PlainMeds provides educational information only. This is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist.

cariprazine vs lurasidone

Side-by-side comparison of cariprazine and lurasidone Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

Drug Class
cariprazine Atypical Antipsychotic
lurasidone Atypical Antipsychotic
Type
cariprazine Prescription
lurasidone Prescription
Summary
cariprazine

Vraylar is a medicine used to treat certain mental health conditions. It can help with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.

lurasidone

Lurasidone (Latuda) is a medicine used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar depression. It helps to balance chemicals in the brain.

What It Treats
cariprazine

Vraylar can treat schizophrenia in adults and kids 13 and older. It also treats manic or mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder in adults and kids 10 and older. In adults, Vraylar treats the depressive episodes of bipolar I disorder. Vraylar can also be used with antidepressants to treat major depressive disorder in adults.

lurasidone

Lurasidone is used to treat schizophrenia in adults and teens ages 13-17. It also treats the depressive phase of bipolar disorder in adults and children ages 10-17. In adults, it can be used alone or with lithium or valproate for bipolar depression.

How It Works
cariprazine

Vraylar affects certain chemicals in the brain. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters. By changing the balance of these chemicals, Vraylar can help reduce symptoms of mental health conditions.

lurasidone

Lurasidone is an atypical antipsychotic. It works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine and serotonin. This helps to improve mood, thinking, and behavior.

Common Side Effects
cariprazine
  • Problems with muscle movement
  • Feeling restless
  • Upset stomach
  • Throwing up
  • Feeling sleepy
lurasidone
  • Feeling sleepy
  • Feeling restless and needing to move
  • Nausea
  • Weight gain
  • Trouble sleeping
FAERS Reports
cariprazine
  • Using the medicine for something it is not approved for 1,017
  • The medicine is not working 502
  • Gaining weight 441
  • Restlessness 395
  • Feeling worried or nervous 354
lurasidone
  • Using the medicine for something it is not approved for 2,055
  • The medicine is not working 1,834
  • Feeling worried or nervous 1,223
  • Feeling strange or not like yourself 1,166
  • Feeling sad or hopeless 1,120
Serious Warnings
cariprazine

Vraylar may increase the risk of death in older adults with dementia-related psychosis. Vraylar and antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. Tell your doctor right away if you have thoughts of harming yourself.

lurasidone

This medicine has two important warnings: * **Increased risk of death in elderly people with dementia:** If you are an older adult with dementia-related psychosis, this medicine may increase your chance of death. Lurasidone is not approved for this condition. * **Increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors:** Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. Your doctor will need to watch you closely for worsening mood or suicidal thoughts.

Pregnancy
cariprazine

Vraylar may harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. There is a pregnancy registry for women who take Vraylar during pregnancy; you can contact them at 1-866-961-2388.

lurasidone

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Babies born to mothers who take this medicine in the last 3 months of pregnancy may have withdrawal symptoms or other problems after birth. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking lurasidone during pregnancy.

Also Compare — Nearby Drugs

How to Read This cariprazine vs lurasidone Comparison

cariprazine is classified in the Atypical Antipsychotic drug class, while lurasidone sits within the Atypical Antipsychotic class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, cariprazine has 2,709 submissions while lurasidone has 7,398. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between cariprazine and lurasidone — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.