Caplyta in Borderline Personality Disorder

A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Caplyta in the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder

The primary objective of the proposed study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Caplyta (lumateperone) in adults with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Sixty subjects with BPD will be randomized in a 1:1 fashion to either Caplyta (42mg/day) or matching placebo for 8 weeks of active treatment. The hypothesis to be tested is that Caplyta will result in greater rates of reduction in symptoms of BPD compared to placebo (improvement in symptoms will be indicated by lower scores on established outcome measures of BPD symptoms that have been used in prior studies).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Borderline Personality Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Placebo; Drug: Caplyta

Detailed Description

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious, difficult to treat, psychiatric disorder that causes significant emotional distress, as well as resulting in significant economic burden to health care systems. A variety of psychotherapies, particularly dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and systems training for emotional predictability and problem solving (STEPPS), have shown benefit in reducing many of the core symptoms of BPD. Healthcare systems, however, often lack the funding and appropriate expertise to implement these treatments, and finding trained DBT or STEPPS therapists has been difficult for many people with BPD. While research on the use of medication is ongoing, no drug has yet been approved in the United States or elsewhere for the treatment of BPD. Antidepressants, anti-convulsants, and second generation antipsychotics have all been examined, but current medication options for BPD often provide only partial relief and may have pronounced side effects.

BPD is characterized by a pervasive pattern of severe psychopathological symptoms with instability of affect regulation, impulse control, and aggression. Dysfunctions in the serotoninergic, dopaminergic, and glutamatergic systems have been demonstrated in-and considered as possible causes for-symptoms associated with the disorder. Caplyta (lumateperone) therefore has distinctive properties that make it a promising option for patients with BPD. Caplyta is a mechanistically novel agent as it simultaneously modulates serotonin, dopamine, and glutamate, the key neurotransmitters implicated in BPD. Specifically, Caplyta acts as a potent serotonin 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, a dopamine D2 receptor pre-synaptic partial agonist and post-synaptic antagonist, a D1 receptor-dependent modulator of glutamate, and a serotonin reuptake inhibitor. In addition, because of low rates of side effects, Caplyta should be a well-tolerated and in fact desired medication approach to BPD.

The aim of the present study is to examine the efficacy and safety of Caplyta vs. placebo in adults with BPD, as indicated by a score of at least 9 on the Zanarini Rating Scale for Borderline Personality Disorder ("Zanarini scale"), a scale of illness severity, at the baseline visit.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Illinois
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60637
      • University of Chicago Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Men and women age 18-65;
2. Primary diagnosis of BPD
3. Zanarini scale score of at least 9 at baseline
4. Currently receiving for at least the last 2 months prior to study entry some form of weekly cognitive behavioral therapy
5. Ability to understand and sign the consent form.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Unstable medical illness based on history or clinically significant abnormalities on baseline physical examination
2. Subjects with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder
3. Subjects with an active substance use disorder
4. Current pregnancy or lactation, or inadequate contraception in women of childbearing potential
5. Subjects considered an immediate suicide risk based on the Columbia Suicide Severity rating Scale (C-SSRS) (www.cssrs.columbia.edu/docs)
6. Illegal substance use based on urine toxicology screening (excluding marijuana given the high rates of marijuana use in BPD and the lack of interaction with Caplyta).
7. Use of any new psychotropic medication started within the last 3 months prior to study initiation
8. Previous treatment with Caplyta
9. Cognitive impairment that interferes with the capacity to understand and self-administer medication or provide written informed consent

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; All subjects who are randomized to Placebo will receive an identical placebo pill to the experimental drug starting the first week of the study. Subjects will be seen every two weeks for 8 weeks. After study conclusion (week 8), the dose will be discontinued.	Drug: Placebo; Pill that contains no medicine.; Other Names: no other names
Experimental: Caplyta; All subjects who are randomized to Caplyta will receive 42mg/day starting the first week of the study. Subjects will be seen every two weeks for 8 weeks. Dosage changes and reductions will not be permitted. After study conclusion (week 8), the dose will be discontinued.	Drug: Caplyta; Atypical antipsychotic; Other Names: lumateperone

