Vraylar Dosage

2.1 General Dosing Information

VRAYLAR is given orally once daily and can be taken with or without food.

Because of the long half-life of cariprazine and its active metabolites, changes in dose will not be fully reflected in plasma for several weeks. Prescribers should monitor patients for adverse reactions and treatment response for several weeks after starting VRAYLAR and after each dosage change [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

2.2 Recommended Dosage in Schizophrenia

The starting dosage of VRAYLAR is 1.5 mg once daily. The recommended dosage range is 1.5 mg to 6 mg once daily. The dosage can be increased to 3 mg on Day 2. Depending upon clinical response and tolerability, further dose adjustments can be made in 1.5 mg or 3 mg increments. The maximum recommended dosage is 6 mg daily. In short-term controlled trials, dosages above 6 mg daily do not confer increased effectiveness sufficient to outweigh dose-related adverse reactions [see Adverse Reactions (6.1), Clinical Studies (14.1)].

2.3 Recommended Dosage in Manic or Mixed Episodes Associated with Bipolar I Disorder

The starting dosage of VRAYLAR is 1.5 mg once daily and should be increased to 3 mg once daily on Day 2. The recommended dosage range is 3 mg to 6 mg once daily. Depending upon clinical response and tolerability, further dose adjustments can be made in 1.5 mg or 3 mg increments. The maximum recommended dosage is 6 mg daily. In short-term controlled trials, dosages above 6 mg daily do not confer increased effectiveness sufficient to outweigh dose-related adverse reactions [see Adverse Reactions (6.1), Clinical Studies (14.2)].

2.4 Recommended Dosage in Depressive Episodes Associated with Bipolar I Disorder (Bipolar Depression)

The starting dosage of VRAYLAR is 1.5 mg once daily. Depending upon clinical response and tolerability, the dosage can be increased to 3 mg once daily on Day 15. Maximum recommended dosage is 3 mg once daily.

2.5 Recommended Dosage for Adjunctive Therapy to Antidepressants for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder

The starting dosage of VRAYLAR is 1.5 mg once daily. Depending upon clinical response and tolerability, the dosage can be increased to 3 mg once daily on Day 15. In clinical trials, dosage titration at intervals of less than 14 days resulted in a higher incidence of adverse reactions [see Adverse Reactions (6.1)]. Maximum recommended dosage is 3 mg once daily.

2.6 Dosage Adjustments for CYP3A4 Inhibitors and Inducers

Dosage recommendation for patients initiating a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor while on a stable dose of VRAYLAR: If a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor is initiated, reduce the current dosage of VRAYLAR by half. For patients taking 4.5 mg daily, the dosage should be reduced to 1.5 mg or 3 mg daily. For patients taking 1.5 mg daily, the dosing regimen should be adjusted to every other day. When the CYP3A4 inhibitor is withdrawn, VRAYLAR dosage may need to be increased [see Drug Interactions (7.1)].

Dosage recommendation for patients initiating VRAYLAR therapy while already on a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor: Patients should be administered 1.5 mg of VRAYLAR on Day 1 and on Day 3 with no dose administered on Day 2. From Day 4 onward, the dose should be administered at 1.5 mg daily, then increased to a maximum dose of 3 mg daily. When the CYP3A4 inhibitor is withdrawn, VRAYLAR dosage may need to be increased [see Drug Interactions (7.1)].

Dosage recommendation for patients concomitantly taking VRAYLAR with CYP3A4 inducers:
Concomitant use of VRAYLAR and a CYP3A4 inducer has not been evaluated and is not recommended because the net effect on active drug and metabolites is unclear [see Dosage and Administration (2.1), Warnings and Precautions (5.6), Drug Interactions (7.1), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

2.7 Treatment Discontinuation

Following discontinuation of VRAYLAR, the decline in plasma concentrations of active drug and metabolites may not be immediately reflected in patients’ clinical symptoms; the plasma concentration of cariprazine and its active metabolites will decline by 50% in ~1 week [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)]. There are no systematically collected data to specifically address switching patients from VRAYLAR to other antipsychotics or concerning concomitant administration with other antipsychotics.