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SchizophreniaPhase 2NCT00374244

Efficacy of Pimozide Augmentation for Clozapine Partial Response

A Phase 2 study testing Pimozide in people with Schizophrenia, run by Yale University at 2 sites in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This is a 12 week outpatient study for patients with schizophrenia who are on Clozapine, but continue to experience symptoms. The purpose of this project is to find out if small doses of pimozide (an antipsychotic medication, taken by mouth) will be helpful in reducing symptoms (such as hearing voices, having trouble… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 60 years
Conditions the study is for
Schizophrenia
What is being tested?
Pimozide
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
28 participants
Where
2 sitesUnited States
Study dates
Jan 2004to Jun 2011
Phase
Phase 2
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 60 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
  • A minimum Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) score of 35 and a BPRS psychotic symptom cluster score of at least 8.
  • Currently taking clozapine with a blood level between 350-1000 ng/ml and on a stable dose of clozapine for the past 2 weeks.
  • Able to give informed consent.

Who cannot join

  • A history of significant medical/neurological disease such as thyroid, renal, hepatic abnormality, seizure disorder.
  • History of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome.
  • Current substance abuse determined by urine toxicology.
  • Cardiac arrhythmia, sinus bradycardia (heart rate less than 60/min), sinus tachycardia (heart rate greater than 110/min), supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia, Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, first, second, third degree atrioventricular (AV) block, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter and junctional complexes. in baseline electrocardiogram (EKG). Study doctors will examine the EKGs and consult with an internist/cardiologist as needed.
  • on EKG: QTc > 450 ms.
  • Current use of macrolide antibiotics (e.g., erythromycin, clarithromycin), azole antifungal agents (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole), protease inhibitors (e.g., ritonavir, indinavir), nefazodone, and other medications that are associated with prolonged QTc.
Show all 12Show fewer
  • Current use of antipsychotics other than clozapine.
  • Current use of sertraline.
  • IQ level below 70.
  • At high risk for suicidal/homicidal behavior.
  • Pregnancy, lack of birth control for females of childbearing age (female patients must report use of effective method for birth control such as birth control pills, condoms, barrier methods, abstinence or have written statement from their doctors that they are medically sterile).
  • Non-English speaking.

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

United States2 sites
  • Connecticut Mental Health Center

    New Haven, Connecticut, 06508

  • VA Connecticut Healthcare System

    West Haven, Connecticut, 06516

Other trials in United States

About this study

This is a 12 week outpatient study for patients with schizophrenia who are on Clozapine, but continue to experience symptoms. The purpose of this project is to find out if small doses of pimozide (an antipsychotic medication, taken by mouth) will be helpful in reducing symptoms (such as hearing voices, having trouble in organizing your thoughts, lack of interest in life events and social activities), compared to placebo (an inactive substance, "sugar pill"), when added to clozapine in patients with schizophrenia.

The participant will be asked to come in once a week to meet with the research staff and study doctor. The participant will continue to see your regular clinician during this study for all normal appointments. The participant will remain on your current medications throughout the study. During the study you will be randomly selected to be put on a small dose of Pimozide or placebo.

Read the detailed description

If you choose to participate, you will first have screening tests to find out if you are eligible. The study physician will do a number of tests including a physical examination, a routine medical history, lab tests for blood and urine, and EKG (to monitor your heart) and interviews about your physical and mental health.

At each visit you will complete an EKG (to monitor your heart), vital signs, and discuss how you are feeling with the research staff and doctor. Once a month, we will also conduct a slightly longer interview with you about your symptoms and draw one tube of blood to check your Clozapine level. At the beginning and end of the study, you will do some pencil and paper games called "Neurocognitive tests".

If you are interested in participating in this study, we will go over it in greater detail with you, including the possible benefits and risks associated with participating. We will make sure you understand the study before you begin. This study is completely voluntary, which means that you can choose to stop participating in the study at any time.

Conditions
Schizophrenia
Being tested
Pimozide, placebo
Keywords
schizophrenia, pimozide, clozapine
Medical subject headings
Schizophrenia

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • PimozideDrug

    half of the subjects are randomized to the active drug group

  • placeboDrug

    half of the subjects are randomized to placebo group

Study groups in NCT00374244
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
1Placebo comparatorplacebo pimozide
Receives: Drug: placebo
2Active comparatoractive pimozide
Receives: Drug: Pimozide

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) Total Score

    The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) is an 18-item instrument. The items are anchored on a 7-point scale (higher rating: greater severity). Total scores range from 18 to 126 (higher score: greater severity). The instrument covers areas including: somatic concerns, anxiety, emotional withdrawal, conceptual disorganization, guilt feelings, tension, mannerisms and posturing, grandiosity, depressive mood, hostility, suspiciousness, hallucinatory behavior, motor retardation, uncooperativeness, unusual thought content, blunted affect, excitement and disorientation.

