[Cariprazine image courtesy of PubChem]
The Vraylar (cariprazine), which recently scored FDA approval as an adjunctive treatment for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), could have positive implications for healthcare resource utilization. A new analysis suggests that this atypical antipsychotic, initially developed by Allergan (now AbbVie), could curb healthcare spending of MDD treatment.In the economic analysis, patients who received cariprazine as their first adjunctive therapy had 45% fewer MH-related hospitalizations and 33% fewer outpatient visits per patient-year than those who received it as a subsequent adjunctive therapy. Additionally, patients starting cariprazine as their first adjunctive therapy also had $2,182 lower total MH-related healthcare costs per patient per year. This was largely a result of significantly lower outpatient visit costs, which were reduced by $1,511 per patient per year, relative…