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CompletedNCT04276883SERENITY IIUpdated Aug 11, 2026Results posted

Dexmedetomidine in the Treatment of Agitation Associated With Bipolar Disorder

A Phase 3 interventional study of Sublingual film containing Dexmedetomidine (BXCL501) and Placebo Film in Agitation Associated With Bipolar Disorder, Agitation,Psychomotor and Bipolar Disorder, sponsored by BioXcel Therapeutics Inc. Completed at 15 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 75 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-11.

Sponsored by BioXcel Therapeutics Inc · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
380
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 75 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This is a definitive study to support the safety and efficacy evaluation of BXCL501 for the acute treatment of agitation in bipolar disorder. The BXCL501-302 study is designed to characterize the efficacy, safety and tolerability of BXCL501 (sublingual film formulation of DEX, HCl) in agitation associated with bipolar disorder.

Read the detailed description

The study will enroll approximately 375 subjects randomized 1:1:1 to dose regimens of 180µg, 120µg BXCL501, or placebo stratified by age \< 65 and age ≥ 65. Male and female adults with acute agitation associated with bipolar disorder will be enrolled. Eligible subjects (acutely agitated subjects with bipolar disorder, generally hypomanic, manic or mixed episodes) may be identified in outpatient clinics, mental health, psychiatric or medical emergency services including medical/psychiatric observation units, or as newly admitted to a hospital setting for acute agitation or already in hospital for chronic underlying conditions. Subjects will be domiciled in a clinical research setting or hospitalized to remain under medical supervision while undergoing screening procedures to assess eligibility. Efficacy and safety assessments will be conducted periodically before and after dosing.

02

Conditions studied

  • Agitation Associated With Bipolar Disorder
  • Agitation,Psychomotor
  • Bipolar Disorder
03

In context

Psychomotor Agitation

500 studies on the registry are indexed under Psychomotor Agitation; 55 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 380 is above the median of 90 across 413 interventional studies indexed under Psychomotor Agitation.

Browse Psychomotor Agitation studies →

Lead sponsor

BioXcel Therapeutics Inc is the lead sponsor of 15 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.

Of its 12 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 8 (67%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 75 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  1. Male and female patients between the ages of 18 to 75 years, inclusive.
  2. Patients who have met DSM-5 criteria for bipolar I or II disorder.
  3. Patients who are judged to be clinically agitated at Screening and Baseline with a total score of ≥ 14 on the 5 items (poor impulse control, tension, hostility, uncooperativeness, and excitement) comprising the PANSS Excited Component (PEC).
  4. Patients who have a score of ≥ 4 on at least 1 of the 5 items on the PEC at Baseline.
  5. Patients who read, understand and provide written informed consent.
  6. Patients who are in good general health prior to study participation as determined by a detailed medical history, physical examination, 12-lead ECG with rhythm strip, blood chemistry profile, hematology, urinalysis, and in the opinion of the Principal Investigator.
  7. Participants who agree to use a medically acceptable and effective birth control method

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Patients with agitation caused by acute intoxication, including positive identification of alcohol by breathalyzer or drugs of abuse (with the exception of THC) during urine screening.
  2. Use of benzodiazepines or other hypnotics or oral or short-acting intramuscular antipsychotic drugs in the 4 hours before study treatment.
  3. Treatment with alpha-1 noradrenergic blockers (terazosin, doxazosin, tamsulosin, alfuzosin, or prazosin) or other prohibited medications.
  4. Patients who are judged to be at significant risk of suicide.
  5. Female patients who have a positive pregnancy test at screening or are breastfeeding.
  6. Patients who have hydrocephalus, seizure disorder, or history of significant head trauma, stroke, transient ischemic attack, subarachnoid bleeding, brain tumor, encephalopathy, meningitis, Parkinson's disease or focal neurological findings.
  7. History of syncope or other syncopal attacks, current evidence of hypovolemia, orthostatic hypotension.
  8. Patients with laboratory or ECG abnormalities considered clinically significant by the investigator.
  9. Patients with serious or unstable medical illnesses.
  10. Patients who have received an investigational drug within 30 days prior to the current agitation episode.
  11. Patients who are considered by the investigator, for any reason, to be an unsuitable candidate for receiving DEX.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
380 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    120 Micrograms

    Sublingual film containing 120 Micrograms Dexmedetomidine

    Drug: Sublingual film containing Dexmedetomidine (BXCL501)

