Brexpiprazole vs. Aripiprazole in patients with schizophrenia with or without comorbid substance use disorder. A 12-month real-world naturalistic study of efficacy

Background: Schizophrenia with comorbid substance use disorder (SUD) is associated with greater clinical severity, poorer adherence, and worse functional outcomes. Third-generation antipsychotics, through partial dopamine agonism, may represent a useful strategy in this complex population. This study compared the long-term efficacy of brexpiprazole and aripiprazole in patients with schizophrenia, with or without comorbid SUD. Methods: Patients (N = 243) with DSM-5/DSM-5-TR schizophrenia orally received 4 mg/day brexpiprazole or 30 mg/day aripiprazole for 12 months in a real-world clinical setting. Psychopathology was assessed at baseline and after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Analyses were performed on 217 completers, excluding 26 drop-outs. Outcomes were compared according to drug and presence/absence of comorbid SUD. Results: Both brexpiprazole and aripiprazole were associated with psychotic symptom and global psychopathology improvement over 12 months (p < 0.01). In patients without SUD, the two treatments showed comparable efficacy. Among patients with comorbid SUD, brexpiprazole showed greater improvement in BPRS and PANSS outcomes than aripiprazole (p < 0.01). Treatment response to aripiprazole, but not to brexpiprazole, was diminished by substance use. Brexpiprazole was associated with better tolerability and lower rates of subjective agitation-related discontinuation. Conclusions: Both dopamine partial agonists were effective in treating schizophrenia; however, brexpiprazole was superior in patients with comorbid SUD. Findings suggest that brexpiprazole may represent a promising therapeutic option in dual-disorder patients.