Researchers have found that deutetrabenazine and valbenazine are both safe and effective treatment options for managing tardive dyskinesia (TD), a condition characterized by involuntary, repetitive movements. Published in Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements, the research assessed the results of patients treated with these relatively new therapies. The study was conducted by Golsorkhi and colleagues.

Tardive dyskinesia is a challenging side effect of certain medications used to treat psychiatric conditions and other disorders. First-line treatments include tetrabenazine, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2008, as well as deutetrabenazine and valbenazine, approved in 2023 and 2017, respectively. Researchers aimed to compare the newer VMAT2 inhibitors deutetrabenazine and valbenazine against the previously approved tetrabenazine.
The researchers conducted a review of 4 double-blind clinical trials, which included a total of 230 patients. The studies examined the efficacy and safety of deutetrabenazine and valbenazine compared with placebo in adult patients with TD. The review focused on clinical trials involving adult human participants that provided data on Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) scores, a key measure for TD symptoms.
The key findings of the study were:
• Both deutetrabenazine and valbenazine were associated with significant reductions in AIMS scores compared to placebo.
• The majority of patients tolerated deutetrabenazine and valbenazine well, with serious adverse events occurring in only 5% of patients. Approximately 10% of patients required dose reduction or cessation.
• B oth deutetrabenazine and valbenazine have longer half-lives compared to tetrabenazine, allowing for less frequent dosing and increased convenience for patients.
Advantages Over Tetrabenazine
The review found deutetrabenazine and valbenazine to be superior to tetrabenazine in several ways:
• Both new medications demonstrated fewer side effects compared to tetrabenazine.
• Neither deutetrabenazine nor valbenazine were associated with increased risk of suicidality.
• The longer half-lives of deutetrabenazine and valbenazine allow for less frequent dosing, making them more convenient for patients.
While the findings support the use of deutetrabenazine and valbenazine as effective treatment options for TD, the researchers emphasized the need for larger studies, especially in diverse populations, to understand long-term outcomes and assess efficacy across different patient groups.
Deutetrabenazine and valbenazine have shown promise as safe, effective treatments for managing TD, offering fewer side effects and more convenient dosing regimens compared to tetrabenazine. Further research is required to explore their long-term efficacy and safety in broader patient populations.
Reference:
Golsorkhi, M., Koch, J., Pedouim, F., Frei, K., Bondariyan, N., & Dashtipour, K. (2024). Comparative analysis of deutetrabenazine and valbenazine as VMAT2 inhibitors for tardive dyskinesia: A systematic review. Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements (New York, N.Y.), 14(1). https://doi.org/10.5334/tohm.842