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NCT01720316

Neurobiology of a Mutation in Glycine Metabolism in Psychotic Disorders

Completed Phase 2 Results posted Last updated 19 September 2017
What this trial tests

Phase 2 trial testing Glycine in Schizo-affective Disorder in 2 participants. Completed in 31 May 2017.

Timeline
10 December 2012
Primary endpoint
31 May 2017
31 May 2017

Quick facts

Lead sponsorMclean Hospital
PhasePhase 2
StatusCompleted
Study typeINTERVENTIONAL
Allocationrandomized
Designcrossover
Maskingquadruple
Primary purposetreatment
Enrollment2
Start date10 December 2012
Primary completion31 May 2017
Estimated completion31 May 2017
Sites1 location across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

Conditions studied

Sponsor

Mclean Hospital

Who can join

Adults 18 to 65, any sex, with Schizo-affective Disorder or Bipolar Disorder. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.

Positive and Negative Symptom Scores at Baseline and at 2 Weeks, 4 Weeks, and 6 Weeks During Intervention 1 (Glycine or Placebo), Intervention 2 (Glycine or Placebo), and During Open-label Glycine Primary · baseline and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks within each treatment period and after each treatment period

Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) measures positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The sum of ratings for seven positive symptoms are measured on a scale from 7-49 with 7 meaning no symptoms and 49 meaning severe symptoms.

Positive symptoms at baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo13
Placebo, Then Glycine19
Positive symptoms at 2 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo12
Placebo, Then Glycine20
Positive symptoms at 4 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo9
Placebo, Then Glycine19
Positive symptoms at 6 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo8
Placebo, Then Glycine13
Positive symptoms, end of washout1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo7
Placebo, Then Glycine13
Positive symptoms at 2 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo12
Placebo, Then Glycine12
Positive symptoms at 4 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo11
Placebo, Then Glycine10
Positive symptoms at 6 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo14
Placebo, Then Glycine11
Neurocognitive Function at Baseline, During Glycine Treatment, During Placebo Treatment and During Open-label Glycine Primary · At baseline, during glycine treatment, during placebo treatment and during open-label glycine

Scores on each of 8 domains of cognitive function (speed of processing, attention/vigilance, working memory, verbal learning, visual learning, reasoning/problem solving, social cognition, overall composite). Scores are T scores ranging from 0-100, with 50 representing the mean for a population based on a normal distribution; standard deviation of 10. Only overall composite score is entered.

Participant 1
GroupValue95% CI
Baseline45
Composite Score on Glycine, Double-blind52
Composite Score on Placebo52
Composite Score on Glycine, Open-label49
Participant 2
GroupValue95% CI
Baseline48
Composite Score on Glycine, Double-blind52
Composite Score on Placebo55
Composite Score on Glycine, Open-label46
Glycine Plasma Amino Acid Levels at Baseline, During Glycine Treatment, During Placebo Treatment and During Open-label Glycine Primary · At baseline, during glycine treatment, during placebo treatment and during open-label glycine

Plasma glycine levels; normal range is 122-467 nM/mL

Baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine Then Placebo216
Placebo Then Glycine271
Glycine double-blind
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine Then Placebo410
Placebo Then Glycine761
Placebo
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine Then Placebo194
Placebo Then Glycine347
Glycine open-label
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine Then Placebo516
Placebo Then Glycine634
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) Scores at Baseline and at 2 Weeks, 4 Weeks, and 6 Weeks Positive and Negative Symptom Scores at Baseline and at 2, 4, and 6 Weeks During Intervention 1, Intervention 2, and During Open-label Glycine Primary · baseline and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks within and after each treatment period

Total BPRS score measures severity of 18 psychiatric symptoms. Each symptom is scored 1-7 with the total score ranging from 18-126. 18 means no symptoms and 126 means very severe symptoms.

BPRS at baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo39
Placebo, Then Glycine46
BPRS at 2 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo38
Placebo, Then Glycine38
BPRS at 4 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo32
Placebo, Then Glycine39
BPRS at 6 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo21
Placebo, Then Glycine28
BPRS, end of washout1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo22
Placebo, Then Glycine34
BPRS at 2 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo37
Placebo, Then Glycine32
BPRS at 4 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo31
Placebo, Then Glycine20
BPRS at 6 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo37
Placebo, Then Glycine23
Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Severity Scores at Baseline and at 2 Weeks, 4 Weeks, and 6 Weeks Within Each Treatment Period Primary · CGI at baseline and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks per treatment period

Clinical Global Impression (CGI) severity scores measure severity of mental illness on a scale of 1-7 where 1 means normal, not at all ill, 2 means borderline mentally ill, 3 means mildly ill, 4 means moderately ill, 5 means markedly ill, 6 means severely ill and 7 means among the most extremely ill patients.

CGI severity score at baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo4
Placebo, Then Glycine4
CGI severity score at 2 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo4
Placebo, Then Glycine4
CGI severity score at 4 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo3
Placebo, Then Glycine4
CGI severity score at 6 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo2
Placebo, Then Glycine4
CGI severity score, end of washout1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo2
Placebo, Then Glycine4
CGI severity score at 2 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo4
Placebo, Then Glycine4
CGI severity score at 4 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo4
Placebo, Then Glycine4
CGI severity score at 6 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo4
Placebo, Then Glycine3
Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Therapeutic Effect Scores at 2 Weeks, 4 Weeks, and 6 Weeks Within Each Treatment Period Primary · at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks within each treatment period

Clinical Global Impression (CGI) therapeutic effect scores measure degree of improvement as marked (1), moderate (5), minimal (9) or unchanged/worse (13).

CGI therapeutic effect at 2 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo13
Placebo, Then Glycine5
CGI therapeutic effect at 4 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo5
Placebo, Then Glycine5
CGI therapeutic effect at 6 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo5
Placebo, Then Glycine5
CGI therapeutic effect, end of washout1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo5
Placebo, Then Glycine5
CGI therapeutic effect at 2 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo13
Placebo, Then Glycine13
CGI therapeutic effect at 4 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo13
Placebo, Then Glycine5
CGI therapeutic effect at 6 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo13
Placebo, Then Glycine5
CGI therapeutic effect, end of washout2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo13
Placebo, Then Glycine5
Mania Symptom Scores at Baseline and at 2 Weeks, 4 Weeks, and 6 Weeks Within Each Treatment Period Primary · baseline and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks within each treatment period

Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) measures severity of manic symptoms. The sum of ratings for 7 symptoms of mania is measured on a scale from 0-4 and the sum of 4 symptoms of mania is measured on a scale from 0-8 to yield a total score ranging from 0-60, with 0 meaning no manic symptoms and 60 meaning severe manic symptoms.

Manic symptoms at baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo4
Placebo, Then Glycine7
Manic symptoms at 2 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo1
Placebo, Then Glycine7
Manic symptoms at 4 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo0
Placebo, Then Glycine6
Manic symptoms at 6 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo0
Placebo, Then Glycine0
Manic symptoms, end of washout1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo0
Placebo, Then Glycine0
Manic symptoms at 2 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo17
Placebo, Then Glycine0
Manic symptoms at 4 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo0
Placebo, Then Glycine0
Manic symptoms at 6 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo2
Placebo, Then Glycine0
Depression Symptom Scores at Baseline and at 2 Weeks, 4 Weeks, and 6 Weeks Within Each Treatment Period Primary · baseline and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks within each treatment period

Hamilton Depression Scale measures severity of depression symptoms. The sum of ratings for 9 depression symptoms are measured on a scale from 0-2 with 0 meaning no symptoms and 2 meaning some level of severity of that specific symptom. The rating for 1 depression symptom is measured on a scale from 0-3 with 0 meaning no symptoms and 3 meaning a severe level of that specific symptom. The sum of ratings for 11 depression symptoms are measured on a scale from 0-4 with 0 meaning no symptoms and 4 meaning a severe level of that specific symptom. The three sums are added to produce an overall depres

Depression symptoms at baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo18
Placebo, Then Glycine12
Depression symptoms at 2 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo17
Placebo, Then Glycine5
Depression symptoms at 4 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo11
Placebo, Then Glycine5
Depression symptoms at 6 weeks intervention 1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo3
Placebo, Then Glycine0
Depression symptoms, end of washout1
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo1
Placebo, Then Glycine3
Depression symptoms at 2 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo19
Placebo, Then Glycine3
Depression symptoms at 4 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo5
Placebo, Then Glycine2
Depression symptoms at 6 weeks intervention 2
GroupValue95% CI
Glycine, Then Placebo7
Placebo, Then Glycine1
Brain Glycine/CR Ratio Secondary · baseline (pre-challenge, 60, 80, 100, 120 minutes post-challenge), and week 6 of glycine (pre-dose and 60, 80, 100, 120 minutes post-dose

magnetic resonance spectroscopy: glycine/creatine ratio. Participants were assessed at 1) BASELINE PRE-GLYCINE TREATMENT: pre-glycine challenge drink, 60 minutes post challenge drink, 80 minutes post challenge drink, 100 minutes post challenge drink, and 120 minutes post challenge drink (0.4 g/kg up to max of 30 g); and 2) IN WEEK 6 OF OPEN-LABEL GLYCINE TREATMENT: pre-glycine dose, and 60 minutes, 80 minutes, 100 minutes and 120 minutes post daily dose of glycine. Measured in posterior occipital cortex

Baseline - pre-challenge drink
GroupValue95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.2558
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.5691
Baseline 60 minutes post challenge drink
GroupValue95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.6157
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.3918
Baseline 80 minutes post challenge drink
GroupValue95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.6631
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.6428
Baseline 100 minutes post challenge drink
GroupValue95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.5938
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.6363
Baseline 120 minutes post challenge drink
GroupValue95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.6953
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.9559
Week 6 of glycine - pre-glycine dose
GroupValue95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.6573
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.3235
Week 6 of glycine - 60 minutes post glycine dose
GroupValue95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.2983
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.3807
Week 6 of glycine - 80 minutes post glycine dose
GroupValue95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.4577
Subject 2:Brain Glycine/CR Ratio at Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.5591
Brain Glutamate Metabolite Levels (Glutamate/Creatine Ratio: Glu/Cr) at 1) BASELINE - Pre-glycine Treatment and 2) IN WEEK 6 OF GLYCINE TREATMENT Secondary · baseline and week 6 of glycine

magnetic resonance spectroscopy - glutamate metabolite level. Participants were assessed 1) pre-glycine treatment and in week 6 of open-label glycine treatment. Measured in posterior occipital cortex.

Baseline brain glutamate/Cr ratio
GroupValue95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glutamate/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.98
Subject2: Brain Glutamate/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine2.053
Week 6 brain glutamate/Cr ratio
GroupValue95% CI
Subject1: Brain Glutamate/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.84
Subject2: Brain Glutamate/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine1.13
Brain GABA Metabolite Levels (GABA/Creatine Ratio: GABA/Cr) at 1) BASELINE - Pre-glycine Treatment and 2) IN WEEK 6 OF GLYCINE TREATMENT Secondary · Baseline and week 6 of glycine

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy GABA/Cr. Participants were assessed 1) pre-glycine treatment (baseline) and 2) in week 6 of open-label glycine treatment measured in posterior occipital cortex.

