Dosing and administration

Initiating ABILIFY MAINTENA® (aripiprazole)

The recommended starting and maintenance dose is 400 mg once monthly for ABILIFY MAINTENA. If there are adverse reactions with this dosage, consider reducing the dosage to 300 mg once monthly.

For patients who have never taken aripiprazole, establish tolerability with oral aripiprazole prior to initiating treatment.
Due to the half-life of oral aripiprazole, it may take up to two weeks to fully assess tolerability.

ABILIFY MAINTENA 400 mgAny oral antipsychotic*ABILIFY MAINTENA 400 mgInitial
doseInitial
doseConsecutive daysConsecutive days1414Once monthlyOnce monthly*No sooner than 26 days.*No sooner than 26 days.No sooner than 26 days after previous injection.
ABILIFY MAINTENA 400 mgInitial doseInitial doseAny oral antipsychotic*14 Consecutive days14 Consecutive daysABILIFY MAINTENA 400 mgOnce monthlyOnce monthlyNo sooner than 26 days after previous injection.

*Oral aripiprazole (10 to 20 mg) or current antipsychotic.


ABILIFY MAINTENA is to be administered either by intramuscular deltoid
or gluteal injection by a healthcare professional.


Intramuscular administration sites

Each kit of ABILIFY MAINTENA offers different needle options for administration.

To be administered either by intramuscular deltoid or gluteal injection by a healthcare professional.

Rotate site of injection between the two deltoid or gluteal muscles.

NON-OBESEDELTOID1”1 inch (25 mm) x 23-gauge needleGLUTEAL1.5”1.5 inches (38 mm) x 22-gauge needleOBESEDELTOID1.5”1.5 inches (38 mm) x 22-gauge needleGLUTEAL2”2 inches (51 mm) x 21-gauge needle
DELTOIDGLUTEALGLUTEALDELTOIDNON-OBESEOBESE1 inch (25 mm) x 23-gauge needle1"1.5 inches (38 mm) x 22-gauge needle2 inches (51 mm) x 21-gauge needle2”1.5”

Missed doses

ABILIFY MAINTENA® Dosage Adjustments for Missed Second or Third Dose, ABILIFY MAINTENA® Dosage Adjustments for Missed Fourth or Subsequent Dose, Charts
How long has the patient gone
without an injection?
Next steps
Adjustments if the second or third doses are missed:
More than 4 weeks and less than 5 weeks
Administer an injection as soon as possible.
More than 5 weeks
Restart concomitant oral aripiprazole for
14 days with the next administered injection.
Adjustments if the fourth or subsequent doses are missed:
More than 4 weeks and less than 6 weeks
Administer an injection as soon as possible.
More than 6 weeks
Restart concomitant oral aripiprazole for
14 days with the next administered injection.

Dosage recommendations for cytochrome P450 considerations

ABILIFY MAINTENA® Dosage Adjustments for Cytochrome P450 Considerations, Chart
Factors ABILIFY MAINTENA  adjusted dose ABILIFY MAINTENA  adjusted dose
CYP2D6 poor metabolizers
Known CYP2D6 poor metabolizers 300 mg once monthly
Known CYP2D6 poor metabolizers taking concomitant CYP3A4 inhibitors 200 mg once monthly
Patients taking ABILIFY MAINTENA ABILIFY MAINTENA

400 mg adjusted dose
ABILIFY MAINTENA
300 mg adjusted dose
Concomitant use of strong CYP2D6 inhibitors 300 mg once monthly 200 mg once monthly
Concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors 300 mg once monthly 200 mg once monthly
Concomitant use of strong CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 inhibitors 200 mg once monthly 160 mg once monthly
Concomitant use of CYP3A4 inducers Avoid use Avoid use
Patients taking ABILIFY MAINTENA
ABILIFY MAINTENA
400 mg adjusted dose
ABILIFY MAINTENA
300 mg adjusted dose
Concomitant use of strong CYP2D6 inhibitors
300 mg once monthly 200 mg once monthly
Concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors
300 mg once monthly 200 mg once monthly
Concomitant use of strong CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 inhibitors
200 mg once monthly 160 mg once monthly
Concomitant use of CYP3A4 inducers
Avoid use Avoid use

Dosage adjustments are recommended for patients who are CYP2D6 poor metabolizers and/or in patients taking concomitant CYP3A4 inhibitors or CYP2D6 inhibitors for more than 14 days.

If the CYP3A4 inhibitor or CYP2D6 inhibitor is withdrawn, the dosage of ABILIFY MAINTENA may need to be increased to the previous dose.

Dosage adjustments are not recommended for patients with concomitant use of CYP3A4 inhibitors, CYP2D6 inhibitors, or CYP3A4 inducers for less than 14 days.

200-mg and 160-mg dosage adjustments are obtained only by using the 300-mg or 400-mg strength vials.


Each kit of ABILIFY MAINTENA offers different needle options for administration.
It is available in a prefilled, dual-chamber syringe and vial kit

The following are instructional videos on how to use the two delivery systems:

Instructions-for-use videos

Prefilled, dual-chamber syringe

Vial kit

Meet a hypothetical patient living with bipolar I disorder for whom ABILIFY MAINTENA or ABILIFY ASIMTUFII® (aripiprazole) may be an appropriate treatment option.