  • Experimental
    180 Micrograms

    Sublingual film containing 180 Micrograms Dexmedetomidine

    Drug: Sublingual film containing Dexmedetomidine (BXCL501)

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo

    Sublingual placebo film

    Drug: Placebo Film

Interventions

  • DrugSublingual film containing Dexmedetomidine (BXCL501)

    Sublingual film containing Dexmedetomidine (BXCL501)

    Also known as: Dexmedetomidine

  • DrugPlacebo Film

    Placebo Film for BXCL501

    Also known as: Placebo

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change From Baseline in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale- Excited Component (PEC) Total Score

    The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-Excited Component (PEC) includes 5 items-poor impulse control, tension, hostility, uncooperativeness, and excitement-each of which is rated from 1 (minimum) to 7 (maximum); the sum of these 5 items, the PEC total score, ranges from 5 (absence of agitation) to 35 (extremely severe).

    Time frame: Baseline and 120 minutes

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change From Baseline in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale- Excited Component (PEC) Total Score Over Time

    Effect on agitation onset was measured by change from baseline in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale- Excited Component (PEC) total score. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-Excited Component (PEC) includes 5 items -poor impulse control, tension, hostility, uncooperativeness, and excitement-each of which is rated from 1 (minimum) to 7 (maximum); the sum of these 5 items, the PEC total score, ranges from 5 (absence of agitation) to 35 (extremely severe).

    Time frame: Baseline and 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes post-dose

07

Results

Posted Sep 11, 2023

Participant flow

Participant flow — Overall Study
Milestone180 Micrograms120 MicrogramsPlacebo
Started127127126
Completed123119120
Not completed486
Withdrew: Withdrawal by subject236
Withdrew: Lost to follow-up130
Withdrew: Adverse event010
Withdrew: Randomized in error - di dnot receive treatment110

Outcome measures

PrimaryChange From Baseline in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale- Excited Component (PEC) Total Score

The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-Excited Component (PEC) includes 5 items-poor impulse control, tension, hostility, uncooperativeness, and excitement-each of which is rated from 1 (minimum) to 7 (maximum); the sum of these 5 items, the PEC total score, ranges from 5 (absence of agitation) to 35 (extremely severe).

Time frame:
Baseline and 120 minutes
Reported as:
Mean · score on a scale
Change From Baseline in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale- Excited Component (PEC) Total Score
score on a scale180 Micrograms120 MicrogramsPlacebo
Baseline18.0 ± 2.9918.0 ± 2.7317.9 ± 2.94
Change from Baseline at 120 Minutes-10.4 ± 4.45-9.0 ± 5.26-4.9 ± 4.67
Statistical analysis
  • 180 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = <0.0001
  • 120 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = <0.0001
SecondaryChange From Baseline in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale- Excited Component (PEC) Total Score Over Time

Effect on agitation onset was measured by change from baseline in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale- Excited Component (PEC) total score. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-Excited Component (PEC) includes 5 items -poor impulse control, tension, hostility, uncooperativeness, and excitement-each of which is rated from 1 (minimum) to 7 (maximum); the sum of these 5 items, the PEC total score, ranges from 5 (absence of agitation) to 35 (extremely severe).

Time frame:
Baseline and 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes post-dose
Reported as:
Mean · score on a scale
Change From Baseline in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale- Excited Component (PEC) Total Score Over Time
score on a scale180 Micrograms120 MicrogramsPlacebo
Baseline18 ± 2.9918 ± 2.7317.9 ± 2.94
Change from Baseline at 20 minutes-3.1 ± 4.45-2.9 ± 3.83-1.9 ± 3
Change from Baseline at 30 minutes-4.6 ± 5.08-4.3 ± 4.86-2.8 ± 3.85
Change from Baseline at 45 minutes-6.7 ± 5.12-6.3 ± 5.3-3.6 ± 4.14
Change from Baseline at 60 minutes-8.4 ± 5.17-7.5 ± 5.19-4.4 ± 4.53
Change from Baseline at 90 minutes-9.7 ± 4.90-8.6 ± 5.28-4.7 ± 4.52
Change from Baseline at 120 minutes-10.4 ± 4.45-9.0 ± 5.26-4.9 ± 4.67
Statistical analysis
  • 180 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = <0.0001
  • 120 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = <0.0001
  • 180 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = <0.0001
  • 120 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = <0.0001
  • 180 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = <0.0001
  • 120 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = <0.0001
  • 180 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = <0.0001
  • 120 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = <0.0001
  • 180 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = 0.0006
  • 120 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = 0.0028
  • 180 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = 0.0070
  • 120 Micrograms vs Placebo · Mixed Models Analysis · p = 0.0092

