Valbenazine granted breakthrough drug status for treating tardive dyskinesia. 2015

Thomas Müller
St. Joseph Hospital Berlin-Weißensee, Department of Neurology , Gartenstr. 1, 13088 Berlin , Germany +49 30 92790223 ; +49 30 92790703 ; th.mueller@alexius.de ; thomas.mueller@ruhr-uni-bochum.de.

The chronic use and high dosing of typical neuroleptics or centrally acting dopamine receptor blocking antiemetics predispose patients to the onset of tardive syndromes. One particular subtype, tardive dyskinesia, is characterized by rapid, repetitive, stereotypic, involuntary movements of the face, limbs or trunk. The inhibition of the vesicular monoamine transporter system, using tetrabenazine therapy, improves the severity of tardive dyskinesia. But there are also drawbacks to tetrabenazine treatment, such as a fluctuating response and the need for frequent intake due to its rapid metabolism. Clinical research on the potentially more efficacious and easier to use tetrabenazine analogs is already under way. One of them is valbenazine, the purified parent drug of the (+)-α-isomer of tetrabenazine. The FDA lowered approval hurdles for valbenazine due to a successful Phase II trial, which showed a distinctive improvement in tardive dyskinesia symptoms during valbenazine administration. This resurgence in the clinical research of tardive syndrome therapy is most welcome. This author notes that the putative long-term side effects of valbenazine should carefully be investigated in the future via naturalistic observational trials. Furthermore, valbenazine may also support the onset of symptoms, such as Parkinsonism and depression, with chronic administration, as it, to a certain extent, shares the mode of action of tetrabenazine.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D004409 Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced Abnormal movements, including HYPERKINESIS; HYPOKINESIA; TREMOR; and DYSTONIA, associated with the use of certain medications or drugs. Muscles of the face, trunk, neck, and extremities are most commonly affected. Tardive dyskinesia refers to abnormal hyperkinetic movements of the muscles of the face, tongue, and neck associated with the use of neuroleptic agents (see ANTIPSYCHOTIC AGENTS). (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1199) Dyskinesia, Medication-Induced,Medication-Induced Dyskinesia,Drug-Induced Dyskinesia,Drug-Induced Dyskinesias,Dyskinesia, Drug Induced,Dyskinesia, Medication Induced,Dyskinesias, Drug-Induced,Dyskinesias, Medication-Induced,Medication Induced Dyskinesia,Medication-Induced Dyskinesias
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012720 Severity of Illness Index Levels within a diagnostic group which are established by various measurement criteria applied to the seriousness of a patient's disorder. Illness Index Severities,Illness Index Severity
D013747 Tetrabenazine A drug formerly used as an antipsychotic and treatment of various movement disorders. Tetrabenazine blocks neurotransmitter uptake into adrenergic storage vesicles and has been used as a high affinity label for the vesicle transport system. Nitoman,Xenazine
D014150 Antipsychotic Agents Agents that control agitated psychotic behavior, alleviate acute psychotic states, reduce psychotic symptoms, and exert a quieting effect. They are used in SCHIZOPHRENIA; senile dementia; transient psychosis following surgery; or MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION; etc. These drugs are often referred to as neuroleptics alluding to the tendency to produce neurological side effects, but not all antipsychotics are likely to produce such effects. Many of these drugs may also be effective against nausea, emesis, and pruritus. Antipsychotic,Antipsychotic Agent,Antipsychotic Drug,Antipsychotic Medication,Major Tranquilizer,Neuroleptic,Neuroleptic Agent,Neuroleptic Drug,Neuroleptics,Tranquilizing Agents, Major,Antipsychotic Drugs,Antipsychotic Effect,Antipsychotic Effects,Antipsychotics,Major Tranquilizers,Neuroleptic Agents,Neuroleptic Drugs,Tranquillizing Agents, Major,Agent, Antipsychotic,Agent, Neuroleptic,Drug, Antipsychotic,Drug, Neuroleptic,Effect, Antipsychotic,Major Tranquilizing Agents,Major Tranquillizing Agents,Medication, Antipsychotic,Tranquilizer, Major
D014481 United States A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D014486 United States Food and Drug Administration An agency of the PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE concerned with the overall planning, promoting, and administering of programs pertaining to maintaining standards of quality of foods, drugs, therapeutic devices, etc. Food and Drug Administration (U.S.),USFDA,Food and Drug Administration,United States Food, Drug Administration
D014633 Valine A branched-chain essential amino acid that has stimulant activity. It promotes muscle growth and tissue repair. It is a precursor in the penicillin biosynthetic pathway. L-Valine,L Valine
D017277 Drug Approval Process that is gone through in order for a drug to receive approval by a government regulatory agency. This includes any required pre-clinical or clinical testing, review, submission, and evaluation of the applications and test results, and post-marketing surveillance of the drug. Drug Approval Process,New Drug Approval,Food and Drug Administration Drug Approval,Food and Drug Administration Drug Approval Process,New Drug Approval Process,Approval Process, Drug,Approval Processes, Drug,Approval, Drug,Approval, New Drug,Approvals, Drug,Approvals, New Drug,Drug Approval Processes,Drug Approval, New,Drug Approvals,Drug Approvals, New,New Drug Approvals,Process, Drug Approval,Processes, Drug Approval
D018726 Anti-Dyskinesia Agents Drugs used in the treatment of movement disorders. Most of these act centrally on dopaminergic or cholinergic systems. Among the most important clinically are those used for the treatment of Parkinson disease (ANTIPARKINSON AGENTS) and those for the tardive dyskinesias. Movement Disorder Agents,Agents, Anti-Dyskinesia,Agents, Movement Disorder,Anti Dyskinesia Agents,Disorder Agents, Movement

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