A drug that has recently been approved for the treatment of schizophrenia could one day be prescribed to Alzheimer’s patients. Researchers are trialing Cobenfy to see if it effectively treats Alzheimer’s-induced psychosis. However, there is still a fair way to go before we see if it will be approved as a treatment option for this particular condition.
Cobenfy was approved for use in the treatment of schizophrenia by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in late September. There has been a great deal of hype around the drug, which has been described as “the first new approach” to the treatment of schizophrenia in decades.
Technically, it is not one but two drugs: Xanomeline and Trospium. Xanomeline was first developed in the 1990s and trialed in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, appearing to improve cognitive function and lower psychotic symptoms. However, it also triggered several nasty side effects in many patients, including nausea and vomiting, which led to it being shelved – at least, temporarily. Trospium is a muscarinic receptor-blocking drug that can’t traverse the blood-brain barrier, so the addition of that drug to the mix reduces the unpleasant side effects in the body.
Cobenfy has created a lot of excitement because it applies a new mechanism to treat schizophrenia – it targets muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, found in cell membranes. In particular, it targets two of these receptors: M4 and M1.
While Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia are completely different diseases, there are overlapping symptoms such as paranoia, and over half of those with Alzheimer’s will go on to develop psychotic symptoms.
Cobenfy was first developed by Karuna Therapeutics, a company that has been bought by the New Jersey pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS). The company is currently running trials to see if the drug would benefit those experiencing psychosis as a result of Alzheimer’s.
According to BioPharma Dive, the company is planning to begin late-stage testing next. In 2026, they project to have collected the results from two trials involving a combination of around 800 people who have psychosis caused by Alzheimer’s. According to PharmaVoice, if successful, it is thought the drug could make even more sales from Alzheimer’s patients than those with schizophrenia.
The Alzheimer’s Association estimates 6.9 people in the US have Alzheimer’s. It is an extremely complex condition and there is currently no cure. However, researchers have recently announced exciting new developments that could pave the way for better treatments in the future, from novel theories that may change the way we think of the disease to new treatment options, including drugs and genetic therapy.
[H/t Nature.]