    Measured: Baseline

  2. Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) Total Score

    The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) is an 18-item instrument. The items are anchored on a 7-point scale (higher rating: greater severity). Total scores range from 18 to 126 (higher score: greater severity). The instrument covers areas including: somatic concerns, anxiety, emotional withdrawal, conceptual disorganization, guilt feelings, tension, mannerisms and posturing, grandiosity, depressive mood, hostility, suspiciousness, hallucinatory behavior, motor retardation, uncooperativeness, unusual thought content, blunted affect, excitement and disorientation.

    Measured: Endpoint (12 weeks)

  3. Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS)

    The Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) is a rating scale to measure negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The scale has 25 items (20 individual and 5 global) rated on scale of 0-5 (higher rating: greater severity). SANS is split into 5 domains, and within each domain separate symptoms are rated from 0 (absent) to 5 (severe). Domains include: Affective Flattening or Blunting, Alogia, Avolition - Apathy, Anhedonia - Asociality, Attention. The total range of the SANS is from 0 to 120.

    Measured: baseline

  4. Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS)

    The Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) is a rating scale to measure negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The scale has 25 items (20 individual and 5 global) rated on scale of 0-5 (higher rating: greater severity). SANS is split into 5 domains, and within each domain separate symptoms are rated from 0 (absent) to 5 (severe). Domains include: Affective Flattening or Blunting, Alogia, Avolition - Apathy, Anhedonia - Asociality, Attention. The total range of the SANS is from 0 to 120.

    Measured: Endpoint (12 weeks)

Secondary outcomes (17)
  1. CGI Severity of Illness Scale (CGI-S)

    CGI Severity of Illness Scale (CGI-S) assesses severity of illness on 1-7 scale. Clinicians' experience is used to gauge the severity of illness from 'normal' (value=1) to 'among the most extremely ill patients' (value=7). The higher rating correlates with more severely ill.

    Measured: baseline

  2. CGI Severity of Illness Scale (CGI-S)

    CGI Severity of Illness Scale (CGI-S) assesses severity of illness on 1-7 scale. Clinicians' experience is used to gauge the severity of illness from 'normal' (value=1) to 'among the most extremely ill patients' (value=7). The higher rating correlates with more severely ill.

    Measured: Endpoint (12 weeks)

  3. CGI Improvement Scale (CGI-I)

    CGI Improvement Scale (CGI-I) higher rating correlates with worsening of condition (vs. improvement with lower rating). The CGI-I is scored from 1 to 7 where 1 = 'very much improved' and 7 = 'very much worse'. Clinicians are asked to rate total improvement in the following manner: "...in your judgement, it is due entirely to drug treatment. Compared to his condition at admission to the project, how much has he changed?"

    Measured: Endpoint (12 weeks)

  4. Verbal Fluency

    Verbal fluency was measured using the Controlled Word Association Test (COWAT). There is no range for this measure, as it is not a scale. The subjects can generate as many new words as they can, so there is no maximum. The greater the number of words one generates indicates better performance.

    Measured: Baseline

  5. Verbal Fluency

    Verbal fluency was measured using the Controlled Word Association Test (COWAT). There is no range for this measure, as it is not a scale. The subjects can generate as many new words as they can, so there is no maximum. The greater the number of words one generates indicates better performance.

    Measured: Endpoint (12 weeks)

  6. QTc

    The QT interval is a measure of the time between the start of the Q wave and the end of the T wave in the heart. ECG machines calculate a corrected QT (QTc). QTc is the corrected QT interval in the EKG. Normal range is from 430-470ms.

    Measured: Baseline

  7. QTc

    The QT interval is a measure of the time between the start of the Q wave and the end of the T wave in the heart. ECG machines calculate a corrected QT (QTc). QTc is the corrected QT interval in the EKG. Normal range is from 430-470ms.

    Measured: Endpoint (12 weeks)

  8. Processing Speed

    Processing speed was assessed using using Digit Symbol Coding from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Revised (WAIS-R). The tool is used for the assessment of processing speed. The range of scores is 0 to 100- with the higher number indicating greater performance.

    Measured: Baseline

  9. Processing Speed

    Processing speed was assessed using using Digit Symbol Coding from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Revised (WAIS-R). The tool is used for the assessment of processing speed. The range of scores is 0 to 100- with the higher number indicating greater performance.

