Two medicines, side by side
Risperidone vs lurasidone
Risperidone and lurasidone are both labeled for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Drugs@FDA records approvals of risperidone since 1993 and of lurasidone since 2010. Pharmacies paid $0.0368 per risperidone 0.25 mg tablet and $0.142 per lurasidone HCl 20 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. How each works, in its label's words: Risperidone, “The drug's therapeutic activity in schizophrenia could be mediated through a combination of dopamine Type 2 (D 2 ) and serotonin Type 2 (5HT 2 ) receptor antagonism.”; Lurasidone, “The mechanism of action of lurasidone in the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar depression is unclear.”
Check it at the source: the risperidone FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 28, 2026); the lurasidone FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 31, 2025).
Highlights of the risperidone record
Risperidone (Risperdal) · label of May 28, 2026
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. RISPERDAL is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis. [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] WARNING: INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning.
Used for
From the label: indicationsRISPERDAL is an atypical antipsychotic indicated for: Treatment of schizophrenia ( 1.1 ) As monotherapy or adjunctive therapy with lithium or valproate, for the treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder ( 1.2 ) Treatment of irritability associated with autistic disorder ( 1.3 ) 1.1 Schizophrenia RISPERDAL (risperidone) is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 29, 1993
- Generic labelers
- 37 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0368 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 5
Highlights of the lurasidone record
Lurasidone (Latuda) · label of January 31, 2025
INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS; and SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS WARNING: INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS; and SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. LATUDA is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis ( 5.1 ).
Used for
From the label: indicationsLATUDA is indicated for: Treatment of adult and adolescent patients (13 to 17 years) with schizophrenia [see Clinical Studies ( 14.1 )]. Monotherapy treatment of adult and pediatric patients (10 to 17 years) with major depressive episode associated with bipolar I disorder (bipolar depression) [see Clinical Studies ( 14.2 )]. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- October 28, 2010
- Generic labelers
- 28 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.142 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 2
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Risperidone label of May 28, 2026, Lurasidone label of January 31, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do risperidone and lurasidone differ on the record?
How each works, in its label's words: Risperidone, “The drug's therapeutic activity in schizophrenia could be mediated through a combination of dopamine Type 2 (D 2 ) and serotonin Type 2 (5HT 2 ) receptor antagonism.”; Lurasidone, “The mechanism of action of lurasidone in the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar depression is unclear.”
Both are in FDA's class atypical antipsychotics.
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: risperidone since 2008; lurasidone since 2019 (Drugs@FDA).
| Risperidone | Lurasidone | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia | Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, Depression |
| Pharmacologic class | Atypical Antipsychotic | Atypical Antipsychotic |
| How it works (label) | The mechanism of action of risperidone in schizophrenia is unclear. The drug's therapeutic activity in schizophrenia could be mediated through a combination of dopamine Type 2 (D 2 ) and serotonin Type 2 (5HT 2 ) receptor antagonism. | The mechanism of action of lurasidone in the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar depression is unclear. |
| Half-life (label) | The apparent half-life of risperidone was 3 hours (CV=30%) in extensive metabolizers and 20 hours (CV=40%) in poor metabolizers. | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | December 29, 1993 | October 28, 2010 |
| First generic approved | June 30, 2008 | January 3, 2019 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 37 labelers | 28 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0368 per tablet (Risperidone 0.25 mg tablet) | $0.142 per tablet (Lurasidone HCl 20 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -13% | -28% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 5 | 2 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 131,095 | 20,803 |
| 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?
Lurasidone label, warnings and precautionsStroke in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis In placebo-controlled trials with risperidone, aripiprazole, and olanzapine in elderly subjects with dementia, there was a higher incidence of cerebrovascular adverse reactions (cerebrovascular accidents and transient ischemic attacks), including fatalities, compared to placebo-treated subjects.
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA
What next?
- Alternatives to risperidone
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions