Aripiprazole [Abilify], a partial dopamine and serotonin receptor agonist, is an effective and well tolerated treatment for acute mania in patients with bipolar disorder, according to several studies presented at the XXIVth Collegium Internationale Neuropsychopharmacologicum (CINP) Congress [Paris, France; June 2004]. Two of these studies showed that aripiprazole produced significantly greater responses than either placebo or haloperidol. Furthermore, aripiprazole demonstrated superior tolerability to haloperidol; this favourable tolerability profile was confirmed in a pooled analysis of placebo-controlled trials. Another pooled analysis indicated that the benefits of aripiprazole were seen in different subgroups of patients with bipolar disorder, including those with manic or mixed episodes, rapid-cycling bipolar disorder, and with or without psychotic symptoms. Another placebo-controlled study presented at the meeting showed that aripiprazole also prolonged the time to the relapse of symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder who had previously experienced a manic or mixed episode.