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A Study of Esketamine Nasal Spray Plus a New Standard-of-care Oral Antidepressant or Placebo Nasal Spray Plus a New Standard-of-care Oral Antidepressant in Adult and Elderly Participants With Treatment-resistant Depression

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Active-Controlled, International, Multicenter Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Flexibly-dosed Esketamine Nasal Spray Plus a New Standard-of-care Oral Antidepressant or Placebo Nasal Spray Plus a New Standard-of-care Oral Antidepressant in Adult and Elderly Participants With Treatment-resistant Depression

Status
Withdrawn
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03852160
Enrollment
0
Registered
2019-02-25
Start date
2019-12-01
Completion date
2021-07-25
Last updated
2025-04-27

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

Conditions

Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of treating participants with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) who have failed at least 2 (and no more than 6) prior antidepressant (AD) treatments in the current moderate to severe depressive episode with flexibly-dosed esketamine nasal spray plus a newly initiated oral standard-of-care AD compared with placebo nasal spray plus a newly-initiated standard-of-care oral AD, in achieving remission and staying relapse-free after remission.

Detailed description

Depression is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, with global estimates of 300 million treated and untreated individuals worldwide. In its severe forms, depression is the most common diagnosis associated with suicide. Esketamine (S-ketamine) is the S-enantiomer of ketamine. Ketamine profoundly affects fast excitatory glutamate transmission, increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor release, and stimulates synaptogenesis, in contrast to conventional antidepressants (ADs) which are modulatory transmitters. The goal of any new antidepressant (AD) treatment would be the rapid and long-lasting relief of depressive symptoms. The study includes screening phase (2 weeks, with possible extension up to 4 weeks), Induction phase (Week 1 to Week 4), Maintenance once-weekly phase (Week 5 to Week 8), Maintenance flexible-frequency phase (Week 9 to Week 32) and Follow-up phase (2 Weeks Duration). Total duration of study will be approximately up to 36 weeks. The safety will be monitored throughout the study.

Interventions

Participants will receive 28 mg esketamine as nasal spray (Initial dose for elderly participants with 65-74 years of age on Day 1 and then uptitrated to 56 mg on Day 4).

Participants will receive 56 mg esketamine as nasal spray (Initial dose for participants with 18-64 years of age) on Day 1. The dose may be increased/may remain same based on the efficacy and tolerability. Participants with 65 to 74 years of age will receive esketamine 56 mg from Day 4 onwards.

Participants may receive 84 mg (maximum uptitrated esketamine dose). The dose may be decreased/may remain same based on the efficacy and tolerability.

DRUGPlacebo

Participants will receive matching placebo as nasal spray.

DRUGEscitalopram

Escitalopram can be selected as the oral antidepressant medication based on investigator's discretion. The initial dose for escitalopram is 5 mg once daily (for elderly participants) and 10 mg once daily (for adults). The dose may be increased to 10 mg (for elderly participants) and 20 mg (for adults) once daily at the discretion of treating physician/investigator.

DRUGSertraline

Sertraline can be selected as the oral antidepressant medication based on investigator's discretion. The initial dose for sertraline is 50 mg once daily and may be increased up to 200 mg once daily.

DRUGDuloxetine

Duloxetine can be selected as the oral antidepressant medication based on investigator's discretion. The initial dose for duloxetine is 60 mg once daily and may be increased to 120 mg once daily.

DRUGMirtazapine

Mirtazapine can be selected as the oral antidepressant medication based on investigator's discretion. The initial dose for mirtazapine is 15 to 30 mg once daily and may be increased to 45 mg once daily.

Agomelatine can be selected as the oral antidepressant medication based on investigator's discretion. The initial dose for agomelatine is 25 mg once daily and may be increased to 50 mg once daily after 2 weeks.

DRUGBupropion

Bupropion can be selected as the oral antidepressant medication based on investigator's discretion. The initial dose for bupropion is 150 mg once daily and may be increased to 300 mg once daily after 4 weeks.

DRUGTrazodone Prolonged Release

Trazodone prolonged release can be selected as the oral antidepressant medication based on investigator's discretion. The initial dose for trazodone prolonged release is 75 to 150 mg once or twice daily and may be increased up to 450 mg (adults) and 300 mg (elderly).

