The Spanish biotech company AB-Biotics has acquired the rights to a patent which predicts the high or low risk of a patient treated with antipsychotic drugs developing extrapyramidal symptoms. Side effects induced by antipsychotic drugs affect patient movement and include muscle rigidity, parkinsonism, akinesia (inability to initiate movement) and akathisia (inability to remain motionless).

The technology will be incorporated into Neurofarmagen, a genetic test which identifies the most optimum medication for each individual patient with depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or epilepsy by analyzing their DNA, extracted from a sample of saliva. Neurofarmagen is currently marketed in Spain, through Almirall; in Brazil, through GlaxoSmithKlineand Mexico, through Scienta Farma.

The patent was developed by University of Barcelona (UB), Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM).