Dublin drug firm Alkermes gets FDA go-ahead for schizophrenia treatment

Dublin-headquartered pharmaceutical firm, Alkermes has gained US regulatory approval to start marketing its schizophrenia treatment, Aristada.

The US company, which changed its tax and corporate base to Dublin four years ago following its €1bn acquisition of the Athlone-based drug delivery business of former Irish biopharmaceutical firm, Elan, announced FDA approval on Monday night.

Aristada is a ‘generic’ longer-acting injectable version of existing blockbuster schizophrenia pill Abilify, which is made by Japanese drug firm, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals and sold in the US by Bristol-Myers Squibb.