cariprazine

General information

• Class: Antipsychotic
• Common US brands: VRAYLAR
• Typical dose range: Schizophrenia: start 1.5 mg once daily; increase to 3 mg on day 2; adjust by 1.5–3 mg increments at ≥2-week intervals to 1.5–6 mg/day (max 6 mg).
• Therapeutic drug monitoring not routinely recommended.
• Last reviewed: 2026-02-12

Dosing & forms

• Forms/strengths: Oral capsules (cariprazine hydrochloride / cariprazine HCl): 1.5 mg, 3 mg, 4.5 mg, 6 mg; blister and bottle packaging.
• Frequency: Schizophrenia: start 1.5 mg once daily; increase to 3 mg on day 2; adjust by 1.5–3 mg increments at ≥2-week intervals to 1.5–6 mg/day (max 6 mg).
• Typical range: Schizophrenia: start 1.5 mg once daily; increase to 3 mg on day 2; adjust by 1.5–3 mg increments at ≥2-week intervals to 1.5–6 mg/day (max 6 mg).

Mechanism (brief)

D3/D2 partial agonist (D3‑preferring); 5‑HT1A partial agonist; 5‑HT2A antagonist.

Metabolism & Half‑life

• Metabolism: CYP3A4, CYP2D6
• Half‑life: —

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM)

Recommended: No

Sources

• VRAYLAR (cariprazine) prescribing information — DailyMed (2025)
• The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Schizophrenia — American Psychiatric Association (2020)
• AGNP Consensus Guidelines for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Neuropsychopharmacology — Pharmacopsychiatry (2018)
• Cariprazine in acute exacerbation of schizophrenia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial — Schizophrenia Research (2015)
• Cariprazine in acute manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial — Bipolar Disorders (2015)
• The CANMAT and ISBD Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Bipolar Disorder: 2021 Update — Bipolar Disorders (2021)