Trial Outcomes & Findings for Exenatide Weekly Injections as an Adjunctive Treatment in Patients With Schizophrenia (NCT NCT02417142)

NCT ID: NCT02417142

Last Updated: 2022-01-14

Results Overview

SANS measures negative symptoms on a 25-item, six point scale each (0-5; none-severe). Items are listed under five domains including affective flattening or blunting, alogia, avolition/apathy, anhedonia/asociality, and attention. The total possible score ranges from 0 to 125.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

PHASE4

Target enrollment

70 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

Baseline, Week 6, Week 12, Week 18 and Week 24

Results posted on

2022-01-14

Participant Flow

Single-site study conducted at University of Massachusetts (UMass) Medical School. Subjects were recruited from UMass Memorial Healthcare facilities and ambulatory clinics in Worcester, MA.

Subjects who met DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition) criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were enrolled in the study (see inclusion/exclusion criteria). Eligible subjects were randomly assigned to either the experimental or placebo group.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Experimental
(existing treatment) + (Drug) Intervention: Drug: Exenatide Exenatide: Exenatide 2mg/week subcutaneous injection for 24 weeks.
Placebo
(existing treatment) + (Placebo) Intervention: Drug: Placebo Placebo: Placebo IM for 24 weeks.
Overall Study
STARTED
35
35
Overall Study
COMPLETED
19
22
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
16
13

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

Exenatide Weekly Injections as an Adjunctive Treatment in Patients With Schizophrenia

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Experimental
n=35 Participants
(existing treatment) + (Drug) Intervention: Drug: Exenatide Exenatide: Exenatide IM 2mg/week for 24 weeks.
Placebo
n=35 Participants
(existing treatment) + (Placebo) Intervention: Drug: Placebo Placebo: Placebo IM for 24 weeks.
Total
n=70 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Continuous
41.6 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.3 • n=5 Participants
43.9 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.9 • n=7 Participants
42.7 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.0 • n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
9 Participants
n=5 Participants
6 Participants
n=7 Participants
15 Participants
n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
26 Participants
n=5 Participants
29 Participants
n=7 Participants
55 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
White
26 Participants
n=5 Participants
26 Participants
n=7 Participants
52 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Black/African American
4 Participants
n=5 Participants
6 Participants
n=7 Participants
10 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Asian
2 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
2 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Mixed
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
3 Participants
n=7 Participants
4 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Unknown/Not reported
2 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
2 Participants
n=5 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
35 Participants
n=5 Participants
35 Participants
n=7 Participants
70 Participants
n=5 Participants
Education
12.9 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2.4 • n=5 Participants
12.7 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2.1 • n=7 Participants
12.8 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2.3 • n=5 Participants
Age of illness onset
23.7 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.3 • n=5 Participants
24.6 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.3 • n=7 Participants
24.2 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.8 • n=5 Participants
Duration of illness
18.1 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.2 • n=5 Participants
18.9 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.1 • n=7 Participants
18.5 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.2 • n=5 Participants
Schizophrenia
19 Participants
n=5 Participants
18 Participants
n=7 Participants
37 Participants
n=5 Participants
Schizoaffective disorder
16 Participants
n=5 Participants
17 Participants
n=7 Participants
33 Participants
n=5 Participants
Typical antipsychotic medication
Yes
9 Participants
n=5 Participants
13 Participants
n=7 Participants
22 Participants
n=5 Participants
Typical antipsychotic medication
No
26 Participants
n=5 Participants
22 Participants
n=7 Participants
48 Participants
n=5 Participants
Atypical antipsychotic medication
Yes
27 Participants
n=5 Participants
30 Participants
n=7 Participants
57 Participants
n=5 Participants
Atypical antipsychotic medication
No
8 Participants
n=5 Participants
5 Participants
n=7 Participants
13 Participants
n=5 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, Week 6, Week 12, Week 18 and Week 24

Population: 12 subjects in experimental arm withdrew or were lost to follow-up by week 24. 4 subjects in the experimental arm were removed from study by investigator by week 24. 11 subjects in placebo arm withdrew or were lost to follow-up by week 24. 2 subjects in the placebo arm were removed from study by investigator by week 24. Reasons for removal include inpatient hospitalization, increase in depressive symptoms, elevated HbA1c, starting insulin therapy and repeatedly missing visits.

SANS measures negative symptoms on a 25-item, six point scale each (0-5; none-severe). Items are listed under five domains including affective flattening or blunting, alogia, avolition/apathy, anhedonia/asociality, and attention. The total possible score ranges from 0 to 125.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Experimental
n=35 Participants
(existing treatment) + (Drug) Intervention: Drug: Exenatide Exenatide: Exenatide IM 2mg/week for 24 weeks.
Placebo
n=35 Participants
(existing treatment) + (Placebo) Intervention: Drug: Placebo Placebo: Placebo IM for 24 weeks.
Negative Symptoms as Measured by the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) Total Score
Baseline
33.1 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 12.9
34.1 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 15.0
Negative Symptoms as Measured by the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) Total Score
Week 6
34.1 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.3
32.8 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 11.8
Negative Symptoms as Measured by the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) Total Score
Week 12
35.8 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 13.0
34.5 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 11.5
Negative Symptoms as Measured by the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) Total Score
Week 18
36.1 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 11.9
35.2 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 10.2
Negative Symptoms as Measured by the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) Total Score
Week 24
35.2 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 13.3
35.0 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 11.1

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, Week 6, Week 12, Week 18, and Week 24.

