[Blonanserin in the treatment of schizophrenia]

Blonanserin was developed in Japan in 2008 as an antipsychotic drug. It has high affinity for dopamine D2/3 and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors, but shows low affinity for adrenergic alpha1, histamine H1, and muscarinic M1 receptors. Several short-term double-blind trials demonstrated that blonanserin was well tolerated and had equal efficacy to haloperidol and risperidone in terms of positive symptoms and depressive symptoms in patients with chronic schizophrenia. It was also superior to haloperidol in improving negative symptoms. We have recently reported that blonanserin may improve some types of cognitive function associated with the frontal lobe activity in patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Taken together, blonanserin may be a promising candidate for a first-line antipsychotic for patients with first-episode and chronic schizophrenia.