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Zanarini Rating Scale for Borderline Personality Disorder (ZAN-BPD) Total Score	The ZAN-BPD is a clinician-administered scale assessing borderline personality disorder symptom severity (total scores range from 0-36). Higher scores indicate more severe symptoms. The ZAN-BPD will be administered at all 5 visits, but only the change from baseline to visit 5 at week 8 will be reported.	8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) Total Score	The MOAS is a clinician-administered behavior rating scale measuring four types of aggressive behavior. The MOAS will be administered at all 5 visits, but only the change from baseline to visit 5 at week 8 will be reported. The total weighted scores range from 0-40, with 0 indicating no aggression. Higher total scores indicate higher aggression levels.	8 weeks
Change in Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) Total Score	The YMRS is a clinician-administered, 11-item scale assessing manic symptoms at baseline and over time. The YMRS will be administered at all 5 visits, but only the change from baseline to visit 5 at week 8 will be reported. Higher total scores (ranging from 0-60) indicate higher severity of manic symptoms. This scale is used to rate the severity of manic abnormality in participants.	8 weeks
Change in Zanarini Rating Scale for Borderline Personality Disorder Self-Report Version (ZAN-BPD-SRV) Total Score	The ZAN-BPD-SRV is a self-report scale assessing borderline personality severity that will be assessed at all 5 visits. However, only the change from baseline to visit 5 at week 8 will be reported. Scoring is done by counting the number of yes's. Total scores range from 0-36, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms. A score of 8 or more is indicative of a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.	8 weeks
Change in Borderline Evaluation of Severity Over Time (BEST) Total Score	The BEST is a self-rated scale used to measure severity and change. The first 12 items of the scale are scored on a scale from 1-5, with 5 meaning that the item caused extreme distress, severe difficulties in relationships, and/or kept the participant from getting things done. The lowest rating (1) means it caused little or no problems. Items 13-15 (positive behaviors) are rated according to frequency. The BEST will be administered at all 5 visits, but only the change from baseline to visit 5 at week 8 will be reported.	8 weeks
Change in Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) Total Score	This BIS-11 is a self-report assessment of impulsivity that will be assessed at baseline and Visit 5. The change from baseline to visit 5 at week 8 will be reported. All items are added to result in a total score ranging from 30-120. Higher total scores indicate higher impulsiveness.	8 weeks
Minnesota Impulsive Disorders Interview (MIDI)	The MIDI is a clinical interview that screens for a variety of impulsive disorders, including buying disorder, kleptomania, trichotillomania, intermittent explosive disorder, pyromania, gambling disorder, compulsive sexual behavior, and binge eating disorder.	8 weeks
Change in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) Total Score	The HAM-D is a clinician-administered assessment of depression that will be assessed at all 5 study visits. However, only the change from baseline to visit 5 at week 8 will be reported. Higher total scores (ranging from 0-52) indicate higher levels of depression, while a score of 0 would indicate no depressive symptoms.	8 weeks
Change in Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) Total Score	The HAM-A is a clinician-administered assessment of anxiety that will be assessed at all 5 study visits. However, only the change from baseline to visit 5 at week 8 will be reported. Higher total scores (ranging from 0-56) indicate higher levels of anxiety, with 0 being no symptoms of anxiety.	8 weeks
Change in Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI) Total Weighted Satisfaction Score	The QOLI is a self-report assessment of patient perceived quality of life that will be assessed at baseline and visit 5. The change in total weighted satisfaction scores from baseline to visit 5 at week 8 will be reported. Higher scores (ranging from -96 to 96) indicate a higher quality of life, whereas lower scores indicate a lower quality of life.	8 weeks
Change in Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) Total Score	Subjects will complete the SDS at all 5 visits. The change in total scores (ranging from 0-30) from baseline to visit 5 at week 8 will be assessed. The scale itself assesses the level of disability from borderline personality disorder (or target disorder) with higher scores indicating a more debilitating disorder.	8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Chicago
• Collaborators: Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Jon E Grant, MD, JD, MPH, University of Chicago

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 10, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 31, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): December 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 26, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 26, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): May 2, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 9, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 13, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Personality Disorders; Borderline Personality Disorder; Substandard Drugs; Pharmaceutical Preparations; lumateperone
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB21-0974

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No