Lumateperone in the treatment of psychiatric disorders – a review of the literature

Objectives.
The treatment of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, is constantly changing. There are new medications that reduce treatment-related side effects and present new mechanisms of action. This article aims to describe characteristics, mechanism of action, and medical use, but also the safety of lumateperone – a drug classified as antipsychotic medication, which was approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia and depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder in 2019.

Literature review.
The review includes up-to-date publications concerning the efficacy of lumateperone in the treatment of psychiatric disorders – schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, but also insomnia, and dementia. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of lumateperone and its precise mechanism of action were presented. The adverse reactions and possible drug interactions were likewise discussed.

Conclusions.
Lumateperone is a medication with an interesting mechanism of action, which is unique compared to other antipsychotic drugs. The analysis of clinical trials suggests that lumateperone is an effective and safe medication for the treatment of schizophrenia, as well as bipolar affective disorder. There are high hopes for the use of lumateperone in the treatment of insomnia and dementia.