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Determination the Abuse Potential of Pitolisant in Healthy, Non-Dependent Recreational Stimulant Users

Phase 1
Completed
Conditions
Healthy
Drug Abuse
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT03152123
Lead Sponsor
Bioprojet
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to assess the abuse potential of single doses of pitolisant relative to phentermine HCl and placebo, when administered to healthy, non-dependent, recreational stimulant users.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
43
Inclusion Criteria
  • Healthy male or female subjects 18 to 55 years of age, inclusive.
  • Must understand and provide written informed consent, prior to the initiation of any protocol-specific procedures.
  • Current stimulant users who have used stimulants for recreational (non-therapeutic) purposes, (ie, for psychoactive effects) at least 10 times in the past year and used stimulants at least 1 time in the 8 weeks before Screening.
  • Female subjects of childbearing potential with male sexual partners must be using and willing to continue using medically acceptable contraception for at least 1 month prior to Screening (at least 3 months for oral and transdermal contraceptives) and for at least 1 month after last study drug administration.
  • Male subjects with female sexual partners of childbearing potential must be using and willing to continue using medically acceptable contraception from Screening and for at least 1 month after the last study drug administration.
  • Able to speak, read, and understand English sufficiently to allow completion of all study assessments.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Substance or alcohol dependence (excluding nicotine and caffeine) within the past 2 years, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition - Text Revision (DSM IV-TR), and/or has ever participated or plans to participate in a substance or alcohol rehabilitation program to treat their substance or alcohol dependence.
  • History or presence of clinically significant abnormality as assessed by physical examination, medical history, vital signs, or laboratory values, which in the opinion of the investigator would jeopardize the safety of the subject or the validity of the study results.
  • History or presence of motor tics, Tourette's syndrome, or significant anxiety, tension, or agitation.
  • Presence of thyrotoxicosis, advanced arteriosclerosis, glaucoma, pheochromocytoma, acid related gastric disorders, or peripheral vasculopathy (including Raynaud's phenomenon).
  • History or presence of cardiovascular disorder (eg, moderate to severe hypertension, angina, arterial occlusive disease, heart failure, hemodynamically significant congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathies, myocardial infarction, potentially life-threatening arrhythmias and channelopathies [disorders caused by the dysfunction of ion channels]), or other serious cardia problems.
  • History or presence of CNS abnormalities (eg, cerebral aneurysm, vascular abnormalities, stroke), seizures, convulsions, or epilepsy.
  • History or presence of clinically significant abnormality as assessed by ECG, long QTc syndrome (eg, syncope or arrhythmia), or presence QTcF interval >450 msec.
  • Evidence of clinically significant hepatic or renal impairment including alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase > 1.5 × the upper limit of normal (ULN) or bilirubin > 1 × ULN.
  • Positive for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
  • History of allergy or hypersensitivity to pitolisant, phentermine HCl, or related drugs (eg, sympathomimetic amines) or known excipients of any of the drug products in this study (eg, lactose).
  • History of severe allergic reaction (including anaphylaxis) to any substance or previous status asthmaticus.
  • Subjects with any history of suicidal ideation or suicidal behavior, as assessed by the C SSRS (baseline version).
  • Treatment with an investigational drug within 5 times the elimination half-life, if known (eg, a marketed product), or within 30 days (if the elimination half-life is unknown) prior to the first study drug administration or is concurrently enrolled in any research, judged not to be scientifically or medically compatible with this study.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
PlaceboPlacebosPlacebo administered as 4 capsules, each containing 1 × 100 mg lactose tablet (over-encapsulated)
Phentermine HCl, 60 mgPhenterminePhentermine HCl, 60 mg administered as 2 capsules, each containing 1 × 30 mg phentermine HCl capsule (over- encapsulated), and 2 capsules, each containing 1 × 100 mg lactose tablet (over-encapsulated)
Pitolisant HCl, 40 mgPitolisantPitolisant HCl, 40 mg administered as 2 capsules, each containing 1 × 20 mg pitolisant HCl tablet (over-encapsulated), and 2 capsules, each containing 1 × 100 mg lactose tablet (over-encapsulated)
Pitolisant HCl, 240 mgPitolisantPitolisant HCl, 240 mg administered as 4 capsules, each containing 60 mg pitolisant HCl (3 x 20 mg pitolisant HCl tablets, encapsulated in 1 capsule)
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Maximum effect (Emax) on Drug Liking visual analog scale (VAS)Within 24 hours post-dose

Drug liking VAS is one of the measures of balance of effects that assesses the degree that a participant likes a drug effect at the time the question is being asked (that is, at the moment). It is scored using a 100 millimeter (mm) bipolar visual analogue scale (VAS) anchored in the center with a neutral anchor of "neither like nor dislike" (score of 50 mm), on the left with "strong disliking" (score of 0 mm) and on the right with "strong liking" (score of 100 mm).

