First Parkinson’s drug to treat hallucinations and delusions is approved

A new antipsychotic drug to treat symptoms of psychosis associated with Parkinson’s disease like hallucinations and delusions has become the first to be approved by the FDA.

The drug, called Nuplazid (pimavanserin), is the first of its kind on the market for use by people living with Parkinson’s in the US. It works only on the serotonin system, meaning – unlike previous antipsychotic medication – it doesn’t worsen motor symptoms.

It is estimated that around half the people with the condition may at some point experience hallucinations (seeing things that aren’t there) or delusions (holding false, paranoid, beliefs), also referred to as psychosis.

Dr Mitchell Mathis, director of the Division of Psychiatry Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said: “Nuplazid represents an important treatment for people with Parkinson’s.”

Nuplazid is developed by Acadia Pharmaceuticals and will be available from June 2016 at the estimated annual cost of US$23,400.