aripiprazole (Asimtufii)

General information

• Class: Long-acting injectable antipsychotic
• Common US brands: ABILIFY ASIMTUFII
• Typical dose range: Establish oral tolerability before depot initiation when feasible. Initiation options include a 14-day oral overlap regimen after the first injection or a 1-day initiation regimen that uses Abilify Maintena plus a single oral dose (label-based).
• Long-acting injectable formulation available.
• Therapeutic drug monitoring not routinely recommended; reference range 120–270 ng/mL.
• Last reviewed: 2025-12-30

Dosing & forms

• Forms/strengths: Intramuscular injection administered every 2 months (q8wk); label-based injection site requirements apply.
• Typical range: Establish oral tolerability before depot initiation when feasible. Initiation options include a 14-day oral overlap regimen after the first injection or a 1-day initiation regimen that uses Abilify Maintena plus a single oral dose (label-based).
• Therapeutic range: 120–270 ng/mL

Mechanism (brief)

Long-acting injectable aripiprazole formulation (D2/D3 partial agonist with 5-HT1A partial agonism and 5-HT2A antagonism) designed for every-2-month dosing for schizophrenia and bipolar I maintenance when scheduled injections support adherence.

Metabolism & Half‑life

• Metabolism: CYP2D6, CYP3A4
• Half‑life: Single-dose mean 504 h

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM)

Recommended: No

Reference range: 120–270 ng/mL

Long‑acting injectable (LAI)

Monitoring highlights

• Weight/BMI and waist circumference; fasting lipids and glucose/HbA1c at baseline and periodically.
• Movement disorder monitoring (akathisia, parkinsonism, tardive dyskinesia), especially after initiation and dose adjustments.
• Blood pressure/orthostasis when clinically indicated (older adults, dehydration, antihypertensive co-use).
• Injection site assessment and documentation (site rotation, local reactions).

Sources

• ABILIFY ASIMTUFII (aripiprazole) extended-release injectable suspension — Prescribing Information — DailyMed (2025)
• ABILIFY MAINTENA (aripiprazole) extended-release injectable suspension — Prescribing Information — DailyMed (2025)
• The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Schizophrenia — American Psychiatric Association (2020)
• CANMAT and ISBD Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Bipolar Disorder: 2021 Update — Bipolar Disorders (2021)
• Consensus Guidelines for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Neuropsychopharmacology: Update 2017 — Pharmacopsychiatry (2018)