Minocycline Augmentation to Clozapine

Summary

The proposed pilot study will compare minocycline augmentation with clozapine in individuals with high vs low inflammation as measured by CRP. Investigators hypothesize that minocycline will be well tolerated and will result in an improvement in the symptoms of schizophrenia, cognition, as well as improve the quality of life for patients preferentially in patients with high CRPs. Investigators plan to use a variety of different scales to measure improvement in the varying symptoms of schizophrenia as well as cognitive function, which will be administered to patients at three week intervals for a total study time of twelve weeks. Investigators hypothesize that minocycline could prove to be an effective, well tolerated, and inexpensive medication for treatment resistant patients with schizophrenia whom have particular difficulties with social interactions, obtaining and maintaining employment, and overall quality of life. Furthermore, investigators hypothesize that the data obtained in this study will contribute to the ongoing exploration of the role of inflammation in the brain of patients with schizophrenia and help understand and target the role of various inflammatory markers in the pathophysiology and treatment of treatment resistant schizophrenia.

Timeline

Start

2015-02

Primary completion

2016-11

Completion

2016-11

Publications

• Background Levkovitz Y, Mendlovich S, Riwkes S, Braw Y, Levkovitch-Verbin H, Gal G, Fennig S, Treves I, Kron S. A double-blind, randomized study of minocycline for the treatment of negative and cognitive symptoms in early-phase schizophrenia. J Clin Psychiatry. 2010 Feb;71(2):138-49. doi: 10.4088/JCP.08m04666yel. Epub 2009 Nov 3.
• Background Chaudhry IB, Hallak J, Husain N, Minhas F, Stirling J, Richardson P, Dursun S, Dunn G, Deakin B. Minocycline benefits negative symptoms in early schizophrenia: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial in patients on standard treatment. J Psychopharmacol. 2012 Sep;26(9):1185-93. doi: 10.1177/0269881112444941. Epub 2012 Apr 23.
• Background Kelly DL, Vyas G, Richardson CM, Koola M, McMahon RP, Buchanan RW, Wehring HJ. Adjunct minocycline to clozapine treated patients with persistent schizophrenia symptoms. Schizophr Res. 2011 Dec;133(1-3):257-8. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2011.08.005. Epub 2011 Aug 26. No abstract available.

Drugs

Indications