Adverse events

Collected over 30 days. Non-serious events are listed at a 3% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
180 Micrograms0/126 (0%)0/126 (0%)45/126 (35.7%)
120 Micrograms0/126 (0%)1/126 (0.8%)44/126 (34.9%)
Placebo0/126 (0%)0/126 (0%)19/126 (15.1%)
Most frequent serious events
Most frequent serious events
Event180 Micrograms120 MicrogramsPlacebo
AgitationNervous system disorders0/1261/1260/126
Most frequent other events
Most frequent other events
Event180 Micrograms120 MicrogramsPlacebo
SomnolenceNervous system disorders27/12626/1266/126
Dry mouthGastrointestinal disorders6/1269/1261/126
HypotensionVascular disorders8/1266/1260/126
DizzinessNervous system disorders7/1267/1261/126
HeadacheNervous system disorders2/1266/1266/126
Orthostatic hypotensionVascular disorders6/1265/1261/126
NauseaGastrointestinal disorders5/1263/1263/126
Hypoesthesia oralGastrointestinal disorders5/1262/1261/126

Baseline characteristics

Safety population (all participants who received study drug)

Age, Continuous
Age, Continuous(years)180 Micrograms120 MicrogramsPlaceboTotal
Mean45.9 ± 11.346.1 ± 11.544.8 ± 12.145.6 ± 11.6
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)180 Micrograms120 MicrogramsPlaceboTotal
Female676773207
Male595953171
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants)180 Micrograms120 MicrogramsPlaceboTotal
Hispanic or Latino15121138
Not Hispanic or Latino111114115340
Unknown or Not Reported0000
Race (NIH/OMB)
Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants)180 Micrograms120 MicrogramsPlaceboTotal
American Indian or Alaska Native0000
Asian1023
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander0000
Black or African American726872212
White495650155
More than one race3115
Unknown or Not Reported1113
Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-Excited Component (PEC)
Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-Excited Component (PEC)(units on a scale)180 Micrograms120 MicrogramsPlaceboTotal
Mean18.0 ± 3.018.0 ± 2.717.9 ± 2.918.0 ± 2.9
08

Study locations

15 sites
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Little Rock, Arkansas 72211, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Cerritos, California 90703, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Culver City, California 90230, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Long Beach, California 90806, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Orange, California 92868, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Miami Lakes, Florida 33016, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Chicago, Illinois 60640, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Las Vegas, Nevada 89102, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Berlin, New Jersey 08009, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Marlton, New Jersey 08053, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Charleston, South Carolina 29407, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Austin, Texas 78754, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    DeSoto, Texas 75115, United States
  • BioXcel Clinical Research Site
    Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
09

References and documents

Publications

  • Citrome L, Risinger R, Rajachandran L, Robison H. Sublingual Dexmedetomidine for Agitation Associated with Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder: A Post Hoc Analysis of Number Needed to Treat, Number Needed to Harm, and Likelihood to be Helped or Harmed. Adv Ther. 2022 Oct;39(10):4821-4835. doi: 10.1007/s12325-022-02274-3. Epub 2022 Aug 24. PubMed 36002761 ↗
  • Preskorn SH, Zeller S, Citrome L, Finman J, Goldberg JF, Fava M, Kakar R, De Vivo M, Yocca FD, Risinger R. Effect of Sublingual Dexmedetomidine vs Placebo on Acute Agitation Associated With Bipolar Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2022 Feb 22;327(8):727-736. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.0799. PubMed 35191924 ↗

Study documents

  • Study protocol · Jan 31, 2020
  • Statistical analysis plan · Apr 1, 2020

Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.

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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 11, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
11

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04276883
Lead sponsor
BioXcel Therapeutics Inc
Collaborators
Cognitive Research Corporation
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Feb 19, 2020
Start date
Feb 24, 2020
Primary completion
May 21, 2020
Completion
May 21, 2020
Results posted
Sep 11, 2023
Last update
Aug 11, 2026

Study contacts

BioXcel MM
study chair · BioXcel Therapeutics

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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