Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ADDERALL XR 20 versus AZSTARYS.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ADDERALL XR 20 versus AZSTARYS.
ADDERALL XR 20 vs AZSTARYS
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Adderall XR 20 is a combination of amphetamine enantiomers (dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine). It increases synaptic levels of dopamine and norepinephrine by inhibiting their reuptake and promoting their release from presynaptic terminals.
AZSTARYS is a prodrug of dexmethylphenidate, a central nervous system stimulant. The exact mechanism of action in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is unknown, but it is thought to block the reuptake of norepinephrine and dopamine into the presynaptic neuron, increasing their levels in the extraneuronal space.
20 mg orally once daily in the morning.
Initial: 39.2 mg oral once daily in the morning; titrate weekly by 19.6 mg increments as needed; maximum dose: 78.4 mg once daily.
None Documented
None Documented
Approximately 10-13 hours for d-amphetamine and 13-15 hours for l-amphetamine in adults; in children, 9-11 hours. The extended-release formulation provides a prolonged therapeutic effect masking shorter elimination.
Serdexmethylphenidate: 1.5 hours; dexmethylphenidate: 3.5 hours. The terminal half-life of total dexmethylphenidate after AZSTARYS is approximately 6.5 hours, supporting once-daily dosing.
Approximately 90% of an oral dose is excreted renally, with 30% as unchanged amphetamine and the remainder as metabolites (including hippuric acid, benzoic acid, and hydroxylated derivatives). Fecal/biliary excretion accounts for <10%.
Renal: 90% (primarily as metabolites, with 50-70% as the major metabolite (-)-phensuximide glucuronide). Fecal: <5%.
Category C
Category C
CNS Stimulant
CNS Stimulant