Segal Trials Reinforces Leadership in Acute Schizophrenia Research Following Participation in MapLight Therapeutics’ Phase 2 ZEPHYR Study

MIAMI LAKES, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Segal Trials today announced its participation in the Phase 2 ZEPHYR clinical trial evaluating MapLight Therapeutics’ investigational muscarinic receptor-targeted therapy, ML-007C-MA, for the treatment of adults experiencing an acute exacerbation of schizophrenia.

MapLight Therapeutics recently announced topline results from the multicenter Phase 2 study. Segal Trials is proud to have contributed to this important clinical development program and congratulates MapLight Therapeutics, the participating investigators, study teams, and, most importantly, the patients whose participation made the study possible.

Segal Trials’ Miami Lakes Inpatient Research Center, led by Chief Scientific Officer and Principal Investigator Dr. Rishi Kakar, served as one of only 25 participating research sites in the United States. The site was one of the highest enrolling sites in the trial.

The ZEPHYR study reflects Segal Trials’ longstanding commitment to advancing new treatment options for individuals living with schizophrenia. For more than 27 years, Segal Trials has conducted Phase I–III inpatient and outpatient schizophrenia clinical trials and has become one of the nation’s most experienced research organizations in this therapeutic area.

Across its research network, Segal Trials has:

• Completed more than 380 schizophrenia clinical trials
• Enrolled more than 3,700 participants in schizophrenia studies
• Built a database of more than 8,000 individuals living with schizophrenia across its inpatient and outpatient research programs

In addition to its extensive schizophrenia experience, Segal Trials has played a significant role in the clinical development of muscarinic receptor-targeted therapies, participating in many of the landmark development programs evaluating this promising therapeutic approach. The organization has collaborated with pharmaceutical sponsors on scientific publications and conference presentations that have helped advance the understanding of muscarinic therapies in schizophrenia.

Chief Scientific Officer and Principal Investigator Dr. Rishi Kakar has conducted 121 schizophrenia clinical trials over the past 16 years and has served as a principal investigator in numerous multicenter schizophrenia development programs. His expertise, combined with Segal Trials’ specialized inpatient psychiatric research capabilities and experienced clinical team, has enabled the organization to consistently deliver strong enrollment, high-quality data, and successful execution in complex schizophrenia studies.

“We are grateful to the patients who participated in the ZEPHYR study and to MapLight Therapeutics for the opportunity to contribute to this important research,” said Dr. Rishi Kakar, Chief Scientific Officer and Principal Investigator at Segal Trials. “Schizophrenia remains an area of significant unmet medical need, and we are proud to continue partnering with sponsors developing innovative therapeutic approaches. Our team’s decades of experience in acute schizophrenia research and muscarinic drug development allow us to efficiently execute complex clinical trials while maintaining the highest standards of scientific and clinical excellence.”

As the development of novel schizophrenia therapies continues to evolve, Segal Trials remains committed to partnering with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to accelerate clinical development through experienced investigators, specialized inpatient and outpatient research capabilities, and one of the country’s most established schizophrenia research programs.