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A Trial to Assess Brexpiprazole Versus Placebo for the Treatment of Acute Manic Episodes Associated With Bipolar I Disorder

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
Bipolar I Disorder
Manic Episode
Interventions
Drug: Placebo
Registration Number
NCT03259555
Lead Sponsor
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc.
Brief Summary

To demonstrate the efficacy of brexpiprazole for the acute treatment of manic episodes, with or without mixed features, in participants with a diagnosis of bipolar I disorder.

Detailed Description

A multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial of brexpiprazole versus placebo for the acute treatment of manic episodes, with or without mixed features, associated with bipolar I disorder. This study also demonstrated the safety and tolerability of brexpiprazole in the study population of males and females aged 18 to 65 years (inclusive, at time of consent).

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
322
Inclusion Criteria
  • Male or female participants, ages 18 to 65 years, inclusive, at the time of informed consent.
  • Participants willing to discontinue all prohibited medications to meet protocol-required washouts prior to and during the trial period.
  • Participants with a Diagnostic & Statistical Manual on Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) diagnosis of bipolar I disorder displaying an acute manic episode with or without mixed features requiring hospitalization. Diagnosis confirmed by the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview and a history of at least 1 previous manic episode with or without mixed features with manic symptoms of sufficient severity to require one of the following interventions: hospitalization or treatment with a mood stabilizer, or treatment with an antipsychotic agent. "Require" was defined as an intervention that occurred rather than one that was recommended.
  • Young-mania rating scale (YMRS) score of ≥24 at screening and baseline.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Sexually active male or women of childbearing potential who did not agree to practice 2 different methods of birth control or remain abstinent during the trial and for 30 days after the last dose of investigational medicinal product.
  • Females who were breastfeeding and/or who had a positive pregnancy test result prior to receiving trial medication.
  • Participants considered unresponsive to clozapine or who were only responsive to clozapine.
  • Participants with a history of DSM-5 diagnosis other than bipolar I disorder, including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, major depressive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, delirium, dementia, amnestic, or other cognitive disorders. Also, participants with borderline, paranoid, histrionic, schizotypal, schizoid, or antisocial personality disorder. All other current diagnoses must have been discussed with the medical monitor.
  • Participants whose current manic episode had lasted for more than 4 weeks overall, or who had required hospitalization >21 days for the current acute episode at the time of the screening visit, excluding hospitalization for psychosocial reasons.
  • Participant with manic symptoms better accounted for by another general medical condition or direct physiological effect of substance (for example, medication).
  • Participants who have had electroconvulsive treatment within the past 2 months.
  • Participants with a positive drug screen for cocaine or other illicit drugs.
  • Abnormal laboratory test results, vital signs or electrocardiogram findings, unless based on investigator's judgment the findings are not medically significant or would not impact the safety of the participant or the interpretation of the trial results.
  • Rapid cyclers with more than 6 episodes in the previous year.
  • Participants with hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism (unless condition has been stabilized with medications for at least the past 90 days) or an abnormal result for free thyroxine at screening.
  • Participants with uncontrolled hypertension or symptomatic hypotension or orthostatic hypotension.
  • Participant with epilepsy or history of seizures.
  • Participants who participated in a clinical trial within the last 60 days or who participated in more than 2 clinical trials within the past year.
  • Use of psychotropic medications (other than benzodiazepines) within 7 days of the baseline YMRS.
  • Participants who currently had clinically significant neurological, hepatic, renal, metabolic, hematological, immunological, cardiovascular, pulmonary, or gastrointestinal disorders.
  • Participants who received brexpiprazole in any prior clinical trial or currently taking commercially available brexpiprazole (Rexulti).

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
PlaceboPlaceboMatching placebo was administered in the same way as brexpiprazole to maintain the blind.
BrexpiprazoleBrexpiprazoleParticipants received a starting dose of 2 milligrams (mg)/day brexpiprazole from Days 1 to 3, followed by titration to 3 mg/day on Day 4. Participants may have been titrated (or re-titrated) to a higher dose of brexpiprazole, up to a maximum of 4 mg/day, based on treatment response and at the investigator's discretion anytime at Day 7 or thereafter. Participants who were unable to tolerate their current dose could have been titrated down to a minimum of 2 mg/day any time after Day 4.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change From Baseline In Young-Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) Score At Week 3Baseline, Week 3

The YMRS was utilized to assess a participant's level of manic symptoms. It consists of 11 items: 1) elevated mood, 2) increased motor activity-energy, 3) sexual interest, 4) sleep, 5) irritability, 6) speech (rate and amount), 7) language-thought disorder, 8) content, 9) disruptive-aggressive behavior, 10) appearance, and 11) insight. Seven items are rated on a 0- to 4-scale, while four items (Items 5, 6, 8, and 9) are rated on a 0- to 8-scale with 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 being the possible scores (twice the weight of the other items). For all items, 0 is the "best" rating and the highest score (4 or 8) is the 'worst' rating. The YMRS total score is the sum of ratings for all 11 items; therefore, possible total scores range from 0 to 60, with higher scores signifying more severe manic symptoms. Comparison between treatment groups was carried out using mixed-effect model repeated measure (MMRM).

