Abilify V: Federal Enforcement

Too many lawsuits for one day.

This has been a week of (almost) non-stop coverage of Abilify, which, in 2015, was the best-selling drug on earth.

In summary, Abilify (aripiprazole) is a “second-generation antipsychotic.” It’s both a dopamine partial agonist (activating postsynaptic dopamine receptors at low concentrations and blocking them at higher concentrations) as well as having serotonergic effects at 5ht-2a, 5ht-7, and 5ht-1a receptors (the last of which it also has the partial agonist effects. The most important part of this complex pharmacology? It makes psychiatrists—ne, psychopharmacologists!—feel like they have something novel to talk about, to discuss at conferences, and the like. It’s a whole week's worth of indications, mechanisms of action, and binding affinities. Does it work that well? “Eh.”

Prior articles in this thrilling series include: