Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Ketamine Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD)



Status:Completed
Conditions:Depression, Depression
Therapuetic Areas:Psychiatry / Psychology
Healthy:No
Age Range:18 - 70
Updated:6/21/2018
Start Date:December 2014
End Date:February 2017

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This study is looking at the efficacy, durability, safety, and tolerability of multiple
single doses of Ketamine vs. active placebo for treating patients with treatment resistant
depression who are taking an antidepressant that is not working for them.

The primary objective is to investigate whether all doses (0.1 mg/kg, 0.2 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg,
and 1.0 mg/kg) of ketamine are superior to active placebo (midazolam 0.045 mg/kg) therapy in
the acute treatment of patients with treatment resistant depression within 72 hours (Day 3),
when added to ongoing and stable antidepressant therapy.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Male or female, 18-70 years old.

- Able to read, understand, and provide written, dated informed consent prior to
screening.

- Diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), single or recurrent, and currently
experiencing a Major Depressive Episode (MDE) of at least eight weeks in duration,
prior to screening.

- Has a history of TRD during the current MDE.

- Meet the threshold on the total MADRS score of greater than or equal to 20 at both
screening and baseline visits (Day -7/-28 and Day 0), as confirmed by the remote
centralized MGH CTNI rater between the screen visit and the baseline visit.

- In good general health

- For female participants, status of non-childbearing potential or use of an acceptable
form of birth control

- Body mass index between 18-35 kg/m2

- Concurrent psychotherapy will be allowed if the type and frequency of the therapy has
been stable for at least three months prior to screening and is expected to remain
stable during participation in the study

- Concurrent hypnotic therapy will be allowed if the therapy has been stable for at
least 4 weeks prior to screening and if it is expected to remain stable during the
course of the subject's participation in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Female of childbearing potential who is not willing to use one of the specified forms
of birth control during the study

- Female that is pregnant or breastfeeding

- Female with a positive pregnancy test at screening or baseline

- History during the current MDE of failure to achieve a satisfactory response to >7
treatment courses of a therapeutic dose of an antidepressant therapy of at least 8
weeks duration during the current episode

- Total MADRS score of <20 at the screen or baseline visits, or as assessed by the
remote, independent MGH CTNI rater and reported to the site

- Current diagnosis of a Substance Use Disorder (Abuse or Dependence) with the exception
of nicotine dependence, at screening or within 6 months prior to screening

- Current Axis I disorder that is the principal focus of treatment and MDD the secondary
focus of treatment for the past 6 months or more

- History of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders, or any
history of psychotic symptoms in the current or previous depressive episodes

- History of eating disorders within five years of screening

- Any Axis I or Axis II Disorder, which at screening is clinically predominant to their
MDD or has been predominant at any time within 6 months prior to screening

- Subject is considered at significant risk for suicidal behavior during the course of
their participation in the study

- Has failed to respond to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) during the current depressive
episode

- Has received vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) at any time prior to screening

- Has dementia, delirium, amnestic, or any other cognitive disorder

- Has a clinically significant abnormality on the screening physical examination

- Participation in any clinical trial with an investigational drug or device within the
past month or concurrent to study participation

- Current episode of:

1. Hypertension, Stage 1 as defined by a systolic blood pressure ≥140mmHg or
diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg at screening on two of three measurements
(standing and supine) at least 15 minutes apart.

2. Hypertension, Stage 1 as defined by a systolic blood pressure ≥155 mmHg or
diastolic blood pressure ≥99 mmHg at the Baseline Visit (Visit 1) within 1.5
hours prior to randomization on two of three measurements (standing and supine)
at least 15 minutes apart.

3. Recent myocardial infarction (within one year) or a history of myocardial
infarction.

4. Syncopal event within the past year.

5. Congestive heart failure (CHF) New York Heart Association Criteria >Stage 2

6. Angina pectoris.

7. Heart rate <50 or >105 beats per minute at screening or randomization (Baseline
Visit).

8. QTcF (Fridericia-corrected) ≥450 msec at screening or randomization (Baseline
Visit).

- Current history of hypertension, or on antihypertensives for the purpose of lowering
blood pressure, who have either had an increase in antihypertensive dose or increase
in the number of antihypertensive drugs used to treat hypertension over the last 2
months.

- Chronic lung disease excluding asthma.

- Lifetime history of surgical procedures involving the brain or meninges, encephalitis,
meningitis, degenerative central nervous system disorder, epilepsy, mental
retardation, or any other disease/procedure/accident/intervention associated with
significant injury to or malfunction of the central nervous system, or a history of
significant head trauma within the past 2 years

- Presents with any of the following lab abnormalities:

1. Thyroid stimulating hormone outside of the normal limits and clinically
significant as determined by the investigator. Free thyroxine (T4) levels may be
measured if TSH level is high. Subject will be excluded if T4 level is clinically
significant.

2. Patients with diabetes mellitus fulfilling any of the following criteria:

i. Unstable diabetes mellitus defined as glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) >8.5% at
screening ii. Admitted to hospital for treatment of diabetes mellitus or diabetes
mellitus related illness in the past 12 weeks iii. Not under physician care for
diabetes mellitus iv. Has not been on the same dose of oral hypoglycaemic drug(s)
and/or diet for the 4 weeks prior to screening. For thiazolidinediones (glitazones)
this period should not be less than 8 weeks.

c. Any other clinically significant abnormal laboratory result (as determined after
evaluation by study investigator and MGH CTNI medical monitor) at the time of the
screening exam.

- History of hypothyroidism and has been on a stable dosage of thyroid replacement
medication for less than 2 months prior to screening. (Subjects on a stable dosage of
thyroid replacement medication for at least 2 months or more prior to screening are
eligible for enrollment.)

- History of hyperthyroidism which was treated (medically or surgically) less than six
months prior to screening

- Any current or past history of any physical condition which in the investigator's
opinion might put the subject at risk or interfere with study results interpretation

- History of positive screening urine test for drugs of abuse at screening

- Patients with exclusionary laboratory values, or requiring treatment with exclusionary
concomitant medications

- Patients on exclusionary concomitant psychotropic medications, the half-life of which
would not allow sufficient time for patients to have been free of the medication
post-taper for five half-lives within the maximum screening period (28 days).

- Patient who have participated in studies of ketamine or AZD6765 or other NMDA receptor
antagonists for depression and received active treatment.

- Patients with narrow angle glaucoma

- Patients with a lifetime history of PCP/Ketamine drug use

- Liver Function Tests higher than 2.5 times upper limit of normal
We found this trial at
6
sites
New Haven, Connecticut 6520
(203) 432-4771
Principal Investigator: Gerard Sanacora, MD, PhD
Phone: 203-764-9131
Yale University Yale's roots can be traced back to the 1640s, when colonial clergymen led...
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185 Cambridge Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02114
617-724-5200
Principal Investigator: Cristina Cusin, MD
Phone: 617-724-3222
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1200 Moursund Street
Houston, Texas 77030
(713) 798-4951
Principal Investigator: Sanjay J Mathew, MD
Phone: 713-689-9856
Baylor College of Medicine Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, the only private medical school...
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Dallas, Texas 75390
Principal Investigator: Madhukar Trivedi, MD
Phone: 214-648-0174
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New York, New York 10029
Principal Investigator: Dan V Iosifescu, MD
Phone: 212-241-3116
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Palo Alto, California 94304
Principal Investigator: Charles DeBattista, MD
Phone: 650-723-8323
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Palo Alto, CA
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