Perospirone.

Perospirone is an atypical antipsychotic agent for the treatment of schizophrenia. Its primary mode of action is through antagonism of serotonin 5-HT2A and dopamine D2 receptors. An 8-week course of oral perospirone 8 to 48 mg/day displayed efficacy in up to 75% of patients with schizophrenia participating in phase II and phase III trials. The onset of action of the drug was about 2 weeks. Perospirone was effective against positive, negative and general symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, as assessed with standard rating scales (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Positive and Negative Symptom Scale). Compared with haloperidol 2 to 12 mg/day, perospirone 8 to 48 mg/day was significantly more effective against negative symptoms and tended to be more effective against general symptoms and most positive symptoms in a trial in 145 patients with schizophrenia. Perospirone had efficacy similar to that of mosapramine 50 to 300 mg/day in a comparative phase III trial in 159 patients. Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) tended to occur less often and were generally milder with perospirone than with haloperidol or mosapramine.