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A Study to Investigate JNJ-40411813 in Combination With Levetiracetam or Brivaracetam in Epilepsy

Phase 2
Completed
Conditions
Focal Onset Seizures
Interventions
Drug: JNJ-40411813
Drug: Placebo
Registration Number
NCT04836559
Lead Sponsor
Janssen Research & Development, LLC
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of up to 3 dose levels of adjunctive JNJ-40411813 compared to placebo based on the time to baseline monthly seizure count in participants with focal onset seizures who are receiving levetiracetam or brivaracetam and up to 3 other anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) (double-blind treatment period) and to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of adjunctive therapy with JNJ-40411813 in participants with epilepsy (open-label extension \[OLE\] period).

Detailed Description

JNJ-40411813 is a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of the metabotropic glutamate receptor-2 (mGlu2), which is abundantly expressed in the forebrain and cerebellum. The mGlu2 receptor functions as a presynaptic auto-receptor that, upon activation, decreases the release of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Positive allosteric modulation of a receptor will result in the direct enhancement of the agonist-induced signal while PAMs themselves have generally no or low intrinsic activity at the receptor. The net effect of JNJ-40411813 is hypothesized to be a normalization of hyper-glutamatergic transmission. JNJ-40411813 is being evaluated for the treatment of disorders of the central nervous systems (CNS), such as epilepsy, and has been evaluated in schizophrenia and anxious depression. This study will consist of 1 to a maximum of 3 cohorts. In each cohort, for each participant the study consists of a screening period (up to minus \[-\] 8 weeks), an 8-week prospective pretreatment baseline period, an up to 12-week double-blind treatment period and a 2-year OLE period or a follow-up telephone visit 2 weeks after the last dose of study intervention. Safety assessments including physical and neurological examination, vital signs, 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG), clinical chemistry, hematology, and urinalysis will be performed. The total maximal duration of the study is up to 2 years and 5 months.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
110
Inclusion Criteria
  • Body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 35 kilogram per meter square (kg/m^2, inclusive (BMI = weight/height^2). Minimum body weight should be 40-kilogram (kg)
  • Established diagnosis of focal epilepsy, for at least 1 year using the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) criteria. Participants should not be enrolled if they are known to have had fewer than 3 or more than 100 seizures in any monthly period in the past 6 months. It is preferred that participants have experience in maintaining a seizure e-diary
  • Must have had a neuroimaging procedure within 10 years, including a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), that excluded a progressive neurologic disorder; these procedures may be performed within the 8-week baseline period
  • Cohort 1: Current treatment with at least 1 and up to 4 anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) (including levetiracetam), administered at stable dosage(s) for at least 1 month before screening, and no new AEDs added for the previous 2 months; these AEDs must remain unchanged throughout the pretreatment and double-blind treatment periods (with the exception of dosage reductions of concomitant AEDs because of suspected elevated AED levels or side effects) Cohort 2 and beyond: Current treatment with at least 1 and up to 4 AEDs (including levetiracetam or brivaracetam), administered at the appropriate dosage(s) and for a sufficient treatment period before screening. These AEDs must remain unchanged throughout the pretreatment and double-blind treatment periods (with the exception of dosage reductions of concomitant AEDs because of suspected elevated AED levels or side effects). Important note: screening of participants receiving brivaracetam will start when enrolling for Cohort 2
  • Currently showing inadequate response to levetiracetam, administered at the appropriate dosage(s) and for a sufficient treatment period, based on the judgment of the investigator
  • Healthy based on clinical laboratory tests, physical examination, medical history, vital signs, and 12-lead ECG
  • Men or women between 18 and 69 years old
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Exclusion Criteria
  • Have a generalized epileptic syndrome
  • Diagnosis of Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome
  • Currently experiencing seizures that cannot be counted accurately
  • History of any current or past nonepileptic seizures, including psychogenic seizures
  • Known allergies, hypersensitivity, or intolerance to placebo, JNJ-40411813 or its excipients
  • Current treatment with vagus nerve stimulation, deep brain and cortical stimulation for 1 year or less
  • Planned epilepsy surgery within the next 6 months or completed epilepsy surgery less than (<) 6 months ago
  • Current treatment with vigabatrin
  • History of malignancy within 5 years before screening (exceptions are squamous and basal cell carcinomas of the skin and carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or malignancy, which is considered cured with minimal risk of recurrence)
  • Current or past (within the past year) major psychotic disorder, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or other psychotic conditions, recent (within the past 6 months) interictal psychosis, and major depressive disorder (MDD) with psychotic features
  • Exacerbation of MDD within the past 6 months; antidepressant use is allowed
  • Has a current or recent history of clinically significant suicidal ideation within the past 6 months, corresponding to a score of 4 (active suicidal ideation with some intent to act, without specific plan) or 5 (active suicidal ideation with specific plan and intent) for ideation on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), or a history of suicidal behavior within the past 1 year, as validated by the CSSRS at screening
  • Has a history of at least mild drug or alcohol use disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) (DSM-5) criteria within 1 year before Screening
Read More

