Two medicines, side by side
Aripiprazole vs cariprazine
Aripiprazole and cariprazine are both labeled for bipolar disorder, depression and schizophrenia. Drugs@FDA records approvals of aripiprazole since 2002 and of cariprazine since 2015. Pharmacies paid $0.110 per aripiprazole 5 mg tablet and $50.84 per Vraylar 1.5 mg capsule (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ and one is a brand and one a generic, so the two prices are not like for like. How each works, in its label's words: Aripiprazole, “The mechanism of action of aripiprazole in schizophrenia or bipolar mania, is unclear.”; Cariprazine, “The mechanism of action of cariprazine is unknown.”
Check it at the source: the aripiprazole FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 29, 2025); the cariprazine FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 18, 2025).
Highlights of the aripiprazole record
Aripiprazole (Abilify) · label of January 29, 2025
INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS and SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS WITH ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. ABILIFY is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ].
Used for
From the label: indicationsABILIFY (aripiprazole) Tablets are indicated for the treatment of: Schizophrenia Acute Treatment of Manic and Mixed Episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder Adjunctive Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder Irritability Associated with Autistic Disorder Treatment of Tourette's Disorder ABILIFY is an atypical antipsychotic. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 15, 2002
- Generic labelers
- 47 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.110 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 25
Highlights of the cariprazine record
Cariprazine (Vraylar) · label of December 18, 2025
INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS and SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. VRAYLAR is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )].
Used for
From the label: indicationsINDICATIONS AND USAGE VRAYLAR ® is indicated for: • Treatment of schizophrenia in adult and pediatric patients 13 years of age and older [see Clinical Studies ( 14.1 )] • Acute treatment of manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adult and pediatric patients 10 years of age and older [see Clinical Studies ( 14.2 )] • Treatment of depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder (bipolar […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 17, 2015
- Generic labelers
- none listed
- Pharmacy cost
- $50.84 per capsule
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Aripiprazole label of January 29, 2025, Cariprazine label of December 18, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do aripiprazole and cariprazine differ on the record?
How each works, in its label's words: Aripiprazole, “The mechanism of action of aripiprazole in schizophrenia or bipolar mania, is unclear.”; Cariprazine, “The mechanism of action of cariprazine is unknown.”
Both are in FDA's class atypical antipsychotics.
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: aripiprazole since 2015; cariprazine since 2022 (Drugs@FDA).
| Aripiprazole | Cariprazine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Depression, Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia | Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, Depression |
| Pharmacologic class | Atypical Antipsychotic | Atypical Antipsychotic |
| How it works (label) | The mechanism of action of aripiprazole in schizophrenia or bipolar mania, is unclear. | The mechanism of action of cariprazine is unknown. |
| Half-life (label) | For CYP2D6 poor metabolizers, the mean elimination half-life for aripiprazole is about 146 hours. | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | November 15, 2002 | September 17, 2015 |
| First generic approved | April 28, 2015 | September 9, 2022 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 47 labelers | none listed |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.110 per tablet (Aripiprazole 5 mg tablet) | $50.84 per capsule (Vraylar 1.5 mg capsule) |
| 12-month price change | +3% | +5% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 25 | 0 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 121,736 | 9,254 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
Do their labels mention each other?
Cariprazine label, warnings and precautionsCerebrovascular Adverse Reactions, Including Stroke, in Elderly Patients with Dementia -Related Psychosis In placebo-controlled trials in elderly patients with dementia, patients randomized to risperidone, aripiprazole, and olanzapine had a higher incidence of stroke and transient ischemic attack, including fatal stroke.
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA
What next?
- Alternatives to aripiprazole
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions