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Guanfacine Clinical Trial for Smoking Cessation

Phase-II Clinical Trial Evaluating Guanfacine for Smoking Cessation

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02051309
Enrollment
121
Registered
2014-01-31
Start date
2014-03-31
Completion date
2020-11-30
Last updated
2021-12-29

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Smoking Cessation

Keywords

Smokers, Quit Smoking, Treatment, Guanfacine

Brief summary

Adult daily smokers motivated to quit smoking will be randomized to extended-release guanfacine (6mg/day) or placebo and will enroll in an 8-week treatment period combining medication with brief behavioral support. The investigators hypothesize that the active dose of guanfacine compared to placebo will increase rates of prolonged smoking abstinence at the end of the 8-week treatment phase.

Interventions

DRUGGuanfacine

6mg/day ER with 3-week lead-in period. Maintained at steady state throughout 8 week treatment phase. After treatment phase, given taper supply of medication. Follow up at 1 month, 2 months and 6 months.

DRUGPlacebo

Sponsors

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
CollaboratorNIH
Yale University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Age 18-65 * Able to read, write and comprehend English * Smoker * Able to take oral medications and willing to adhere to a medication regimen * Provide evidence of a stable living residence in the last 2 months, have reasonable transportation to the study site, and have no plans to move within the next 3 months or unresolved legal problems

Exclusion criteria

* Any significant current medical conditions that would contraindicate smoking * Current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) abuse or dependence of other substances, other than nicotine dependence or alcohol abuse * Positive test results at intake appointment on urine drug screen for illicit drugs * Past 30 days use of any psychoactive drugs including anxiolytics and antidepressants * Women who are pregnant or nursing * Suicidal, homicidal or evidence of current mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression, or anxiety disorders * Meeting DSM-IV criteria for current attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) * Individuals who are currently taking medications known to be effective for smoking cessation or are regular users of other tobacco products in the past 30 days * Only one member per household can participate in the study * Specific exclusions for administration of guanfacine not already specified include: * EKG evidence at baseline screening for any clinically significant conduction abnormalities or arrhythmias * Known intolerance for guanfacine or any alpha blocker * History of fainting, syncopal attacks * Heart failure or myocardial infarction * Impaired liver (as indicated by aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) \>3x normal) * Renal function (as indicated by estimated creatinine clearance \<60cc/min) * Treatment with any antihypertensive drug or any alpha-adrenergic blocker * Use of any central nervous system depressant (e.g., phenothiazines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines) * Use of strong cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole) or inducers (e.g., rifampin), or consumption of grapefruit juice * Subjects may not have donated blood in the past 8 weeks or have been involved in other investigational studies that involve substantial blood draws or medications unknown to us

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Rates of Prolonged Smoking AbstinenceWeek 3 to week 8 during 8-week treatment phaseProlonged smoking abstinence defined as no relapse in week 3 to week 8, in participants with available outcome data during weeks 3 to 8.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Guanfacine 6mg/Day ER
Guanfacine 6mg/day extended release Guanfacine: 6mg/day ER with 3-week lead-in period. Maintained at steady state throughout 8 week treatment phase. After treatment phase, given taper supply of medication.
58
Placebo
Placebo matching capsule Placebo
63
Total121

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicGuanfacine 6mg/Day ERPlaceboTotal
Age, Continuous48.17 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.7
47.68 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.42
47.91 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.55
Cigarettes per day18.21 cigarettes per day
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.67
18.32 cigarettes per day
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.66
18.26 cigarettes per day
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.19
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
13 Participants11 Participants24 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
3 Participants6 Participants9 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
42 Participants46 Participants88 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
30 Participants30 Participants60 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
28 Participants33 Participants61 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 580 / 63
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 580 / 63
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 580 / 63

Outcome results

Primary

Rates of Prolonged Smoking Abstinence

Prolonged smoking abstinence defined as no relapse in week 3 to week 8, in participants with available outcome data during weeks 3 to 8.

Time frame: Week 3 to week 8 during 8-week treatment phase

Population: Participants with available outcome data during weeks 3 to 8.

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Guanfacine 6mg/Day ERRates of Prolonged Smoking Abstinence11 Participants
PlaceboRates of Prolonged Smoking Abstinence7 Participants

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026