Population: 12 subjects in experimental arm withdrew or were lost to follow-up by week 24. 4 subjects in the experimental arm were removed from study by investigator by week 24. 11 subjects in placebo arm withdrew or were lost to follow-up by week 24. 2 subjects in the placebo arm were removed from study by investigator by week 24. Reasons for removal include inpatient hospitalization, increase in depressive symptoms, elevated HbA1c, starting insulin and repeatedly missing visits during study period.

The MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) measures cognition relevant to schizophrenia and related disorders. The MCCB consists of ten individually administered tests that measure cognitive performance in seven domains including speed of processing, attention/vigilance, working memory, verbal learning, visual learning, reasoning and problem solving, and social cognition. The raw scores from the ten tests are entered in the MCCB Computer Scoring Program software, which provides an age and gender-corrected T-score and percentile on the seven cognitive domains. A T-score of 50 +/- 10 represents a normative mean performance in each test. Accordingly, the criterion for assignment to cognitively normal-range group require an overall composite T-score from 40 to 60. These data points from baseline visit to week 24 will measure changes in cognition in addition overall cognitive ability compared to healthy individuals.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Experimental
n=35 Participants
(existing treatment) + (Drug) Intervention: Drug: Exenatide Exenatide: Exenatide IM 2mg/week for 24 weeks.
Placebo
n=35 Participants
(existing treatment) + (Placebo) Intervention: Drug: Placebo Placebo: Placebo IM for 24 weeks.
Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) Composite T-score
Baseline
26.9 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 17.2
24.7 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 12.6
Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) Composite T-score
Week 6
27.3 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 17.3
27.2 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 15.4
Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) Composite T-score
Week 12
28.4 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 17.3
28.1 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 16.2
Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) Composite T-score
Week 18
28.7 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 18.1
32.2 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 15.1
Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) Composite T-score
Week 24
31.2 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 16.5
33.9 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 14.4

Adverse Events

Experimental

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 29 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Placebo

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 27 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Other adverse events
Measure
Experimental
n=35 participants at risk
(existing treatment) + (Drug) Intervention: Drug: Exenatide Exenatide: Exenatide IM 2mg/week for 24 weeks.
Placebo
n=35 participants at risk
(existing treatment) + (Placebo) Intervention: Drug: Placebo Placebo: Placebo IM for 24 weeks.
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Bump at injection site
48.6%
17/35 • 24 weeks
0.00%
0/35 • 24 weeks
General disorders
Headache
25.7%
9/35 • 24 weeks
28.6%
10/35 • 24 weeks
Gastrointestinal disorders
Heartburn
14.3%
5/35 • 24 weeks
22.9%
8/35 • 24 weeks
Gastrointestinal disorders
Constipation
14.3%
5/35 • 24 weeks
22.9%
8/35 • 24 weeks
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Itchiness at injection site
22.9%
8/35 • 24 weeks
0.00%
0/35 • 24 weeks
General disorders
Nausea
11.4%
4/35 • 24 weeks
5.7%
2/35 • 24 weeks
Psychiatric disorders
Irritability/anxiety
20.0%
7/35 • 24 weeks
8.6%
3/35 • 24 weeks
Gastrointestinal disorders
Vomiting
5.7%
2/35 • 24 weeks
17.1%
6/35 • 24 weeks
Gastrointestinal disorders
Diarrhea
8.6%
3/35 • 24 weeks
8.6%
3/35 • 24 weeks
General disorders
Dizziness
8.6%
3/35 • 24 weeks
8.6%
3/35 • 24 weeks
Gastrointestinal disorders
Abdominal pain
8.6%
3/35 • 24 weeks
2.9%
1/35 • 24 weeks
General disorders
Fatigue
8.6%
3/35 • 24 weeks
5.7%
2/35 • 24 weeks
Gastrointestinal disorders
Indigestion
8.6%
3/35 • 24 weeks
2.9%
1/35 • 24 weeks
Cardiac disorders
Chest pain
8.6%
3/35 • 24 weeks
0.00%
0/35 • 24 weeks
General disorders
Hunger
5.7%
2/35 • 24 weeks
5.7%
2/35 • 24 weeks
Psychiatric disorders
Suicidal Ideation
5.7%
2/35 • 24 weeks
8.6%
3/35 • 24 weeks
General disorders
Decreased appetite
5.7%
2/35 • 24 weeks
2.9%
1/35 • 24 weeks
General disorders
Sedation
5.7%
2/35 • 24 weeks
2.9%
1/35 • 24 weeks
Eye disorders
Blurry vision
5.7%
2/35 • 24 weeks
0.00%
0/35 • 24 weeks

Additional Information

Xiaoduo Fan, MD, MPH

UMass Medical School

Phone: (508) 856 -3881

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place