ZYPREXA RELPREVV is intended for deep intramuscular gluteal injection only and should not be administered intravenously or subcutaneously. 

Be aware that there are two ZYPREXA intramuscular formulations with different dosing schedules. ZYPREXA IntraMuscular (10 mg/vial) is a short-acting formulation and should not be confused with ZYPREXA RELPREVV. Refer to the package insert for ZYPREXA IntraMuscular for more information about that product. 

Establish tolerability with oral olanzapine prior to initiating treatment. 

ZYPREXA RELPREVV should be administered by a healthcare professional every 2 to 4 weeks by deep intramuscular gluteal injection using a 19-gauge, 1.5-inch needle. Following insertion of the needle into the muscle, aspiration should be maintained for several seconds to ensure that no blood is drawn into the syringe. If any blood is aspirated into the syringe, it should be discarded and fresh drug should be prepared using a new convenience kit. The injection should be performed at a steady, continuous pressure. Do not massage the injection site. 

Dose Selection — The efficacy of ZYPREXA RELPREVV has been demonstrated within the range of 150 mg to 300 mg administered every 2 weeks and with 405 mg administered every 4 weeks. Dose recommendations considering oral ZYPREXA and ZYPREXA RELPREVV are shown in Table 1. 

ZYPREXA RELPREVV doses greater than 405 mg every 4 weeks or 300 mg every 2 weeks have not been evaluated in clinical trials. 

Post-Injection Delirium/Sedation Syndrome — During premarketing clinical studies, adverse events that presented with signs and symptoms consistent with olanzapine overdose, in particular, sedation (including coma) and/or delirium, were reported in patients following an injection of ZYPREXA RELPREVV [see Boxed Warning, Warnings and Precautions (5.1), and Overdosage (10.1)]. Patients should be informed of this risk and how to recognize related symptoms [see Patient Counseling Information (17)]. ZYPREXA RELPREVV must be administered in a registered healthcare facility with ready access to emergency response services. After each ZYPREXA RELPREVV injection, a healthcare professional must continuously observe the patient at the healthcare facility for at least 3 hours for symptoms consistent with olanzapine overdose, including sedation (ranging from mild in severity to coma) and/or delirium (including confusion, disorientation, agitation, anxiety, and other cognitive impairment). Other symptoms noted include extrapyramidal symptoms, dysarthria, ataxia, aggression, dizziness, weakness, hypertension, and convulsion. The potential for onset of an event is greatest within the first hour. The majority of cases have occurred within the first 3 hours after injection; however, the event has occurred after 3 hours. Following the 3-hour observation period, healthcare professionals must confirm that the patient is alert, oriented, and absent of any signs and symptoms of post-injection delirium/sedation syndrome prior to being released. All patients must be accompanied to their destination upon leaving the facility. For the remainder of the day of each injection, patients should not drive or operate heavy machinery, and should be advised to be vigilant for symptoms of post-injection delirium/sedation syndrome and be able to obtain medical assistance if needed. If post-injection delirium/sedation syndrome is suspected, close medical supervision and monitoring should be instituted in a facility capable of resuscitation [see Overdosage (10)]. 

Dosing in Specific Populations — Tolerance of oral ZYPREXA should be established prior to initiating treatment with ZYPREXA RELPREVV. The recommended starting dose is ZYPREXA RELPREVV 150 mg/4 wks in patients who are debilitated, who have a predisposition to hypotensive reactions, who otherwise exhibit a combination of factors that may result in slower metabolism of olanzapine (e.g., nonsmoking female patients ≥65 years of age), or who may be more pharmacodynamically sensitive to olanzapine. When indicated, dose escalation should be undertaken with caution in these patients [see Warnings and Precautions (5.18), Drug Interactions (7), and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)]. 

ZYPREXA RELPREVV has not been studied in subjects under 18 years of age [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)]. 

Maintenance Treatment — Although no controlled studies have been conducted to determine how long patients should be treated with ZYPREXA RELPREVV, efficacy has been demonstrated over a period of 24 weeks in patients with stabilized schizophrenia. Additionally, oral ZYPREXA has been shown to be effective in maintenance of treatment response in schizophrenia in longer-term use. Patients should be periodically reassessed to determine the need for continued treatment. 

Switching from Other Antipsychotics — There are no systematically collected data to specifically address how to switch patients with schizophrenia from other antipsychotics to ZYPREXA RELPREVV.