Didesmethylcariprazine
cariprazine metabolite DDCAR
What it isThe didesmethyl metabolite of cariprazine, equipotent to the parent with a half-life of about a week.
Why it mattersIt is the dominant circulating species at steady state, so it, not cariprazine, largely determines the clinical effect.
What it changesAdverse effects can appear or persist weeks after a dose change — the drug the patient is actually taking is this metabolite.
FDA-approved for
- schizophrenia/bipolar (active metabolite of cariprazine)
NO BOXED WARNINGS
Principal riskLittle in its own right; see the parent drug