LIVZON PHARMA (01513) announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Zhuhai Livzon Microsphere Technology Co., Ltd., recently received a Drug Clinical Trial Approval Notice from the National Medical Products Administration. The approval permits the company to initiate clinical trials of Brexpiprazole Microsphere Injection for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults.

Brexpiprazole Microsphere Injection is a long-acting release microsphere formulation independently developed by the company, representing a new generation of treatment for schizophrenia. The drug works through partial agonism of dopamine D2 and 5-HT1A receptors, combined with antagonism of receptors such as norepinephrine. It demonstrates superior performance across multiple safety metrics compared to other drugs in its class.

The product features a long-acting release design, with a proposed administration method of intramuscular injection once per month. This design aims to improve patient compliance, reduce the risk of relapse, and address key clinical challenges in schizophrenia treatment, such as low adherence and high recurrence rates, meeting the needs for long-term maintenance therapy.

Currently, oral formulations of brexpiprazole have been approved globally for several psychiatric disorders. However, no long-acting brexpiprazole formulation has yet been approved for market use. This product is a modified new drug developed to fill this clinical gap.