Sponsors

Janssen-Cilag International NV
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

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

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 74 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* At screening, each participant must meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for single episode major depressive disorder (MDD) or recurrent MDD, without psychotic features, based on clinical assessment and confirmed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) * At baseline, each participant must have an Inventory of Depressive Symptomology Clinician-Rated 30 Items Scale (IDS-C30) total score of greater than or equal to (\>= ) 34 * At screening, participants must have had a documented nonresponse to at least 2 but not more than 6 oral antidepressants (AD) treatments taken at adequate dosage and for adequate duration within the current episode of depression evaluated retrospectively. Nonresponse documentation at screening must include the sequence of retrospectively failed antidepressants and combination and or augmentation for retrospectively failed antidepressants * Must be medically stable based on physical examination, medical history, vital signs (including blood pressure). If there are any abnormalities that are not specified in the inclusion and

Exclusion criteria

, their clinical significance must be determined by the investigator and recorded in the participant's source documents * Must be comfortable with self-administration of nasal medication and be able to follow the nasal administration instructions provided * A woman of childbearing potential must have a negative highly sensitive serum (Beta human chorionic gonadotropin \[Beta hCG\]) at screening and a negative urine pregnancy test prior to the first dose of study intervention on Day 1 of the induction phase prior to randomization

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percentage of Participants with Remission as Assessed by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) (Total Score of less than or Equal to [<=] 10) at the end of Week 8Week 8Percentage of participants with remission as assessed by the MADRS (total score of \<= 10) will be reported and compared between treatment arms. The MADRS is a clinician-rated scale designed to measure depression severity. The scale consists of 10 items, each of which is scored from 0 (item not present or normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of the symptoms).These item scores are summed up to yield a total score. The range of the total score is 0 to 60. Higher scores represent a more severe condition. The MADRS evaluates apparent sadness, reported sadness, inner tension, sleep, appetite, concentration, lassitude, inability to feel (interest level), pessimistic thoughts, and suicidal thoughts.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change from Baseline in Clinician-reported MADRS Scale ScoreBaseline, up to 32 WeekThe MADRS is a clinician-rated scale designed to measure depression severity. The scale consists of 10 items, each of which is scored from 0 (item not present or normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of the symptoms). These item scores are summed up to yield a total score. The range of the total score is 0 to 60. Higher scores represent a more severe condition. The MADRS evaluates apparent sadness, reported sadness, inner tension, sleep, appetite, concentration, lassitude, inability to feel (interest level), pessimistic thoughts, and suicidal thoughts.
Change in MADRS Total Score from Baseline at Week 4Baseline, Week 4The MADRS is a clinician-rated scale designed to measure depression severity. The scale consists of 10 items, each of which is scored from 0 (item not present or normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of the symptoms). These item scores are summed up to yield a total score. The range of the total score is 0 to 60. Higher scores represent a more severe condition. The MADRS evaluates apparent sadness, reported sadness, inner tension, sleep, appetite, concentration, lassitude, inability to feel (interest level), pessimistic thoughts, and suicidal thoughts.
Change from Baseline in Clinical Global Impression - Severity (CGI-S) Scale ScoreBaseline, up to 32 WeeksThe CGI-S rating scale is a global assessment that measures the clinician's impression of the severity of illness of the participant. A rating scale of 1 to 7 is used, with 1=normal, not at all ill and 7=among the most extremely ill.
Change from Baseline in Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) 9-item Total ScoreBaseline, up to 32 WeeksThe PHQ-9 is a 9-item, patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure to assess depressive symptoms. The scale scores each of the 9-symptom domains of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition major depressive disorder (DSM-5 MDD) criteria. Each item is rated on a 4 point scale (0=not at all, 1=several days, 2=more than half the days, and 3=nearly every day). The participant's item responses are summed to provide a total score (range of 0 to 27), with higher scores indicating greater severity of depressive symptoms.
Clinical Global Impression - Change (CGI-C) Scale ScoreUp to 32 WeeksThe CGI-C rating scale is a global assessment that measures the clinician's impression illness change. CGI-C scores range from 1 (very much improved) through to 7 (very much worse).
Change from Baseline in Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) Total ScoreBaseline, up to 32 WeeksThe SDS, a patient-reported outcome measure, is a 5-item questionnaire that has been widely used and accepted for assessment of functional impairment and associated disability. The first 3 items cover (1) work/school, (2) social life, and (3) family life/home responsibilities using a rating scale from 0 to 10. The score for the first 3 items are summed to create a total score of 0 to 30, where higher score indicates greater impairment.