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change From Baseline In Clinical Global Impression-Bipolar (CGI-BP) Severity Score In Mania At Week 3Baseline, Week 3

The CGI-BP scale refers to the global impression of the participant with respect to bipolar disorder. The scale rates the participant's severity of illness (CGI-BP severity of illness: mania, depression, and overall bipolar illness) based on a 7-point scale: 1 = normal, not at all ill, 2 = minimally ill, 3 = mildly ill, 4 = moderately ill, 5 = markedly ill, 6 = severely ill, 7 = very severely ill.

Trial Locations

Locations (47)

Galiz Research

🇺🇸

Hialeah, Florida, United States

Ci Trials

🇺🇸

Riverside, California, United States

Richard H Weisler, MD, PA, and Associates

🇺🇸

Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

University Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment Alexandrovska EAD

🇧🇬

Sofia, Bulgaria

Mental Health Center - Veliko Tarnovo EOOD

🇧🇬

Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

Clinic for Psychiatric Disorders Dr Laza Lazarevic

🇷🇸

Belgrade, Serbia

Woodland Research Northwest, LLC

🇺🇸

Rogers, Arkansas, United States

Mental Health Center Prof. Dr. Ivan Temkov - Burgas EOOD

🇧🇬

Burgas, Bulgaria

Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment - Targovishte AD

🇧🇬

Targovishte, Bulgaria

NZOZ Centrum Medyczne HCP Sp. z o. o.

🇵🇱

Poznań, Poland

Clinical Center of Vojvodina

🇷🇸

Novi Sad, Serbia

State Psychiatry Hospital Sv. Ivan Rilski

🇧🇬

Novi Iskar, Bulgaria

Samodzielny Publiczny Psychiatryczny Zaklad Opieki Zdrowotnej im. Dr. Stanislawa Deresza w Choroszczy

🇵🇱

Choroszcz, Poland

Special Hospital for Psychiatric Diseases Kovin

🇷🇸

Kovin, Serbia

State Psychiatry Hospital - Kardzhali

🇧🇬

Kardzhali, Bulgaria

University Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment Sveti Georgi EAD

🇧🇬

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Mental Health Center - Ruse EOOD

🇧🇬

Ruse, Bulgaria

Uniwersyteckie Centrum Kliniczne w Gdansku Klinika Psychiatrii Doroslych

🇵🇱

Gdańsk, Poland

NZOZ Prywatna Klinika Psychiatryczna Inventiva

🇵🇱

Tuszyn, Poland

Clinical Center of Serbia

🇷🇸

Belgrade, Serbia

Clinical Center Kragujevac

🇷🇸

Kragujevac, Serbia

Mental Health Center - Vratsa EOOD

🇧🇬

Vratsa, Bulgaria

ProScience Research Group

🇺🇸

Culver City, California, United States

Collaborative Neuroscience Network, LLC

🇺🇸

Garden Grove, California, United States

Behavioral Research Specialists, LLC

🇺🇸

Glendale, California, United States

Clinical Hospital Center Dr Dragisa Misovic-Dedinje

🇷🇸

Belgrade, Serbia

Woodland International Research Group

🇺🇸

Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

NRC Research Institute

🇺🇸

Orange, California, United States

Pacific Research Partners, LLC

🇺🇸

Oakland, California, United States

Asclepes Research Centers

🇺🇸

Panorama City, California, United States

Florida Behavioral Medicine

🇺🇸

Largo, Florida, United States

Advanced Research Institute of Miami

🇺🇸

Homestead, Florida, United States

Behavioral Clinical Research, Inc.

🇺🇸

North Miami, Florida, United States

Segal Trials

🇺🇸

North Miami, Florida, United States

CBH Health

🇺🇸

Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States

Advanced Clinical Research Center, LLC

🇺🇸

Saint Louis, Missouri, United States

Alexian Brothers Center for Psychiatric Research

🇺🇸

Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States

Pillar Clinical Research, LLC

🇺🇸

Richardson, Texas, United States

Optimus U Corporation

🇺🇸

Miami, Florida, United States

Sharp Vista Hospital

🇺🇸

San Diego, California, United States

Radiant Research Inc.

🇺🇸

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

SP Research PLLC

🇺🇸

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States

Cutting Edge Research Group

🇺🇸

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States

Carolina Clinical Trials, Inc.

🇺🇸

Charleston, South Carolina, United States

University of Texas at Austin

🇺🇸

Austin, Texas, United States

Community Clinical Research, Inc.

🇺🇸

Austin, Texas, United States

Mid Columbia Research

🇺🇸

Richland, Washington, United States

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