction, which makes complying with treatment a challenge many patients find too difficult to overcome" commented Dr Michael Riedel from the Munich University Hospital, Germany. "It is critical therefore that medications are not only effective in treating symptoms but are also well tolerated, which is where atypicals such as SEROQUEL are able to offer patients an improved outcome."

COGNITIVE FUNCTION

Two other studies presented at this year's APA meeting compared the cognitive benefits of SEROQUEL and risperidone in patients with schizophrenia, demonstrating improvements in cognitive function among Seroquel-treated patients:

  • In a randomized, double-blind study of 44 patients, both SEROQUEL and risperidone improved cognition in patients with schizophrenia over a 6-week period. However, SEROQUEL (at a mean dose of 566.7 mg/day) produced significantly greater improvements in working and verbal memory than risperidone (p<0.01 and p<0.05 vs risperidone, respectively), with a significantly lower incidence of EPS, a highly distressing treatment-induced side effect 2
  • In an 8-week, double-blind, flexible-dose, parallel study randomizing 673 patients with schizophrenia, cognitive benefits of SEROQUEL (mean modal dose of 530 mg/day) and risperidone were compared. Both medications were associated with overall improvements in cognitive functioning (p<0.01) versus baseline.3

"It is encouraging to see that SEROQUEL appears to be at least as effective as risperidone in improving cognitive function while also demonstrating a superior side effect profile in terms of extrapyramidal symptoms" continued Dr. Riedel. "Cognitive impairment is a serious symptom but one which is sometimes perceived as less important than some other symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations. However, recent studies have found that cognitive function is directly related to many areas of social interaction, and can limit an individual from being able to benefit fully from rehabilitation programmes. That is why treating these symptoms effectively is so important."

SEROQUEL has been licensed for the treatment of schizophrenia since 1997 and is available in 82 countries for the treatment of this condition. Results of recent studies show that 600mg/day is an efficacious SEROQUEL dose in patients with schizophrenia. SEROQUEL is also licensed in 63 countries for the treatment of mania associated with bipolar disorder, including the US, Canada and several European countries. To date, over 8 million people have been treated with SEROQUEL worldwide.

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Notes to editors:

Compliance study methodology: a large claims database (1999–2003) representing several US commercial health plans was used. A total of 7216 antipsychotic monotherapy treatment episodes for patients with schizophrenia were identified. Adherence measures included: treatment compliance, captured with the "medication possession ratio;" and treatment continuation, measured by duration of treatment episodes. Antipsychotics included atypicals (risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, and ziprasidone) and the leading typicals (haloperidol, perphenazine, thioridazine, and thiothixine).

AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of over $21.4 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, respiratory, oncology and neuroscience products. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index.

In Neuroscience, AstraZeneca is dedicated to providing medicines that have the potential to change patients' lives. The company already markets several products including SEROQUEL and ZOMIG. SEROQUEL, which has proven efficacy and a very favourable side effect profile, is the fastest growing of the leading atypical antipsychotics and the number one prescribed atypical in the United States with global sales of $2 billion in 2004; ZOMIG is a reliable migraine therapy and a leader within the triptan market. The Neuroscience pipeline includes leading approaches for the treatment of depression and anxiety, overactive bladder, dementia, stroke, pain control and anaesthesia.

SEROQUEL is a trademark of the AstraZeneca group of companies.

For more information, please visit www.astrazenecapressoffice.com or please contact:

References:

Rajagopalan K, Gianfrancesco F. Treatment Compliance and Persistence Among Patients with Schizophrenia: Atypical Versus Typical Antipsychotics. Presented at the American Psychiatric Association meeting, May 2005, Atlanta, USA

Riedel M,Müller N, Strassnig M,Spellmann I, Müller Arends A, Dehning S, Möller H. Cognitive benefits of quetiapine versus risperidone in schizophrenia. Presented at the American Psychiatric Association meeting, May 2005, Atlanta, USA

Harvey PD, Brecher M, Sweitzer D, Zhong K. Cognitive function in schizophrenia: Effects of quetiapine and risperidone. Presented at the American Psychiatric Association meeting, May 2005, Atlanta, USA

Lacro JP, Dunn LB, Dolder CR, Leckband SG, Jeste DV. Prevalence of and risk factors for medication nonadherence in patients with schizophrenia: a comprehensive review of recent literature. J Clin Psychiatry. 2002;63:892-909.

Ayuso-Gutierrez JL et al. Factors influencing relapse in the long-term course of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Res. 1997 Dec 19;28(2-3):199-206.


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