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Overall Drug Liking VAS (Emax/Emin)Within 24 hours post-dose

Overall drug liking VAS is one of the measures of balance of effects that assesses the participant's global perception of drug liking (that is, effects over the whole course of the drug experience including any carryover effects). A 100 mm bipolar VAS is used to assess response based on a score ranging from 0 mm to 100 mm (0 mm = "strong disliking", 50 mm= "neither like nor dislike", and 100 mm= "strong liking").

Drug Liking VAS (minimum effect [Emin] and time-averaged area under the effect curve to 24 hours after study drug administration [TA_AUE])Within 24 hours post-dose

Drug liking VAS is one of the measures of balance of effects that assesses the degree that a participant likes a drug effect at the time the question is being asked (that is, at the moment). It is scored using a 100 millimeter (mm) bipolar visual analogue scale (VAS) anchored in the center with a neutral anchor of "neither like nor dislike" (score of 50 mm), on the left with "strong disliking" (score of 0 mm) and on the right with "strong liking" (score of 100 mm).

Good Effects VAS (Emax and TA_AUE)Within 24 hours post-dose

Good drug effects VAS is one of the measures of positive effects that assesses the effect experienced by the participant on a 100 mm unipolar VAS, where responses are unidirectional and range from a response of 'none' (score of 0 mm= definitely not) to 'extremely' (score of 100 mm= definitely so).

Safety and tolerability of Pitolisan HCl as assessed by AEsUp to 6 weeks

AEs assessment

Safety and tolerability of Pitolisan HCl by laboratory assessmentsUp to 6 weeks

Laboratory assessments

Safety and tolerability of Pitolisan HCl as assessed by 12-lead ECGsUp to 6 weeks

12-lead ECGs assessments

Safety and tolerability of Pitolisan HCl as assessed by vital signsUp to 6 weeks

Vital signs assessment

Safety and tolerability of Pitolisan HCl as assessed by physical examinationUp to 6 weeks

Physical examination assessment

Take Drug Again VAS (Emax)Within 24 hours post-dose

Take drug again VAS is one of the measures of balance of effects. It is a subjective assessment of the degree to which a participant would desire to take the drug again if given the opportunity. It is presented on a 100 mm bipolar VAS with score ranging from 0 mm to 100 mm (score of 0 mm = "definitely not", 50 mm = "do not care", and 100 mm = "definitely so").

Bad Effects VAS (Emax and TA_AUE)Within 24 hours post-dose

Bad effects VAS is one of the measures of negative effects that assesses the effect experienced by the participant on a 100 mm unipolar VAS, where responses are unidirectional and range from a response of 'none' (score of 0 mm= definitely not) to 'extremely' (score of 100 mm= definitely so).

ARCI-BG scale (Emax and TA_AUE)Within 24 hours post-dose

ARCI-BG is measure of other subjective effects. It is a set of 13 questions in which each question contributes to total score. Participants select 'False' / 'True' for response. One point given for each response that agrees with scoring direction, true items receive score of 1 if answer 'True', false items receive score of 1 if answer 'False'. No points if answer is opposite to scoring direction. Score range: 0 to 13, higher score indicated higher other subjective effects.

ARCI-A scale (Emax and TA_AUE)Within 24 hours post-dose

ARCI-A is measure of other stimulant effects. It is a set of 13 questions in which each question contributes to total score. Participants select 'False' / 'True' for response. One point given for each response that agrees with scoring direction, true items receive score of 1 if answer 'True', false items receive score of 1 if answer 'False'. No points if answer is opposite to scoring direction. Score range: 0 to 13, higher score indicated higher other subjective effects.

Agitation/Relaxation VAS (Emax and TA_AUE)Within 24 hours post-dose

Agitation/Relaxation VAS assesses the effect experienced by the participant on a 100 mm unipolar VAS, where responses are unidirectional and range from a response of 'none' (score of 0 mm) to 'extremely' (score of 100 mm).

Drug Similarity VAS (score at 24 hours after study drug administration)Within 24 hours post-dose

Drug similarity VAS is one of the measures of other subjective effects. It assesses the similarity of the drug recently received by the participant on a 100 mm unipolar VAS, where responses are unidirectional and range from a response of 'none' (score of 0 mm= not at all similar) to 'extremely' (score of 100 mm= very similar).

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

INC Research

🇨🇦

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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