Baseline GABA/Cr
GroupValue95% CI
Subject1: Brain GABA/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.16
Subject2: Brain GABA/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.27
Week 6 of glycine tx GABA/Cr
GroupValue95% CI
Subject1: Brain GABA/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.22
Subject2: Brain GABA/CR Ratio- Baseline/Week 6 of Glycine0.24
Auditory Evoked Potentials in Latency (Msec) at BASELINE - Pre-glycine Treatment and 2) IN WEEK 6 OF TREATMENT WITH GLYCINE Secondary · Recordings at baseline and week 6 of glycine

Auditory evoked potentials latency: P300 at fz, cz, and pz); N100 at fz and cz); P200 at fz and cz. Participants were assessed at baseline and in week of open-label glycine treatment.

P300 latency at fz
GroupValue95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 2279.3
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 2300.78
P300 latency at cz
GroupValue95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 2279.3
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 2293
P300 latency at pz
GroupValue95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 2279.3
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 2294.92
N100 latency at fz
GroupValue95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 297.66
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 294
N100 latency at cz
GroupValue95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 291.8
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 294
P200 latency at fz
GroupValue95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 2197.27
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 2205
P200 latency at cz
GroupValue95% CI
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) Baseline: Subject 2193.4
Auditory ERPs Latency (ms) 6 Weeks of Glycine: Subject 2203

Adverse events — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Time frame: 26 weeks. Reporting threshold: 0%. Adverse-event reports describe events observed during the trial — not all are caused by the drug.

Glycine
Serious: 0/2 (0%)
Deaths: 0/2
Placebo
Serious: 0/2 (0%)
Deaths: 0/2
Other adverse events (3 terms — click to expand)

ReactionSystemGlycinePlacebo
nauseaGastrointestinal disorders
vomitingGastrointestinal disorders
diarrheaGastrointestinal disorders

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01720316 adverse events section.

Sponsor's own description

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of oral glycine as an augmentation strategy in two psychotic patients with a triplication (4 copies) of the gene glycine decarboxylase (GLDC). Subjects will first undergo a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial in which one 6-week arm will involve glycine (maximum daily dose of 0.8 g/kg, administered on a TID dosing schedule) and one 6-week arm will involve placebo. A 2-week period of no treatment will occur between treatment arms. A 6-week period of open-label glycine (maximum daily dose of 0.8 g/kg, administered on a TID dosing schedule) will follow the double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Prior to the double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial and at the end of the open-label glycine trial, the following procedures will be carried out: structural MRI (3T), Proton 1H MRS (4T), fMRI (3T), steady-state visual evoked potentials, and EEG. Positive, negative, and affective symptoms and neurocognitive function as well as plasma levels of large neutral and large and small neutral and excitatory amino acids and psychotropic drug levels will be assessed periodically. In addition, 1H MRS (4T) for 2 hours after a single oral dose of a glycine-containing drink will be assessed at baseline. Pharmaceutical grade glycine powder (Ajinomoto) or placebo will be dissolved in 20% solution and prepared by the McLean Hospital Pharmacy. Because the results of the double-blind placebo-controlled and open-label glycine treatment arms showed substantial clinical benefit to the participants, the study has been extended to include six months of chronic open-label glycine in order to determine 1) whether the clinical benefits achieved within 6 weeks previously recur, 2) the clinical benefits are lasting, and 3) additional clinical benefits occur with longer exposure. The glycine for this extension will be provided by Letco Medical. The investigators hypothesize that mutation carriers will have reduced endogenous brain glycine and GABA levels and increased brain glutamate and glutamine levels. Glycine administration will increase brain glycine in the two carriers, but to a lesser extent than in non-carrier family members and controls. The investigators hypothesize reduced activation of magnocellular pathways and abnormal ERPs modulated by NMDA in mutation carriers compared with non-carrier family members and controls. The investigators hypothesize that glycine, but not placebo, will improve positive, negative and affective symptoms as well as neurocognitive function. The investigators also hypothesize that open-label glycine will improve clinical and cognitive functioning, will partially normalize decreased baseline glycine and GABA and increased glutamate and glutamine, and will partially normalize magnocellular pathway activation and abnormal evoked potentials.

Publications & conference data

No peer-reviewed publications indexed yet for this trial. Completed trials usually publish results within 12-18 months.

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