Change from Baseline in Health-Related Quality of life Status as Assessed by 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) Domain ScoresBaseline, up to 32 WeeksThe Short-Form-36 (SF-36) is a 36-item questionnaire which measures quality of life (QoL) across 8 domains, which are both physically and emotionally based. The 8 domains that the SF36 measures are as follows: physical functioning; role limitations due to physical health; role limitations due to emotional problems; energy/fatigue; emotional wellbeing; social functioning; pain; general health. For each of the 8 domains that the SF-36 measures, an aggregate score is produced. The scores range from 0 (lowest or worst possible level of functioning) to 100 (highest or best possible level of functioning).
Percentage of Participants with Remission at Week 8 Without Relapse Until Week 32Week 32Percentage of participants with remission (as assessed by MADRS \[total score of \<= 10) at Week 8 without relapse until Week 32 will be reported at Week 32. A relapse is defined any of following- a) Worsening of depressive symptoms in participants who have achieved remission, as indicated by MADRS total score greater than equal to (\>=) 22 confirmed by one additional assessment of MADRS total score \>= 22 within next 5 to 15 days (until Week 32). Date of second MADRS assessment will be used for date of relapse; b) Any psychiatric hospitalization for worsening of depression, hospitalization for suicide prevention or completed suicide. For any of these events, start date of hospitalization will be used for date of relapse, c) Suicide attempt or any other clinically relevant event determined per the investigator's clinical judgment to be indicative of a relapse of depressive illness, but for which participant was not hospitalized. The onset of event will be used for date of relapse.
Change from Baseline in European Quality of Life (EuroQol) Group, 5 Dimension, 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L): EQ-VASBaseline, up to 32 weeksThe EQ-5D-5L is standardized instrument for use as measure of health outcome, primarily designed for self-completion by respondents. It consists of EQ-5D-5L descriptive system and EQ-VAS. The EQ-VAS rating health today with range from 0 (worst imaginable health state) to 100 (best imaginable health state).
Change from Baseline in European Quality of Life (EuroQol) Group, 5 Dimension, 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L): Health Status IndexBaseline, up to 32 WeeksThe EQ-5D-5L is standardized instrument for use as measure of health outcome, primarily designed for self-completion by respondents. It consists of EQ-5D-5L descriptive system and EQ-VAS. EQ-5D-5L descriptive system comprises the following 5 dimensions: Mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. Each of 5 dimensions is divided into 5 levels of perceived problems (1 indicating no problem, 2 indicating slight problems, 3 indicating moderate problems, 4 indicating severe problems, 5 indicating extreme problems). Participant selects an answer for each of 5 dimensions considering the response that best matches his or her health today. The responses to the 5 dimensions are used to compute a single score ranging from zero (0.0- worst health state) to 1 (1.0- better health state) representing the general health status of the individual.
Change from Baseline in Work Productivity and Activity Impairment- Specific Health Problem (WPAI-SHP) Questionnaire ScoresBaseline, up to 32 WeeksWPAI-SHP is a validated short instrument that assesses impairment in work and other regular activities over the past 7 days. WPAI produces four types of scores: absenteeism (work time missed), presenteeism (impairment at work/reduced on-the-job effectiveness), work productivity loss (overall work impairment/absenteeism plus presenteeism), and activity impairment. The WPAI outcomes are expressed as impairment percentages, with higher numbers indicating greater impairment and less productivity, that is, worse outcomes.
Medical Resource UtilizationUp to 32 weeksNumber of medical care encounters and treatments (including physician or emergency room visits, tests and procedures, and medications, and other procedures) will be reported.
Number of Participants with Treatment-Emergent Adverse EventsUp to 32 WeeksAn adverse event (AE) is any untoward medical occurrence attributed to study drug in a participant who received study drug.
Suicidal ideation and behavior as Assessed by Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) ScoreBaseline, up to 32 weeksSuicidal ideation or behavior will be measured using C-SSRS score. C-SSRS is a clinician rated assessment of suicidal behavior and/ or intent. Scale consists of 28 items in 4 sections: suicide behavior, actual attempts, suicidal ideation, and intensity of ideation. Suicidal ideation consists of 5 yes/no items: wish to be dead, non-specific active suicidal thoughts, active suicidal ideation with any methods (not plan) without intention to act, active suicidal ideation with some intent to act without specific plan, active suicidal ideation with specific plan and intent. Worsening of suicidal ideation will be an increase in severity of suicidal ideation from baseline.
Change from Baseline in Quality of Life in Depression Scale (QLDS) Total ScoreBaseline, up to 32 WeeksThe QLDS is a disease specific PRO designed to assess health related quality of life in patients with Major Depressive Disorder. The instrument has a recall period of at the moment, contains 34-items with yes/no response options and takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. The total score is computed as sum of the items with range from 0 (good quality of life) to 34 (very poor quality of life).

Outcome results

None listed

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