IR (Immediate release) or XR (Extended release) Mixed Amphetamine Salts (~75% Dextroamphetamine & ~25% Levoamphetamine) Their specific mechanisms of action may be subject to slight differences due to each having unique active ingredients. As you can tell, both are psychostimulant medications primarily utilized for the treatment of ADHD. Adderall: Comparison Chartīelow are some general comparisons between Focalin and Adderall. The immediate-release (IR) form of Focalin is comparable to Adderall IR, and the extended-release (XR) Focalin is comparable to Adderall XR. It wasn’t until 2008 that Novartis Pharmaceuticals engineered an extended-release (XR) version, designed to provide a sustained psychostimulant effect for up to 12 hours. The original Focalin approved in 2001 elicited an effect lasting approximately 4 to 6 hours. Adderall is comprised of mixed amphetamine salts, namely 75% dextroamphetamine and 25% levoamphetamine. It contains solely the dextrorotatory (right-handed) stereoisomer of methylphenidate and some consider its potency to be approximately double to that of methylphenidate. Although there are a variety of different options, the two most popular formulations are those containing mixed amphetamine salts and those containing methylphenidate.įocalin is a drug comprised of the ingredient “dexmethylphenidate” (d-threo-methylphenidate) or D-TMP. The number of different options is often helpful for patients that may not respond to the first drug that they try. The pharmaceutical market is saturated with drugs intended to treat ADHD.