MedPath

Dose Clinical Trial of Guanfacine Extended Release for the Reduction of Aggression and Self-injuries Behavior Associated With Prader-Willi Syndrome

Phase 4
Withdrawn
Conditions
Prader-Willi Syndrome
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT04066088
Lead Sponsor
NYU Langone Health
Brief Summary

This is a placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess the utility of Guanfacine Extended Release (GXR) in the management of patients with Prader Willi Syndrome (PWS) who have significant aggression or self-injury. The purpose of this trial is to establish the safety of GXR with a specific focus on metabolic effects.

Detailed Description

Prader-Willi syndrome is a genetic disorder due to loss of function of specific genes. In newborns, symptoms include weak muscles, poor feeding, and slow development. Beginning in childhood, the person becomes constantly hungry, which often leads to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Also, mild to moderate learning disability and behavioral problems are typical.

Guanfacine Extended Release (GXR), the investigational drug in this study would be the first study to evaluate the drug in patients with Prader Willi Syndrome. "Investigational" means it is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat Prader Willi Syndrome. However, Guanfacine Extended Released (GXR) is an FDA approved drug used to treat children and adolescents with hypertension and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). GXR is thought to respond to parts of the brain that lead to strengthening working memory, reducing distraction, improving attention and impulse control. GXR is generally considered safe for children as long as it is used according to the dosing instructions (up to 4mg) of a qualified medical professional.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
WITHDRAWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
Not specified
Inclusion Criteria
  • 6 and 35 years of age
  • diagnosis of PWS confirmed by genetic testing.
  • rating of moderate or above on the Clinical Global Impression- Severity Scale will be required for entry.
Read More
Exclusion Criteria
  • Subjects with a positive pregnancy test, swallowing difficulty, and/or presenting with active psychosis or mania will be excluded.
  • Individuals with pre-existing, clinically significant bradycardia (< 8 years: <64 bpm; 8 to 12 years: <59 bpm; 12 to 16 years: <53 bpm) or hypotension, defined as 5th percentile for height and gender,26 will be excluded from the study.
  • Subjects receiving antipsychotic medications due to a documented history of psychosis or bipolar disorder will be allowed to continue taking the medication without dosage modification.
  • Growth hormone, thyroid hormone replacement treatment, and non-psychiatric medicines will be allowed to continue.
  • N-Acetyl Cysteine and anticonvulsant medication (only if prescribed for seizures) will be allowed to continue, with specific instructions to not make any dosage changes during the clinical trial.
Read More

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
PlaceboPlacebo-
GXRGuanfacine extended release (GXR)Immediately following the 8-week blinded randomized trial, an 8-week open-label continuation phase will be pursued to further define efficacy and tolerability of GXR, and to establish its safety with specific focus on metabolic profile.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
CGI-I scale rating19 Weeks

A positive clinical response will be determined by a rating of 1 or 2 (Very much/Much improved) on the CGI-I scale at the end of the blinded trial.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Aberrant Behavior Checklist19 Weeks

Consists of 2 subscales; irritability (15 items) and hyperactivity/noncompliance (16 items).

Self-Injury Trauma scale19 Weeks

SHI scores of 5 or greater were found to be indicative of borderline personality disorder. Part 1 is ranking based on the number of wounds 1=one would (common in a mild SIB but rare in a severe case) 2=two or four wounds (common) and 3=five or more wounds (rare). Injury severity is scored on a subjective basis with labels such as "mild" "moderate" and "severe" accompanied by descriptions of the observed state of the anatomy. Part 3 is the Estimate of Current Risk.

Modified Overt Aggression Scale19 Weeks

four-part behavior rating scale used to evaluate and document the "frequency and severity" of aggressive episodes.\[1\] The rating scale is made up of four categories; verbal aggression, aggression against objects, aggression against self, and aggression against others

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

NYU Langone Health

🇺🇸

New York, New York, United States

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath