The results of the study indicate that LYN-005 provides stable and therapeutic levels of the drug in the body, with efficacy and safety comparable to those of immediate-release risperidone. In addition, patients participating in the trial remained clinically stable and no unexpected adverse effects were observed. This work represents an important milestone: it is the first Phase 3 trial to successfully demonstrate an oral extended-release technology in psychiatric disorders, an advancement that complements and expands the options available, which until now have been dominated by long-acting injectables.

However, the study has some limitations that could diminish its impact on daily clinical practice: the relatively short duration (five weeks), the fact that patients were admitted to a centre or nursing home (they were not outpatients), and the high incidence of gastrointestinal effects, which will need to be monitored in longer-term studies, as well as adherence to treatment in real life.

From a pharmacological point of view, this advance represents a significant contribution to the treatment of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Until now, patients who refuse injectable treatments have taken their oral antipsychotic medication daily, which in practice often makes adherence to treatment difficult and increases the risk of relapse. With LYN-005, we will have, for the first time, an oral formulation that releases risperidone in a sustained manner over an entire week, allowing therapeutic levels to be maintained. This not only simplifies the medication routine but may also significantly improve clinical stability and quality of life for patients.

This advance represents the first successful validation of this innovative long-acting oral drug delivery technology for psychiatric disorders. If confirmed in clinical practice, this technology could improve the treatment of schizophrenia and other disorders by facilitating oral treatment adherence and thereby improving patients' quality of life.

The work represents an incremental innovation that may have a small impact on the treatment of schizophrenia. Risperidone is a drug that has been used for many years, is effective in this disease and is available in a variety of formulations. As some patients forget to take their medication or are prone to stopping treatment, in addition to the daily tablet, there are injectable forms that are administered every 15 days, every month, every three months and even every six months. In this case, a weekly oral formulation has been shown to be equivalent to daily oral administration, allowing for a lighter medication regimen, which may be useful for patients who forget their daily medication on many days, and an alternative for those who dislike injections. The study design is appropriate for its purpose, and I believe it is another option for treating schizophrenia that offers a very modest improvement.

This study was designed and funded by a pharmaceutical company to capitalise on an existing product, risperidone, whose patent had expired. To this end, it proposes a new weekly oral dosage form and conducts a pharmacokinetic analysis lasting only five weeks.

Long-acting preparations may be useful in long-term treatment for people who wish to reduce the frequency of dosing.

On the other hand, daily flexibility in increasing or reducing the dose is lost, and if any side effects occur, they are maintained for longer due to the delay in eliminating the action of the drug. Of the 83 people enrolled in the study, 20 dropped out after the first dose and only half completed it, which may cast doubt on its acceptance and widespread use in healthcare practice.