Aristada (aripiprazole lauroxil) is a prescription drug that’s used to treat schizophrenia. Aristada’s cost may depend on factors such as your dosage and whether you have health insurance.

Aristada is prescribed as a long-term treatment for schizophrenia in adults.

Aristada comes as an extended-release* liquid suspension inside a single-use syringe for injection into a muscle. The drug is administered by a healthcare professional.

Aristada contains the active ingredient aripiprazole lauroxil. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.)

Before you start Aristada treatment, you may receive a one-time muscular injection of Aristada Initio† plus an oral dose of aripiprazole (Abilify). Or your doctor may have you take oral aripiprazole for 21 days before your first Aristada dose. (Doing this at the start of treatment will help Aristada work faster.)

For more details about Aristada, see this in-depth article.

* “Extended release” means the drug is released slowly into your body over time.
† Aristada Initio has the same active ingredient (aripiprazole lauroxil) as Aristada. However, only Aristada is used long term.

The price you pay for Aristada can vary. It may depend on your treatment plan and your insurance coverage (if you have it). It will also depend on how much you have to pay for an office visit with your doctor to receive Aristada.

To find out how much you’ll pay for Aristada, talk with your doctor or insurance provider.

Note: If you have insurance, you may need to get prior authorization before your insurance provider will cover Aristada. This means your insurer and your doctor will discuss Aristada in regard to your treatment. Then the insurance company will determine whether the drug is covered. If Aristada requires prior authorization and you don’t receive it before you start treatment, you could pay the full cost of the drug.

Be sure to ask your insurance company whether Aristada requires prior authorization.

Aristada only comes as a brand-name drug. It’s not currently available in a generic version. A generic contains an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication but tends to cost less.

Why is there such a cost difference between brand-name drugs and generics?

Years of research and testing are needed to ensure that brand-name drugs are safe and effective. This testing can make the drugs expensive. The manufacturer of a brand-name drug can sell the drug for up to 20 years. After that, other drugmakers can create generic versions. This competition in the market can lead to lower costs for generics. And because generics have the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs, they don’t need to be studied again. This can also lead to lower generic costs.

If you need help covering the cost of Aristada or understanding your insurance, check out these resources:

On these sites, you can find insurance information, details on drug assistance programs, and links to savings cards and other services.

If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about Aristada and cost.

How does the cost of Aristada compare with that of similar drugs, such as Abilify?

The cost of Aristada compared with Abilify or other similar medications can depend on several factors.

For example, Aristada is a long-acting liquid solution given as an injection into a muscle by a healthcare professional. In comparison, Abilify comes as an oral tablet. The form of the drug may affect its cost.

Other factors that may affect how much you pay include:

  • your dosage and treatment plan, including how long your treatment lasts
  • whether there are any coupon cost savings programs available for the drug you’re prescribed
  • whether you have insurance or are paying out of pocket

If you have questions about the cost of Aristada compared with similar medications, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider. They can provide more details on treatment costs based on your specific situation.

What’s the cost of Aristada without insurance vs. with insurance?

The cost of Aristada without insurance versus with insurance can vary based on several factors.

Some factors that may affect your cost of Aristada without insurance include:

  • your treatment plan and drug dosage
  • any cost savings programs you qualify for

The same factors affect your cost of the drug if you’re paying through insurance. But in addition, your cost with insurance may depend on:

  • your individual plan benefits
  • any prior authorization requirements for your plan

To find out more about your cost with and without insurance, check with your doctor or insurance provider (if you have one).

Whether you have insurance or not, you can visit Optum Perks* to get price estimates for Aristada and Aristada Initio when you use coupons from the site. It’s important to note that Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with insurance copays or benefits.

* Optum Perks is a sister site of Healthline.

If you still have questions about the cost of Aristada, talk with your doctor. They may be able to give you a better idea of what you’ll pay for this drug. But if you have health insurance, you’ll need to talk with your insurance provider to learn the actual cost you’d pay for Aristada.

Examples of questions you may want to ask your doctor or insurance provider include:

  • Does my cost for Aristada depend on my dosage?
  • Will Medicare cover the cost of Aristada?
  • Are there other, lower cost options to treat my condition?

To learn more about Aristada, see these articles:

To get information on different conditions and tips for improving your health, subscribe to any of Healthline’s newsletters. You may also want to check out the online communities at Bezzy. It’s a place where people with certain conditions can find support and connect with others.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.