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Delivering Transcutaneous Auricular Neurostimulation to Improve Relapse Prevention in Opioid Use Disorder

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Opioid-use Disorder
Opioid Withdrawal
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT05053503
Lead Sponsor
Spark Biomedical, Inc.
Brief Summary

The primary objective of this trial is to determine whether tAN can improve relapse prevention beyond that seen with extended-release injectable naltrexone during Phase II.

Detailed Description

This is a prospective, randomized, controlled, multi-center, clinical trial in which participants with a history of dependence on prescriptive or non-prescriptive opioids will be randomized 2:1 into one of four treatment groups during Phase I (acute detoxification, 7 days):

1. Group 1: Active tAN + placebo

2. Group 2: Active tAN + lofexidine

3. Group 3: Sham tAN + placebo

4. Group 4: Sham tAN + lofexidine

Phase I will occur during the participant's treatment in a residential detox center. Participants will have the option to continue into Phase II of the trial at the conclusion of their stay in the residential detox treatment program. In Phase II, participants will be re-randomized 1:1 into one of two treatment groups and will return weekly for 90 days:

1. Group 1: Extended-release injectable naltrexone

2. Group 2: Active tAN + extended-release injectable naltrexone

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
108
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
FACTORIAL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Sham tAN + lofexidineLofexidineParticipants will have the earpiece applied and the cable connected to the Patient Controller, but tAN stimulation will not be turned on. Participants will receive 3 lofexidine 0.18 mg/tablets four times per day (daily dose of 2.16 mg) for 7 days.
Active tAN + extended-release injectable naltrexoneSparrow Ascent Therapy SystemExtended-release injectable naltrexone will be administered according to the clinical site's standard of care. Participants will be provided with a Spark Sparrow Ascent Therapy System and instructed to administer therapy according to the specified frequencies: * Month 1 (Days 1 - 28): a minimum of 2 hours per day at least 5 days a week * Month 2 (Days 29 - 56): a minimum of 2 hours per day at least 3 days a week * Month 3 (Days 57 - 90: a minimum of 2 hours per day at least 1 day per week
Active tAN + placeboSparrow Ascent Therapy SystemtAN will be delivered at a duty cycle of for 5 minutes ON and 10 seconds OFF for up to 168 hours (7 days) therapy duration. Stimulation intensity will be customized to the participants comfort level and within range of therapeutic effectiveness. Participants will receive 3 placebo pills four times per day for 7 days. The placebo will appear similar to lofexidine in size, shape, color, and smell to lofexidine.
Active tAN + lofexidineSparrow Ascent Therapy SystemtAN will be delivered at a duty cycle of for 5 minutes ON and 10 seconds OFF for up to 168 hours (7 days) therapy duration. Stimulation intensity will be customized to the participants comfort level and within range of therapeutic effectiveness. Participants will receive 3 lofexidine 0.18 mg/tablets four times per day (daily dose of 2.16 mg) for 7 days.
Active tAN + lofexidineLofexidinetAN will be delivered at a duty cycle of for 5 minutes ON and 10 seconds OFF for up to 168 hours (7 days) therapy duration. Stimulation intensity will be customized to the participants comfort level and within range of therapeutic effectiveness. Participants will receive 3 lofexidine 0.18 mg/tablets four times per day (daily dose of 2.16 mg) for 7 days.
extended-release injectable naltrexoneExtended-release injectable naltrexoneExtended-release injectable naltrexone will be administered according to the clinical site's standard of care.
Active tAN + extended-release injectable naltrexoneExtended-release injectable naltrexoneExtended-release injectable naltrexone will be administered according to the clinical site's standard of care. Participants will be provided with a Spark Sparrow Ascent Therapy System and instructed to administer therapy according to the specified frequencies: * Month 1 (Days 1 - 28): a minimum of 2 hours per day at least 5 days a week * Month 2 (Days 29 - 56): a minimum of 2 hours per day at least 3 days a week * Month 3 (Days 57 - 90: a minimum of 2 hours per day at least 1 day per week
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
14-Panel Urine Drug ScreenWeekly throughout Phase II (13 weeks)

In Phase II, participants will provide a weekly urine sample to determine if opioids have been used in the past week (in conjunction with a self-report). A urine drug screen cup will be used to detect presence of: Amphetamines, Buprenorphine, Benzodiazepines, Cocaine, Ethyl Glucuronide, Fentanyl, Synthetic Marijuana, Ecstasy, Methamphetamines, Methadone, Opiates / Morphine, Oxycodone, Cannabinoid (Marijuana), and Tramadol. The urine drug screen cup also contains a temperature strip to confirm appropriate temperature of the sample and an adulteration panel for determination of sample tampering.

Self-Report of Drug UseWeekly throughout Phase II (13 weeks)

In Phase II, participants will be asked weekly to self-report any use of opioids to determine if opioids have been used in the past week (in conjunction with a UDS sample).

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS)Daily on Days 2-7 of Phase I

The Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) is an 11-item scale designed to be administered by a clinician. This tool can be used in both inpatient and outpatient settings to reproducibly rate common signs and symptoms of opiate withdrawal and monitor these symptoms over time. The summed score for the complete scale can be used to help clinicians determine the stage or severity of opiate withdrawal and assess the level of physical dependence on opioids. Scores range between 0 and 48 where total score is the sum of all the items. A higher score indicates more severe withdrawal symptoms. Scores between 5 and 12 indicate mild withdrawal, scores between 13 and 24 indicate moderate withdrawal, scores between 25 and 36 indicate moderately severe withdrawal and scores greater than 36 indicate severe withdrawal. A COWS score reduction of 15% or greater for a given individual is considered clinically significant.

Opioid Craving Scale (OCS)Weekly throughout Phase II (13 weeks)

The 3-item Opioid Craving Scale was adapted from the 3-item Cocaine Craving Scale for use with opioids. The original 5-item version was found to be valid and unidimensional among cocaine-dependent individuals. Participants are asked to answer the following three questions with responses ranging from 0-10, where 0 = Not at all and 10 = Extremely. Total possible score ranges from 0 to 30 with greater scores indicating higher opioid craving.

1. How much do you currently crave opiates?

2. In the past week, please rate how strong your desire to use opiates has been when something in the environment has reminded you of opiates?

3. Please imagine yourself in the environment in which you previously used opiates. If you were in this environment today and if it were the time of day that you typically used opiates, what is the likelihood that you would use opiates today?

Short Opiate Withdrawal Scale-Gossop (SOWS-Gossop)Weekly throughout Phase II (13 weeks)

The SOWS-Gossop is an appropriate, precise, and sensitive measure to evaluate the symptoms of acute opioid withdrawal in research or clinical settings. The scale was derived from the original 32-item Opiate Withdrawal Scale to reduce redundancy while providing an equally sensitive measure of opioid withdrawal symptom severity appropriate for research and clinical practice. The assessment is a self-administered test used for the assessment of opiate withdrawal symptoms. The scale contains ten items: yawning, muscular tension, runny eyes, muscle twitching, pains, and aches, feeling of coldness, stomach cramps, insomnia, heart pounding, and feeling sick, making it easy and rapid to administer. The tool has a 4-point rating scale: 0 for 'none,' 1 for 'mild,' 2 for 'moderate,' and 3 for 'severe', with scores ranging from 0 to 30.

Proportion of patients who receive and tolerate an XR-NTX injection after acute detox treatment (Phase I)One hour after receiving first XR-NTX injection (Phase II Day 1)

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

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Plymouth, Minnesota, United States

Gaudenzia, Inc.

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Crownsville, Maryland, United States

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