IVIG and Rituximab in Antibody-associated Psychosis - SINAPPS2 (SINAPPS2)

May 19, 2026 updated by: Alasdair Coles, University of Cambridge

A Randomised Phase II Double-blinded Placebo-controlled Trial of Intravenous Immunoglobulins and Rituximab in Patients With Antibody-associated Psychosis (SINAPPS2)

A randomised phase II double-blinded placebo-controlled trial designed to explore the utility of immunotherapy for patients with acute psychosis associated with anti-neuronal membranes (NMDA-receptor or Voltage Gated Potassium Channel).

Primary objective: To test the efficacy of immunotherapy (IVIG and rituximab) for patients with acute psychosis associated with anti-neuronal membranes.

Secondary objective: To test safety of immunotherapy (IVIG and rituximab) for patients with acute psychosis associated with anti-neuronal membranes.

Study Overview

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Investigators propose a randomised double-blinded placebo-controlled trial to test the hypothesis that immunotherapy is an effective treatment of antibody-associated psychosis, either first episode of psychosis or relapse following previous remission. Immunotherapy for the trial consists of one cycle of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG: 2g/kg over days 1-4) followed by two infusions of 1g rituximab (at day 28-35, and then 14 days after the first infusion). The rationale for this regime is that it combines a rapid-action treatment (IVIG) to induce remission with a longer-action therapy (rituximab) to maintain remission. It is based on a protocol where elimination of circulating antibodies is the treatment goal, namely "desensitisation" of potential transplant patients who have multiple anti-HLA antibodies capable of inducing hyperacute rejection and also being tested in various trials on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00642655, NCT01178216, and NCT01502267). Blinding is required to minimise placebo responses in a trial based on symptomatology.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

70

Phase

  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

      • Cambridge, United Kingdom
        • Cambridge University Hospitals NH Foundation Trust
      • Exeter, United Kingdom
        • Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
      • Glasgow, United Kingdom
        • NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
      • Liverpool, United Kingdom
        • The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
      • London, United Kingdom
        • King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
      • London, United Kingdom, NW1 2PG
        • University College London Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust
      • Manchester, United Kingdom
        • Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust
      • Nottingham, United Kingdom
        • Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
      • Oxford, United Kingdom
        • Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
      • Sheffield, United Kingdom
        • Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

12 years to 56 years (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Acute psychosis >2 weeks. This may either be first episode or relapse after remission (remission defined as having mild or absent symptoms of psychosis for at least 6 months)
  • Serum or CSF neuronal membrane autoantibodies at pathological levels (including NMDAR, LGI1 and other)
  • Psychosis symptoms as defined by PANSS ≥4 on at least one of the following items: P1, P2, P3, N1, N4, N6, G5 and G9.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current episode of psychosis greater than 24 months duration
  • Co-existing severe neurological disease
  • Evidence of current acute encephalopathy
  • Hepatitis or HIV infection, pregnancy
  • Contraindications to any trial drug
  • Concurrent enrolment in another CTIMP

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Intravenous immunoglobulin and Rituximab
One cycle of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) 2g/kg over 2-5 days (days 1-5) followed by (b) two infusions of 1g rituximab (the first infusion starting between days 28-35, and the second infusion 14 days later), each with 100mg methylprednisolone.
This is a blood product containing antibodies from thousands of healthy donors.
Other Names:
  • IVIG
  • Intratect
Rituximab is a type of biological therapy. It removes B-cells and helps to reduce the inflammation
Other Names:
  • MabThera
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
One cycle of 0.9% saline solution over 2-5 days (days 1-5) followed by (b) two infusions of placebo solution alongside placebo pill - in equal volumes to steroid pre-medication and rituximab.
This is the control, or sham, treatment
Other Names:
  • Saline solution

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time to start of symptomatic recovery (symptomatic remission sustained for at least 6 months)
Time Frame: up to 18 months
remission defined as Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score 3 or less on PANSS items P1, P2, P3, N1, N4, N6, G5 and G9 sustained for 6 months
up to 18 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time to first treatment response (whether sustained or not)
Time Frame: up to 18 months
Treatment response defined as score of 3 or less on each of the following PANSS items: P1, P2, P3, N1, N4, N6, G5, and G9.
up to 18 months
Relapse rate
Time Frame: 18 months
Relapse rate is defined as a score 4 or more on PANSS items P1, P2, P3, N1, N4, N6, G5, and G9.
18 months
Number of adverse effects
Time Frame: 18 months
total number of patient reported adverse effects
18 months
Proportion of patients reaching 20% reduction in PANSS total score
Time Frame: 12 months
20% reduction in the PANSS total score (all PANNS items included)
12 months
Proportion of patients reaching 30% reduction in PANSS total score
Time Frame: 12 months
30% reduction in the PANSS total score (all PANNS items included)
12 months
Proportion of patients reaching 40% reduction in PANSS total score
Time Frame: 12 months
40% reduction in the PANSS total score (all PANNS items included)
12 months
Changes in the Clinical Global Impression Scale in Schizophrenia (CGI-Schizophrenia)
Time Frame: 12 months
Change in CGI-Schizophrenia scores from baseline to month 12
12 months
Changes in the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS)
Time Frame: 12 months
Change in YMRS total score from baseline to month 12
12 months
Changes in the Antipsychotic Non-Neurological Side-Effects Rating Scale (ANNSERS)
Time Frame: 12 months
Change in ANNSERS total score from baseline to month 12
12 months
Changes in the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS)
Time Frame: 12 months
Change in BACS scores from baseline to month 12
12 months
Changes in the Global Assessment of Functioning scale (GAF)
Time Frame: 12 months
Change in the GAF score from baseline to month 12
12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Collaborators

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Alasdair Coles, PhD FRCP, University of Cambridge, UK

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

November 1, 2017

Primary Completion (Estimated)

April 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

April 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 2, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 19, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

June 21, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 22, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 19, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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