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
PlaceboPlaceboParticipants will receive JNJ-40411813 matching placebo (bid) up to 12 weeks. Participants will also receive concomitant AEDs one of which must include levetiracetam or brivaracetam during double blind period. Participants who had been receiving placebo in double blind period will start with the JNJ-40411813 dose in the OLE period.
PlaceboJNJ-40411813Participants will receive JNJ-40411813 matching placebo (bid) up to 12 weeks. Participants will also receive concomitant AEDs one of which must include levetiracetam or brivaracetam during double blind period. Participants who had been receiving placebo in double blind period will start with the JNJ-40411813 dose in the OLE period.
JNJ-40411813JNJ-40411813Participants will receive JNJ-40411813 twice a day (bid) up to 12 weeks in double blind period. Up to 3 different doses (low, medium, high) of JNJ-40411813 will be administered in this study. Participants will also receive concomitant anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) one of which must include levetiracetam or brivaracetam. Immediately after the last study drug intake by the participants in the double-blind period, participants will enter into a 2-year open label extension (OLE) period and continue receiving JNJ-40411813 as well as the AEDs during OLE period.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
OLE Period: Number of Participants with Adverse Events (AEs)Up to 2 years in OLE period

An AE is any untoward medical occurrence in a clinical study participant administered an investigational or non-investigational medicinal product. An AE does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the treatment.

OLE Period: Number of Participants with Clinically Significant Changes in Laboratory AssessmentsUp to 2 years in OLE period

Number of participants with clinically significant changes in laboratory assessments including hematology, serum chemistry, serology, and urinalysis will be reported.

Open Label Extension (OLE) Period: Seizure CountUp to 2 years in OLE period

Seizure count will be reported. Seizure count per 28 days will be calculated as (28/the number of days between visits)\*(seizures counted between the visits).

Time to Baseline Monthly Seizure Count up to the end of the 12-week Double-blind Treatment PeriodBaseline to 12 weeks

Time to baseline monthly seizure count is defined, for each participant, as the number of days until the participants experienced the number of seizures equal to baseline monthly seizure count, up to the end of the 12-week double-blind treatment period. Baseline monthly seizure count will be defined as the number of observable focal onset seizures recorded during the baseline period, multiplied by 28/ XBL, where XBL is the number of days comprising the baseline.

OLE Period: Number of Participants with Clinically Significant Changes in Vital SignsUp to 2 years in OLE period

Number of participants with clinically significant changes in vital signs including blood pressure and oral or tympanic temperature will be reported.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Double Blind Treatment Period: Number of Participants with Clinically Significant Changes in Laboratory ResultsUp to 12 weeks

Number of participants with clinically significant changes in laboratory results related to hematology, serum chemistry, serology, and urinalysis will be reported.

Double Blind Treatment Period: Number of Participants with Clinically Significant Changes in Vital SignsUp to 12 weeks

Number of participants with clinically significant changes in vital signs including blood pressure and oral or tympanic temperature will be reported.

Double Blind Treatment Period: Number of Participants with Clinically Significant Changes in Electrocardiogram (ECG) ResultsUp to 12 weeks

Number of participants with clinically significant changes in ECG results will be reported.

Double Blind Treatment Period: Number of Participants with Adverse Events (AEs) as a Measure of Safety and TolerabilityUp to 22 weeks

An AE is any untoward medical occurrence in a clinical study participant administered an investigational or non-investigational medicinal product. An AE does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the treatment.

Double Blind Treatment Period: Plasma Concentration of JNJ-40411813Baseline (Day 1), Weeks 4, 8, and 12

Plasma samples will be analyzed to determine concentration of JNJ-40411813 using a validated, specific, and sensitive liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC -MS/MS) methods.

