RecruitingPhase 1 / Phase 2

A PET/MRI Study of Cobenfy on Dopamine Transmission in Schizophrenia

A Multimodal PET/MRI Study of Cobenfy on Dopamine Transmission in Schizophrenia

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
18 Years to 50 Years
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

  • Time periods mentioned: 5 weeks
  • Procedures mentioned: PET scans

Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.

Show the study's own words
  • "This is a single site clinical trial in which 12 participants with schizophrenia will be randomized to one of three doses of treatment with Cobenfy for 5 weeks. \[18F\]DOPA PET scans will be obtained before and after treatment to examine the effects of Cobenfy on dopamine transmission."
Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests how Cobenfy affects dopamine, a chemical that carries messages in the brain. It is for adults ages 18 to 50 with schizophrenia or certain related disorders. Twelve people will be assigned by chance to one of three doses for 5 weeks, with PET brain scans before and after treatment.

This is a single site clinical trial in which 12 participants with schizophrenia will be randomized to one of three doses of treatment with Cobenfy for 5 weeks. \[18F\]DOPA PET scans will be obtained before and after treatment to examine the effects of Cobenfy on dopamine transmission. The overall objective of the current study is to measure Cobenfy's ability to engage its putative target (DA transmission/synthesis capacity in the striatum and midbrain as measured by \[18F\]DOPA Kicer (\[18F\]DOPA relative uptake rate)).

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Be 18 to 50 years old at screening.
  • Understand the study steps and be able to agree to take part.
  • Have schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or schizophreniform disorder.
  • Already be off antipsychotic medicines by your own choice, for reasons not related to this study. Before the first PET scan, you must be off them for at least 3 weeks, or 4 weeks for aripiprazole, Cobenfy, or long-acting injections.
  • Have a PANSS score above 80 and below 120. This scale measures schizophrenia symptoms.
  • If you can become pregnant, agree to use an accepted birth control method during the study.
  • Keep herbal and dietary supplement doses unchanged for at least 6 weeks before starting Cobenfy. Agree to avoid products with ingredients known to harm the liver, such as green tea extract, kratom, and ashwagandha.

Who can't join

  • A moderate or severe substance use disorder in the month before the first PET scan, nicotine use during that month, or a positive drug test for substances of abuse.
  • Past poor response to Cobenfy, an allergy to Cobenfy or trospium, no clear reason to expect Cobenfy to help, or Cobenfy use within 4 weeks of the first PET scan. Also, a history of antipsychotic medicines not working despite treatment.
  • A serious abnormal heart tracing, including a corrected QT interval above 450 milliseconds for men or 470 for women. This measures part of the heart's electrical cycle.
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you can become pregnant, you must have a negative blood pregnancy test at the first visit and use accepted birth control for 30 days before the study, throughout it, and for 30 days after.
  • A serious or unstable health problem that could make treatment unsafe. Examples include problems emptying the bladder or stomach; liver, bile duct, or gallbladder disease; untreated narrow-angle glaucoma (an eye condition); HIV; an overly nasal voice; certain urinary problems; or unsafe heart rate or blood pressure.
  • Material in your body that makes MRI unsafe, or radiation from nuclear medicine tests in the past year that would exceed yearly limits when added to this study's PET scans.
  • Suicidal thoughts with intent or a plan in the past month, suicidal behavior in the past 3 months, past serious violence while off antipsychotic medicines, or a current desire to kill someone.
  • Unsafe lab results, including liver enzymes AST or ALT or bilirubin above twice the normal upper limit, or a PSA level above 10 ng/mL in men. PSA is a protein made by the prostate.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Individuals aged 18 to 50, inclusive at screen 2. Capable of understanding the study procedures and able to provide informed consent 3. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective, or schizophreniform disorder 4. Antipsychotic free at Visit 1 (by choice and for reasons unrelated to the study), and for at least 3 weeks (4 for aripiprazole, Cobenfy or LAIs) at the time of the baseline PET scan, inclusive of any antipsychotic-free time prior to consent 5. PANSS total score \> 80 and \< 120 6. Willing to use qualified methods of contraception (listed in section 5.3) for the study duration (for women of childbearing potential only) 7. Stable dosing of herbal/dietary supplements for at least 6 weeks at the time of the first dose of Cobenfy and willingness to avoid products with known hepatotoxic ingredients (e.g., green tea extract, kratom, ashwagandha). Exclusion Criteria: 1. Diagnosis of moderate or severe substance use disorder within the previous month (from first PET scan) 2. A history of poor or inadequate response to Cobenfy for any reason, hypersensitivity to Cobenfy or trospium or no justifiable reason to expect improvement on Cobenfy, or treatment with Cobenfy within 4 weeks of the first PET Scan 3. EKG abnormality that is clinically significant including a QT interval \> 450 msec for men and \> 470 msec for women, as corrected by the Fridericia formula (QTcF) 4. Pregnant or breast-feeding women. Women of child-bearing potential must have a negative serum β-hCG pregnancy test at Visit 1, must have been using an acceptable method of contraception (section 5.3) for 30 days before the study, and must agree to do so for the whole study and 30 days after (unless post-menopausal or surgically sterile) 5. Any clinically significant or unstable medical illness, condition, or disorder that is anticipated to potentially compromise participant safety on study medication, including (but not necessarily limited to) the following: urinary retention, moderate or severe hepatic impairment, gastric retention, untreated narrow-angle glaucoma, hypernasality, resting heart rate \>100 bpm or systolic Blood Pressure \>150 mmHg, a history of orthostatic hypotension or abnormal orthostatic blood pressure (change in mean arterial pressure \[1/3 systolic + 2/3 diastolic\] of \> 20% between supine and standing blood pressures), known human immunodeficiency virus (i.e., by history), cirrhosis, biliary duct abnormalities, hepatobiliary carcinoma, symptomatic gallstone disease, active hepatic infections, history of bladder stones, recurrent urinary tract infections, or International Prostate Symptom Score \> 7 or any one item \> 2 (not including the nocturia item). 6. Any material in the body that is a contraindication for MRI procedures or participated in prior nuclear medicine procedures in the past year that exceed FDA-defined limits when combined with radiation dosimetry from PET scanning in this protocol to avoid exceeding annual dosimetry limits (metal screener repeated before MRI scan during visit 2) 7. Participants with suicidal ideation with intent or plan (indicated by affirmative answers to items 4 or 5 of the Suicidal Ideation section of the baseline C-SSRS) in the past 1 month or suicidal behavior in the past 3 months 8. Laboratory abnormality that would compromise the well-being of the participant, including Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) value \> 2 times the upper limit of the laboratory normal reference range, elevated bilirubin (i.e., \>2 x upper limit of normal (ULN)), or serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) \>10 ng/ml (for men only). 9. A history of treatment resistance to antipsychotics 10. Use of nicotine products within the previous month (prior to first PET scan) 11. History of significant violent behavior when antipsychotic-free or currently homicidal 12. Positive toxicology screen for any substances of abuse

Study sites (1)

NY