Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe psychiatric disorder affecting approximately 1% of the global population. Symptoms are usually treated with antipsychotics (AP). All currently available APs work by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain. This is effective to treat the symptoms, but also leads to side-effects. Side effects contribute to poor medication adherence, resulting in frequent relapses and hospitalizations. In addition, the cognitive symptoms are not treated by the current APs. Xanomeline/Trospium (US brand name: COBENFY™) is a novel combination of xanomeline tartrate (a muscarinic agonist) and trospium chloride (a muscarinic antagonist). It offers significant therapeutic benefits through its unique mechanism of action, selectively targeting central muscarinic acetylcholine receptors while mitigating peripheral side effects. This makes Xanomeline/Trospium a promising alternative to existing antipsychotics. This combination has demonstrated robust efficacy in reducing psychotic symptoms in recent trials, with a favorable side-effect profile. These findings led to the FDA approval of Xanomeline/Trospium (Cobenfy) in 2024 for the treatment of schizophrenia. Preliminary exploratory cognitive assessments in these trials have suggested potential pro-cognitive effects, particularly in domains such as attention and working memory, although these were not powered to detect changes in cognition 1,2. Most antipsychotic trials include only superficial cognitive assessments, often limited to brief screening tools or exploratory endpoints. Furthermore, few studies explore the longitudinal course of cognition over extended treatment periods. In the current study, we propose to conduct a deep-dive into cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia who are treated with Xanomeline/Trospium for a one-year period. Cognitive functioning is highly integrated within the study design with other relevant domains, such as clinical symptoms, functioning, and quality of life, offering a more holistic picture of treatment impact. By focusing on cognition as a primary outcome in a naturalistic yet rigorous study design, this trial addresses a critical unmet need in schizophrenia research and has the potential to inform a paradigm shift in treatment strategies beyond symptom stabilization toward cognitive and functional recovery. By investing in this level of cognitive phenotyping, the study aligns with calls from both scientific and regulatory bodies for precision in cognitive outcomes and contributes to a growing body of work aimed at establishing cognition as a co-primary treatment target in schizophrenia.
Design: This is a phase III, prospective, open-label, single-arm, international, multicenter study. At visit 1, the informed consent is signed and screening is performed to confirm eligibility. At visit 2, baseline measures are performed, and the new treatment is initiated. Between visit 1 and 4 the current antipsychotic treatment is tapered down. At visit 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9 participants' general wellbeing and safety is assessed. At visit 6, 8 and 10, baseline measures are repeated. Between visit 6-7, visit 7-8, visit 8-9 and visit 9-10, a phone call is planned to assess general psychopathology, adverse events and concomitant medication. The treatment duration is one year for each participant; no additional follow-up is planned. All participants are treated with Xanomeline/Trospium open label.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
171
Participants will receive xanomeline/trospium during the trial
Sheba Medical Center
Ramat Gan, Israel
University Medical Center Groningen
Groningen, Netherlands
Change in cognitive performance after 24 weeks of treatment, relative to baseline.
The within-participant change in the BACS composite cognitive score from baseline to follow-up after 24 weeks.
Time frame: 24 weeks
Change in negative symptoms after 12 weeks and 24 weeks of treatment, relative to baseline.
The within-participant change in the PANSS negative subscale from baseline to follow-up after 12 weeks and 24 weeks.
Time frame: 12 and 24 weeks
Change in FUNSAT scores for ATM banking, ticket kiosk, and medication management after 24 weeks of treatment, relative to baseline
The within-participant change in the FUNSAT scores for ATM banking, ticket kiosk and medication management from baseline to follow-up after 24 weeks.
Time frame: 24 weeks
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