Real-world adherence and healthcare resource utilization following transition to aripiprazole once-every-2-months from oral or once-monthly aripiprazole among patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To assess adherence and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) among adults diagnosed with schizophrenia who transitioned from oral aripiprazole or aripiprazole monohydrate once-monthly (AOM) to aripiprazole monohydrate 2-month ready-to-use (Ari 2MRTU). METHODS: Data for patients who transitioned to Ari 2MRTU were retrospectively obtained from the Kythera Labs United States closed-claims database. Outcomes were examined 6 months pre- versus post-index (first Ari 2MRTU claim = index). RESULTS: Following transition from oral aripiprazole (n = 153), proportion of days covered (PDC) and medication possession ratio (MPR) increased by 21.3% and 24.6%, respectively, and proportion of adherent patients (MPR ≥ 0.8) increased by 59.2% (all p < 0.001). Mean ± standard deviation all-cause inpatient visits and hospital length of stay (LOS) were lower post- versus pre-index (0.28 ± 0.88 vs 0.67 ± 1.85 visits and 1.05 ± 3.95 vs 2.63 ± 6.14 days, p = 0.019 and p = 0.008, respectively). For schizophrenia-related HCRU, mean LOS (0.19 ± 1.05 vs 0.91 ± 3.94, p = 0.031) and proportion of patients with ≥ 1 outpatient visit (36.0% vs 54.9%, p = 0.019) were lower post- versus pre-index. Following transition from AOM (n = 526), PDC and MPR increased by 38.8% and 36.6%, respectively, and proportion of adherent patients increased by 47.9% (all p < 0.001). All-cause LOS was lower post- versus pre-transition (0.64 ± 2.63 vs 1.05 ± 3.93 days, p = 0.047). CONCLUSION: Transitioning to Ari 2MRTU was associated with significantly improved adherence and reductions in certain HCRU measures in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia.