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The Benefit of Minocycline on Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: Extent and Mechanisms (BeneMin)

Primary Purpose

Schizophrenia and Disorders With Psychotic Features

Status
Completed
Phase
Phase 2
Locations
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Minocycline
Placebo
Sponsored by
University of Manchester
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional treatment trial for Schizophrenia and Disorders With Psychotic Features focused on measuring psychosis, schizophrenia, negative symptoms, minocycline

Eligibility Criteria

16 Years - 35 Years (Child, Adult)All SexesDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Meeting DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia, schizophreniform or schizo-affective psychosis as assessed by the research team
  • In an episode as defined by the presence of positive symptoms measured by Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale with a score higher than two in items 1,2,3 or 6 in the Positive scale
  • In contact with early intervention community or in-patient service
  • Within 5 years of first diagnosis
  • Intelligence quotient (IQ) greater than 70
  • Participants and their partners must be willing to use effective birth control throughout the study and seven days after stopping trial medication. Females should have a negative pregnancy test
  • Able to understand and willing to give written informed consent
  • Fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current substance misuse diagnosis that in the opinion of the investigator may interfere with the study
  • Patients who, in the investigator's judgement pose a current serious suicidal or violence risk
  • Use of tetracycline antibiotics within 2 months of the randomisation visit or history of sensitivity or intolerance for this type of antibiotics
  • History of Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE) or a history of SLE in a first-degree relative
  • Use of any investigational drug within a month of randomisation visit
  • Relevant current or past hematologic, hepatic, renal, neurological or other medical disorder in the opinion of the principal investigator (PI) or the responsible medical officer (RMO) may interfere with the trial
  • Taking medical treatments that could seriously interact with minocycline as described in the summary of product characteristics (SPC) and judged by the PI or the RMO
  • Clinically significant deviation from the reference range in clinical laboratory test results as judged by the investigator
  • Previous randomisation in the present study
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Meeting MRI exclusion criteria as defined by local scanning centres

Sites / Locations

    Arms of the Study

    Arm 1

    Arm 2

    Arm Type

    Experimental

    Placebo Comparator

    Arm Label

    Minocycline

    Placebo

    Arm Description

    Participants will receive capsules containing 100mg of minocycline (modified release), two per day for the first two weeks of the trial and then three per day for the remainder of the 12 month treatment period in addition to antipsychotic drug treatment and other interventions by the responsibel medical officer.

    Participants will receive placebo capsules entirely matching minocycline, two per day for the first two weeks of the trial and then three per day for the reminder of the 12 month treatment period in addition to antipsychotic drug treatment and other interventions by the responsibel medical officer.

    Outcomes

    Primary Outcome Measures

    Severity of negative symptoms of psychosis
    Measured by Negative symptoms scale in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale

    Secondary Outcome Measures

    Change in body weight
    Measuring weight gain in kilograms, a side effect of standard anti-psychotic medication therapy
    Positive symptoms of psychosis
    Measured by the Positive symptoms scale in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scales
    General social and psychological functioning
    Measured by Global Assessment of Functioning from DSM-IV
    Intelligence
    Measured by Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale for patients with schizophrenia
    Anti-psychotic medication dose
    Measured in chlorpromazine equivalent units
    Verbal learning
    Auditory-Verbal Learning Task
    Social and Occupational functioning
    Score on Social Functioning Scale

    Full Information

    First Posted
    September 23, 2016
    Last Updated
    April 15, 2019
    Sponsor
    University of Manchester
    Collaborators
    University of Edinburgh, University of Cambridge, University College, London, University of Birmingham, King's College London, Manchester Mental Health & Social Care Trust, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, West London Mental Health NHS Trust, North East London Foundation Trust, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Lothian, NHS Fife, NHS Borders, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
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    1. Study Identification

    Unique Protocol Identification Number
    NCT02928965
    Brief Title
    The Benefit of Minocycline on Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: Extent and Mechanisms
    Acronym
    BeneMin
    Official Title
    The Benefit of Minocycline on Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: Extent and Mechanisms
    Study Type
    Interventional

    2. Study Status

    Record Verification Date
    October 2017
    Overall Recruitment Status
    Completed
    Study Start Date
    February 2013 (undefined)
    Primary Completion Date
    May 2016 (Actual)
    Study Completion Date
    May 2016 (Actual)

    3. Sponsor/Collaborators

    Responsible Party, by Official Title
    Principal Investigator
    Name of the Sponsor
    University of Manchester
    Collaborators
    University of Edinburgh, University of Cambridge, University College, London, University of Birmingham, King's College London, Manchester Mental Health & Social Care Trust, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, West London Mental Health NHS Trust, North East London Foundation Trust, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Lothian, NHS Fife, NHS Borders, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

    4. Oversight

    Data Monitoring Committee
    Yes

    5. Study Description

    Brief Summary
    The purpose of this study is to investigate if minocycline limits the development of negative symptoms in early psychosis and to test via what mechanism of action this change occurs.
    Detailed Description
    Background Negative symptoms of psychosis do not respond to the traditional therapy with first- or second-generation antipsychotics and are among main causes of a decrease in quality of life observed in individuals suffering from the disorder. Minocycline, a broad-spectrum tetracyclic antibiotic displaying neuroprotective properties has been suggested as a new potential therapy for negative symptoms. In the two previous clinical trials comparing minocycline and placebo, both added to the standard care, patients receiving minocycline showed increased reduction in negative symptoms. Three routes to neuroprotection by minocycline have been identified: neuroprotection against grey matter loss, anti-inflammatory action and stabilisation of glutamate receptors. However, it is not yet certain what the extent of the benefit of minocycline in psychosis is and what its mechanism is. This proposal is for a multi-centre double-blind randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial entitled The Benefit of Minocycline on Negative Symptoms of Psychosis: Extent and Mechanism (BeneMin). Methods After providing informed consent, 226 participants in the early phase of psychosis will be randomised to receive either 100 mg modified-release capsules of minocycline or similar capsules with placebo for 12 months in addition to standard care. The participants will be tested for outcome variables before and after the intervention period. The extent of benefit will be tested via clinical outcome measures, namely the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale score, social and cognitive functioning scores, antipsychotic medication dose equivalent and level of weight gain. The mechanism of action of minocycline will be tested via blood screening for circulating cytokines and magnetic resonance imaging with three-dimensional T1-weighted rapid gradient-echo, proton density T2-weighted dual echo and T2*-weighted gradient echo planar imaging with N-back task and resting state. Eight research centres in the United Kingdom (UK) and 15 National Health Service Trusts and Health Boards will be involved in recruiting participants, performing the study and analysing the data.

    6. Conditions and Keywords

    Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
    Schizophrenia and Disorders With Psychotic Features
    Keywords
    psychosis, schizophrenia, negative symptoms, minocycline

    7. Study Design

    Primary Purpose
    Treatment
    Study Phase
    Phase 2
    Interventional Study Model
    Parallel Assignment
    Masking
    ParticipantCare ProviderInvestigator
    Allocation
    Randomized
    Enrollment
    207 (Actual)

