 [ Symptoms ] how does saphris work [ Disease ] saphris asenapine is fda approved to treat acute mania from bipolar disorder or the symptoms of schizophrenia it is a drug that is placed under the tongue and not swallowed directly you ask how it works by blocking one type of dopamine receptor it stops the above disorders it blocks a serotonin receptor which is counter intuitive but this blocking may help increase other chemicals that help depression dopamine norepinephrine in other parts of the brain it is also my understanding that it shares chemical properties with a well known antidepressant called remeronmirtazapine many of these meds for schizophrenia have been used for treating depression and some have been fda approved recently abilify and seroquel xr