OLE Period: Plasma Concentration of Levetiracetam or BrivaracetamUp to 1 year in OLE period

Plasma samples will be analyzed to determine concentration of levetiracetam or brivaracetam using a validated, specific, and sensitive LC MS/MS methods.

Double Blind Treatment Period: Percentage of Participants with no Seizures During Double-blind Period and who Achieve a More than (>) 50 Percent (%) Reduction in Monthly Seizure Count Relative to Baseline Monthly Seizure CountBaseline, up to 12 weeks

Percentage of participants with no seizures during double-blind period and who achieve a \> 50% reduction in monthly seizure count relative to baseline monthly seizure count will be reported.

Double Blind Treatment Period: Plasma Concentration of Levetiracetam or BrivaracetamBaseline (Day 1), Weeks 4, 8, and 12

Plasma samples will be analyzed to determine concentration of levetiracetam or brivaracetam using a validated, specific, and sensitive LC -MS/MS methods.

Double Blind Treatment Period: Percent reduction in the Double-blind Monthly Seizure CountBaseline, up to 12 weeks

Percent reduction in the double-blind monthly seizure count is defined as the double-blind monthly seizure count minus the baseline monthly seizure count, divided by the baseline monthly seizure count. The double-blind monthly seizure count is defined as the total number of observable focal onset seizures occurring during the 12-week double blind treatment period, multiplied by 28/XDB, where XDB is the number of days comprising the double-blind period. Observable seizures that will be counted during baseline and throughout the study include focal aware seizures with motor signs, focal impaired awareness seizures and focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures. Focal aware seizures without motor signs, myoclonic, or other generalized seizures will not be counted.

OLE Period: Plasma Concentration of JNJ-40411813Up to 1 year in OLE period

Plasma samples will be analyzed to determine concentration of JNJ-40411813 using a validated, specific, and sensitive liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC -MS/MS) methods.

OLE Period: Plasma Concentration of Anti-epileptic Drugs (AEDs)Up to 1 year in OLE period

Plasma samples will be analyzed to determine concentration of AEDs using a validated, specific, and sensitive LC-MS/MS methods.

Trial Locations

Locations (69)

Specialized clinical psychiatric hospital #1

🇷🇺

Krasnodar, Russian Federation

Clinical City Hospital #1

🇷🇺

Moscow, Russian Federation

Nizny Novgorod clinical psychiatric hospital 1

🇷🇺

Nizny Novgorod, Russian Federation

SHI 'Saratov City Clinical Hospital 2 n.a V.I. Razumovsky

🇷🇺

Saratov, Russian Federation

Smolensk Regional Clinical Hospital

🇷🇺

Smolensk, Russian Federation

Psychoneurological Dispensary of Frunzensky District

🇷🇺

St-Petersburg, Russian Federation

St-Petersburg Bekhterev Psychoneurological Research Institute

🇷🇺

St-Petersburg, Russian Federation

Yaroslavl State Medical University

🇷🇺

Yaroslavl, Russian Federation

Hosp. Del Mar

🇪🇸

Barcelona, Spain

Hosp. de La Santa Creu I Sant Pau

🇪🇸

Barcelona, Spain

Hosp. Univ. de La Princesa

🇪🇸

Madrid, Spain

Centro Neurologia Avanzada Sevilla

🇪🇸

Sevilla, Spain

Hosp. Mutua Terrassa

🇪🇸

Terrassa, Spain

Centro de Inv. Avanzada Neurociencias

🇪🇸

Zaragoza, Spain

Ce 'Dnipropetrovsk Regional Clinical Hospital N.A. Mechnikov' of Dnipropetrovsk Rc

🇺🇦

Dnipro, Ukraine

Medical Center of Private Enterprise Neuron

🇺🇦

Kharkiv, Ukraine

Cnce of Lviv Regional Council 'Lviv Regional Clinical Hospital'

🇺🇦

Lviv, Ukraine

Mnpe 'Regional Clinical Psychiatric Hospital of Kirovohrad Regional Council'

🇺🇦

Nove Settlement, Ukraine

Mnce 'Ternopil Regional Clinical Psychoneurology Hospital' of Trb

🇺🇦

Ternopil, Ukraine

Llc Diamed Medical Center

🇺🇦

Uzhhorod, Ukraine

Cnpe 'Vinnytsia Regional Clinical Psycho-Neurological Hospital N.A. Ac. O.I. Yushchenko' of Vrc

🇺🇦

Vinnytsya, Ukraine

Universitaetsklinikum Giessen und Marburg GmbH

🇩🇪

Marburg, Germany

Centrum Medyczne Neuromed Sp z o. o.

