Introduction: Olanzapine (OLZ) is one of the most effective antipsychotic agents, however, its clinical utility has been limited by weight gain. Samidorphan (SAM) is a μ-opioid receptor antagonist and it can reduce the weight gain associated with OLZ. A combination of OLZ and SAM (OLZ/SAM) has been developed to provide the antipsychotic efficacy of OLZ, while mitigating OLZ-associated weight gain.
Areas covered: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed. Key search terms included SAM and weight gain associated with OLZ. The pharmacological action, clinical efficacy, and safety of SAM were reviewed.
Expert opinion: OLZ can lead to weight gain. SAM is a new drug that acts as an opioid receptor antagonist that can decrease weight gain. SAM mitigates OLZ-associated weight gain while preserving the antipsychotic efficacy of OLZ. Clinical trials have confirmed that OLZ/SAM significantly improved psychotic symptoms, and resulted in significantly less weight gain than OLZ. OLZ/SAM was well tolerated. Therefore, it is a potential new treatment option for schizophrenia.
Keywords: olanzapine; samidorphan; schizophrenia; weight gain; Μ-opioid antagonist.