Does Nuplazid treat Parkinson's disease?

Nuplazid (generic name: pimavanserin) was approved for the treatment of psychosis (hallucinations and delusions) associated with Parkinson’s disease. Nuplazid does not treat the typical motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as tremors or shuffling gait.

Hallucinations or delusions can occur in up to one half of patients with Parkinson’s disease. In a six-week clinical trial of 199 participants, Nuplazid was shown to be superior to placebo in decreasing the frequency and/or severity of hallucinations and delusions without worsening the primary motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Nuplazid is a non-dopaminergic, selective serotonin inverse agonist (SSIA) atypical antipsychotic with no measurable activity at dopaminergic receptors, unlike many other antipsychotics. However, as with other antipsychotics, Nuplazid is NOT approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis unrelated to the hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis due to an increased risk of death.

Common side effects include: swelling (peripheral edema), nausea, and confusion. Nuplazid can also lead to QT interval prolongation.