🇵🇱

Bydgoszcz, Poland

Copernicus Podmiot Leczniczy Sp. z o.o

🇵🇱

Gdansk, Poland

Chungnam National University Hospital

🇰🇷

Daejeon, Korea, Republic of

Seoul National University Hospital

🇰🇷

Seoul, Korea, Republic of

Konkuk University Medical Center

🇰🇷

Seoul, Korea, Republic of

Asan Medical Center

🇰🇷

Seoul, Korea, Republic of

Samsung Medical Center

🇰🇷

Seoul, Korea, Republic of

NZOZ Wielospecjalistyczna Poradnia Lekarska 'Synapsis'

🇵🇱

Katowice, Poland

NEURO-MEDIC Janusz Zbrojkiewicz Poradnia Wielospecjalistyczna

🇵🇱

Katowice, Poland

Specjalistyczne Gabinety Lekarskie

🇵🇱

Krakow, Poland

Centrum Leczenia Padaczki i Migreny. NZOZ

🇵🇱

Kraków, Poland

Centrum Opieki Zdrowotnej Orkan-med Stec-Michalska sj

🇵🇱

Ksawerów, Poland

Clinical Best Solutions Sp. z o.o., Sp. K.

🇵🇱

Lublin, Poland

Twoja Przychodnia - Centrum Medyczne Nowa Sol

🇵🇱

Nowa Sol, Poland

Clinical Research Center sp z o o MEDIC R s k

🇵🇱

Poznan, Poland

NZOZ NEURO-KARD Ilkowski i Partnerzy Sp. Partnerska Lekarzy

🇵🇱

Poznan, Poland

MTZ Clinical Research Powered by Pratia

🇵🇱

Warszawa, Poland

Neurosphera

🇵🇱

Warszawa, Poland

Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology

🇵🇱

Warszawa, Poland

Centrum Medyczne Oporow

🇵🇱

Wrocław, Poland

ProNeuro Centrum Medyczne

🇵🇱

Zory, Poland

Republic Clinical Hospital

🇷🇺

Kazan, Russian Federation

Research Medical Center Your Health

🇷🇺

Kazan, Russian Federation

Severance Hospital Yonsei University Health System

🇰🇷

Seoul, Korea, Republic of

MA LEK AM Maciejowscy Spolka Cywilna Centrum Terapii SM

🇵🇱

Katowice, Poland

Hosp Univ Vall D Hebron

🇪🇸

Barcelona, Spain

Universitatsklinikum Bonn

🇩🇪

Bonn, Germany

Hosp Clinic de Barcelona

🇪🇸

Barcelona, Spain

Hosp Regional Univ de Malaga

🇪🇸

Malaga, Spain

Tucson Neuroscience Research

🇺🇸

Tucson, Arizona, United States

Research Institution of Orlando, LLC

🇺🇸

Orlando, Florida, United States

Accel Research Sites

🇺🇸

Port Orange, Florida, United States

Maine Medical Center

🇺🇸

Scarborough, Maine, United States

Mid-Atlantic Epilepsy and Sleep Center

🇺🇸

Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

🇺🇸

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

University of Virginia

🇺🇸

Charlottesville, Virginia, United States

AZ Sint-Jan

🇧🇪

Brugge, Belgium

Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc

🇧🇪

Bruxelles, Belgium

UZ Antwerpen

🇧🇪

Edegem, Belgium

Az Groeninge

🇧🇪

Kortrijk, Belgium

UZ Leuven

🇧🇪

Leuven, Belgium

CHU UCL Namur - Site Godinne

🇧🇪

Yvoir, Belgium

Vivantes Humboldt Klinikum

🇩🇪

Berlin, Germany

Krankenhaus Mara - Bethel

🇩🇪

Bielefeld, Germany

Universitaetsklinik Erlangen

🇩🇪

Erlangen, Germany

Universitaetsklinikum Frankfurt

🇩🇪

Frankfurt, Germany

Diakonie Kork - Epilepsiezentrum

🇩🇪

Kehl-Kork, Germany

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