    Measured: Endpoint (12 weeks)

  10. Verbal Learning and Memory: List A

    Verbal learning and memory were assessed by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) List A: Total Trials (1-5). This assessment consists of a list of words that the subject repeats back, it does not have an interpret-able range of scores like a traditional scale. Scores are based on number of words repeated back.

    Measured: Baseline

  11. Verbal Learning and Memory: List A

    Verbal learning and memory were assessed by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) List A: Total Trials (1-5). This assessment consists of a list of words that the subject repeats back, it does not have an interpret-able range of scores like a traditional scale. Scores are based on number of words repeated back.

    Measured: Endpoint (12 weeks)

  12. Verbal Learning and Memory: List B

    Verbal learning and memory were assessed by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) List B: Single Trial. This assessment consists of a list of words that the subject repeats back, it does not have an interpret-able range of scores like a traditional scale. Scores are based on number of words repeated back.

    Measured: Baseline

  13. Verbal Learning and Memory: List B

    Verbal learning and memory were assessed by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) List B: Single Trial. This assessment consists of a list of words that the subject repeats back, it does not have an interpret-able range of scores like a traditional scale. Scores are based on number of words repeated back.

    Measured: Endpoint (12 weeks)

  14. Trail Making Test: Trail A

    Working memory by Digit Span and Letter Number Sequencing, and attention/executive functions were measured by the Trail Making Test (Parts A and B). This is an assessment of attention/executive function, it does not have an interpret-able range of scores like a traditional scale. Subjects makes trails on paper against time.

    Measured: Baseline

  15. Trail Making Test: Trail A

    The Trail Making Test is a neuropsychological test of visual attention and task switching. It consists of two parts in which the subject is instructed to connect a set of 25 dots as fast as possible while still maintaining accuracy. ( Arnett, James A.; Seth S. Labovitz (1995). "Effect of physical layout in performance of the Trail Making Test". Psychological Assessment 7 (2): 220-221. doi:10.1037/1040-3590.7.2.220. Retrieved 2012-02-22.)

    Part A is used primarily to examine cognitive processing speed. Part B, in which the subject alternates between numbers and letters, is used to examine executive functioning. (Tombaugh, T.N.T.N (2004). "Trail Making test A and B: Normative Data Stratified by Age and Education". Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology : The Official Journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists 19 (2): 203-214. doi:10.1016/s0887-6177(03)00039-8. Retrieved 2012-01-10.)

    Measured: Endpoint (12 weeks)

  16. Trail Making Test: Trail B

    The Trail Making Test is a neuropsychological test of visual attention and task switching. It consists of two parts in which the subject is instructed to connect a set of 25 dots as fast as possible while still maintaining accuracy. ( Arnett, James A.; Seth S. Labovitz (1995). "Effect of physical layout in performance of the Trail Making Test". Psychological Assessment 7 (2): 220-221. doi:10.1037/1040-3590.7.2.220. Retrieved 2012-02-22.)

    Part A is used primarily to examine cognitive processing speed. Part B, in which the subject alternates between numbers and letters, is used to examine executive functioning. (Tombaugh, T.N.T.N (2004). "Trail Making test A and B: Normative Data Stratified by Age and Education". Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology : The Official Journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists 19 (2): 203-214. doi:10.1016/s0887-6177(03)00039-8. Retrieved 2012-01-10.)

    Measured: Baseline

  17. Trail Making Test: Trail B

    The Trail Making Test is a neuropsychological test of visual attention and task switching. It consists of two parts in which the subject is instructed to connect a set of 25 dots as fast as possible while still maintaining accuracy. ( Arnett, James A.; Seth S. Labovitz (1995). "Effect of physical layout in performance of the Trail Making Test". Psychological Assessment 7 (2): 220-221. doi:10.1037/1040-3590.7.2.220. Retrieved 2012-02-22.)

    Part A is used primarily to examine cognitive processing speed. Part B, in which the subject alternates between numbers and letters, is used to examine executive functioning. (Tombaugh, T.N.T.N (2004). "Trail Making test A and B: Normative Data Stratified by Age and Education". Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology : The Official Journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists 19 (2): 203-214. doi:10.1016/s0887-6177(03)00039-8. Retrieved 2012-01-10.)

    Measured: Endpoint (12 weeks)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted11 Sep 2006 (estimated)
  2. Study startJan 2004
  3. Primary completionJun 2011
  4. Study completionJun 2011

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
28 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00374244
Sponsor's protocol ID
02T-251
Status last verified
Feb 2016
First submitted
7 Sep 2006
Last updated
4 Mar 2016
Data monitoring committee
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing Pimozide in people with Schizophrenia, run by Yale University at 2 sites in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 12 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Mar 2016. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 4 Mar 2016). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) Total Score (time frame: Baseline). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 Mar 2016.

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