Phase 2 Trial of an Alpha-7 Nicotinic Receptor Agonist (TC-5619) in Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Abstract

Objectives: This trial was conducted to test the effects of an alpha7 nicotinic receptor full agonist, TC-5619, on negative and cognitive symptoms in subjects with schizophrenia.

Methods: In 64 sites in the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Romania, and Serbia, 477 outpatients (18-65 years; male 62%; 55% tobacco users) with schizophrenia, treated with a new-generation antipsychotic, were randomized to 24 weeks of placebo (n = 235), TC-5619, 5mg (n = 121), or TC-5619, 50 mg (n = 121), administered orally once daily. The primary efficacy measure was the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) composite score. Key secondary measures were the Cogstate Schizophrenia Battery (CSB) composite score and the University of California San Diego Performance-Based Skills Assessment-Brief Version (UPSA-B) total score. Secondary measures included: Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale in Schizophrenia (PANSS) total and subscale scores, SANS domain scores, CSB item scores, Clinical Global Impression-Global Improvement (CGI-I) score, CGI-Severity (CGI-S) score, and Subject Global Impression-Cognition (SGI-Cog) total score.

Results: SANS score showed no statistical benefit for TC-5619 vs placebo at week 24 (5 mg, 2-tailed P = .159; 50 mg, P = .689). Likewise, no scores of CSB, UPSA-B, PANSS, CGI-I, CGI-S, or SGI-Cog favored TC-5619 (P > .05). Sporadic statistical benefit favoring TC-5619 in some of these outcome measures were observed in tobacco users, but these benefits did not show concordance by dose, country, gender, or other relevant measures. TC-5619 was generally well tolerated.

Conclusion: These results do not support a benefit of TC-5619 for negative or cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia.

Keywords: cognition; negative symptoms; schizophrenia.

Fig. 1.

Subject disposition.

Fig. 2.

Change from baseline in SANS composite score by time. Shown are LS Means and Standard Errors of the Mean (SEM) at each time point.

Fig. 3.

Change from baseline in cogstate schizophrenia battery composite score (A) and in UPSA-B total score (B). Shown are LS Means and SEM at each time point.