    8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

    Arm Title
    Minocycline
    Arm Type
    Experimental
    Arm Description
    Participants will receive capsules containing 100mg of minocycline (modified release), two per day for the first two weeks of the trial and then three per day for the remainder of the 12 month treatment period in addition to antipsychotic drug treatment and other interventions by the responsibel medical officer.
    Arm Title
    Placebo
    Arm Type
    Placebo Comparator
    Arm Description
    Participants will receive placebo capsules entirely matching minocycline, two per day for the first two weeks of the trial and then three per day for the reminder of the 12 month treatment period in addition to antipsychotic drug treatment and other interventions by the responsibel medical officer.
    Intervention Type
    Drug
    Intervention Name(s)
    Minocycline
    Other Intervention Name(s)
    Acnamino MR (modified release)
    Intervention Description
    Capsules containing 100mg minocycline (modified release), administered orally by the patient, two per day for the first two weeks and then three per day for the reminder of the 12 month treatment period in addition to standard therapy.
    Intervention Type
    Drug
    Intervention Name(s)
    Placebo
    Intervention Description
    Matching placebo with appearance of over - encapsulated minocycline
    Primary Outcome Measure Information:
    Title
    Severity of negative symptoms of psychosis
    Description
    Measured by Negative symptoms scale in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale
    Time Frame
    twelve months
    Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
    Title
    Change in body weight
    Description
    Measuring weight gain in kilograms, a side effect of standard anti-psychotic medication therapy
    Time Frame
    Twelve months
    Title
    Positive symptoms of psychosis
    Description
    Measured by the Positive symptoms scale in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scales
    Time Frame
    twelve months
    Title
    General social and psychological functioning
    Description
    Measured by Global Assessment of Functioning from DSM-IV
    Time Frame
    twelve months
    Title
    Intelligence
    Description
    Measured by Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale for patients with schizophrenia
    Time Frame
    twelve months
    Title
    Anti-psychotic medication dose
    Description
    Measured in chlorpromazine equivalent units
    Time Frame
    twelve months
    Title
    Verbal learning
    Description
    Auditory-Verbal Learning Task
    Time Frame
    12 months
    Title
    Social and Occupational functioning
    Description
    Score on Social Functioning Scale
    Time Frame
    12 months
    Other Pre-specified Outcome Measures:
    Title
    Change in medial prefrontal grey matter volume (primary biomarker outcome)
    Description
    Change Measured by T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
    Time Frame
    twelve months
    Title
    Circulating interleukin (IL-6) concentration (primary biomarker outcome)
    Description
    Measured by blood cytokine screen test
    Time Frame
    twelve months
    Title
    Dorsolateral-prefrontal cortex blood oxygen level dependent response during working memory task (primary biomarker outcome)
    Description
    Measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging during N-back task
    Time Frame
    twelve months
    Title
    Pattern of total and regional grey matter volumes (secondary biomarker outcome)
    Description
    Measured by T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging
    Time Frame
    twelve months
    Title
    Multivariate pattern of circulating cytokine concentrations (secondary biomarker outcome)
    Description
    Measured by blood cytokine screen test
    Time Frame
    twelve months
    Title
    Distribution of Hurst exponent (brain functional connectivity measure; secondary biomarker outcome)
    Description
    Measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging during resting state
    Time Frame
    twelve months
    Title
    Verbal fluency
    Description
    Verbal fluency, words per minute beginning with F, A and S
    Time Frame
    12 months
    Title
    Working memory
    Description
    Performance on the N-back task during scanning
    Time Frame
    12 months

    10. Eligibility

    Sex
    All
    Minimum Age & Unit of Time
    16 Years
    Maximum Age & Unit of Time
    35 Years
    Accepts Healthy Volunteers
    No
    Eligibility Criteria
    Inclusion Criteria: Meeting DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia, schizophreniform or schizo-affective psychosis as assessed by the research team In an episode as defined by the presence of positive symptoms measured by Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale with a score higher than two in items 1,2,3 or 6 in the Positive scale In contact with early intervention community or in-patient service Within 5 years of first diagnosis Intelligence quotient (IQ) greater than 70 Participants and their partners must be willing to use effective birth control throughout the study and seven days after stopping trial medication. Females should have a negative pregnancy test Able to understand and willing to give written informed consent Fluent in English Exclusion Criteria: Current substance misuse diagnosis that in the opinion of the investigator may interfere with the study Patients who, in the investigator's judgement pose a current serious suicidal or violence risk Use of tetracycline antibiotics within 2 months of the randomisation visit or history of sensitivity or intolerance for this type of antibiotics History of Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE) or a history of SLE in a first-degree relative Use of any investigational drug within a month of randomisation visit Relevant current or past hematologic, hepatic, renal, neurological or other medical disorder in the opinion of the principal investigator (PI) or the responsible medical officer (RMO) may interfere with the trial Taking medical treatments that could seriously interact with minocycline as described in the summary of product characteristics (SPC) and judged by the PI or the RMO Clinically significant deviation from the reference range in clinical laboratory test results as judged by the investigator Previous randomisation in the present study Pregnant or breastfeeding Meeting MRI exclusion criteria as defined by local scanning centres
    Overall Study Officials:
    First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
    Bill Deakin, Professor
    Organizational Affiliation
    University of Manchester
    Official's Role
    Principal Investigator

    12. IPD Sharing Statement

    Plan to Share IPD
    Yes
    IPD Sharing Plan Description
    Fully anonymised database will be made available in 2018. Basic demographics, Primary clinical and mechanistic outcome measures. Treatment allocation code
    IPD Sharing Time Frame
    January 2019
    IPD Sharing Access Criteria
    Academic researcher, clear analysis plan, publication plan Agreement of Chief investigator

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