| Schizophrenia
Invega Sustenna vs Vraylar
Side-by-side clinical, coverage, and cost comparison for schizophrenia.Deep comparison between: Invega Sustenna vs Vraylar with Prescriber.AI
AI compares prescribing info and payer-specific access barriers across 1,200+ formularies. Here's a preview of what prescribers are already asking.Safety signalsVraylar has a higher rate of injection site reactions vs Invega Sustenna based on FDA-approved prescribing information
Coverage gaps3 major payers require step therapy for Vraylar but not Invega Sustenna, including UnitedHealthcare
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Category
Invega Sustenna
Vraylar
At A Glance
IM injection
Every 4 weeks
D2/5HT2A antagonist
Oral
Daily
Atypical antipsychotic
Indications
- Schizophrenia
- Schizoaffective Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Manic Disorder
- Depression, Bipolar
- Major Depressive Disorder
Dosing
Schizophrenia Initiation: 234 mg deltoid on Day 1, 156 mg deltoid on Day 8; recommended monthly maintenance 117 mg (range 39-234 mg) in deltoid or gluteal muscle; maximum monthly dose 234 mg.
Schizoaffective Disorder Initiation: 234 mg deltoid on Day 1, 156 mg deltoid on Day 8; monthly maintenance 78-234 mg adjusted for tolerability and/or efficacy in deltoid or gluteal muscle; maximum monthly dose 234 mg.
Mild renal impairment (creatinine clearance >=50 mL/min) Initiation: 156 mg deltoid on Day 1, 117 mg deltoid on Day 8; monthly maintenance 39-156 mg; maximum monthly dose 156 mg.
Schizophrenia Adults: start 1.5 mg once daily; recommended 1.5-6 mg once daily (max 6 mg). Pediatric patients (13-17 years): start 0.5 mg once daily; recommended 1.5-4.5 mg once daily (max 4.5 mg).
Manic Disorder Adults: start 1.5 mg once daily, increase to 3 mg on Day 2; recommended 3-6 mg once daily (max 6 mg). Pediatric patients (10-17 years): start 0.5 mg once daily; recommended 3 mg or 4.5 mg once daily (max 4.5 mg).
Depression, Bipolar Adults: start 1.5 mg once daily; may increase to 3 mg on Day 15 (max 3 mg once daily).
Major Depressive Disorder Adults (adjunctive to antidepressants): start 1.5 mg once daily; may increase to 3 mg on Day 15 (max 3 mg once daily).
Contraindications
- Known hypersensitivity to paliperidone, risperidone, or any excipient in the INVEGA SUSTENNA formulation
- History of hypersensitivity reaction to cariprazine, including rash, pruritus, urticaria, and reactions suggestive of angioedema (e.g., swollen tongue, lip swelling, face edema, pharyngeal edema, swelling face)
Adverse Reactions
Most common (>=5%) Injection site reactions, somnolence/sedation, dizziness, akathisia, extrapyramidal disorder
Serious Increased mortality in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis, cerebrovascular adverse reactions, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, QT prolongation, tardive dyskinesia, metabolic changes, orthostatic hypotension and syncope, leukopenia/neutropenia/agranulocytosis, hyperprolactinemia, seizures
Postmarketing Angioedema, anaphylactic reaction, catatonia, ileus, somnambulism, swollen tongue, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, urinary incontinence, urinary retention
Most common (>=5%) Extrapyramidal symptoms, akathisia, nausea, restlessness, insomnia, somnolence, dyspepsia, vomiting
Serious Neuroleptic malignant syndrome, tardive dyskinesia, increased mortality in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, cerebrovascular adverse reactions, metabolic changes, leukopenia/neutropenia/agranulocytosis, orthostatic hypotension, seizures
Postmarketing Stevens-Johnson syndrome
Pharmacology
Paliperidone palmitate is hydrolyzed to paliperidone, the major active metabolite of risperidone; its therapeutic effect in schizophrenia may be mediated through a combination of central dopamine Type 2 (D2) and serotonin Type 2 (5HT2A) receptor antagonism, with additional antagonist activity at histamine H1 and alpha-1/alpha-2 adrenergic receptors.
Cariprazine is an atypical antipsychotic that acts as a partial agonist at central dopamine D2/D3 and serotonin 5-HT1A receptors and as an antagonist at serotonin 5-HT2A receptors; its two major active metabolites, desmethylcariprazine (DCAR) and didesmethylcariprazine (DDCAR), have in vitro receptor binding profiles similar to the parent drug.
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Most Common Insurance
Anthem BCBS
Invega Sustenna
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (10/12) · Step Therapy (4/12) · Qty limit (11/12)
Vraylar
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (5/12) · Step Therapy (5/12) · Qty limit (3/12)
UnitedHealthcare
Invega Sustenna
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (0/8)
Vraylar
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (8/8)
Humana
Invega Sustenna
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (1/3) · Step Therapy (0/3) · Qty limit (3/3)
Vraylar
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (3/3) · Step Therapy (2/3) · Qty limit (3/3)
Coverage data sourced from MMIT. Updated monthly.
Savings
Cost estimate not availableHealthWell: Cancer-Related Behavioral Health
Commercial or private insurance
Medicare, Medicaid, VA, TRICARE
$75/fillfill
Vraylar Savings Card - Non-covered benefitCommercial or private insurance
Medicare, Medicaid, VA, TRICARE
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Clinical data sourced from FDA-approved labeling. Coverage data via MMIT. Updated monthly.