A Study of Esketamine Nasal Spray, Administered as Monotherapy, in Adult Participants With Treatment-resistant Depression

Phase 4

Completed

• Conditions: Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant
• Interventions: Drug: Esketamine 84 mg; Drug: Placebo; Drug: Esketamine 56 mg

• Registration Number: NCT04599855
• Lead Sponsor: Janssen Research & Development, LLC

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of each individual dose of esketamine nasal spray, 56 milligram (mg) and 84 mg, compared with placebo nasal spray in improving depressive symptoms in participants with treatment resistant depression (TRD), as assessed by the change from baseline in the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score from Day 1 (prerandomization) to the end of the 4 week double-blind treatment phase (Day 28).

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2020-10-21
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-10-21
• Study First Posted: 2020-10-23
• Study Start: 2020-11-04
• Primary Completion: 2024-01-31
• Study Completion: 2024-01-31
• Results First Submitted: 2025-01-29
• Results First Submitted QC: 2025-02-10
• Results First Posted: 2025-03-04
• Status Verified: 2025-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-04-24
• Last Update Posted: 2025-04-25

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 477

Inclusion Criteria

• Participant must meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for single-episode MDD or recurrent MDD, without psychotic features, based upon clinical assessment and confirmed by the MINI. Participants 65 years of age or older must have had the first onset of depression prior to 55 years of age
• Participant must have had nonresponse (<=25% improvement) to >=2 oral antidepressant treatments in the current episode of depression, assessed using the MGH-ATRQ, and confirmed by documented records (example, medical/pharmacy/prescription records or a letter from a treating physician)
• Participant must have an Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician rated, 30-item (IDS-C30) total score of >=34
• The participant's current major depressive episode, depression symptom severity, and antidepressant treatment response in the current depressive episode, must be confirmed by the State vs. Trait, Assessibility, Face Validity, Ecological Validity, Rule of Three P's (SAFER) Interview
• Participant must be medically stable on the basis of physical examination, medical history, vital signs (including blood pressure), and 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) performed in the screening phase. If there are any abnormalities that are not specified in the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the determination of their clinical significance must be determined by the investigator and recorded in the participant's source documents and initiated by the investigator
• Participant must be medically stable on the basis of clinical laboratory tests performed in the screening phase. If the results of the serum chemistry panel, hematology, or urinalysis are outside the normal reference ranges, the participant may be included only if the investigator judges the abnormalities or deviations from normal to be not clinically significant or to be appropriate and reasonable for the population under study. This determination must be recorded in the participant's source documents and initialed by the investigator: (a) Participants with a pre-existing history of thyroid disease/disorder who are treated with thyroid hormones must be on a stable dosage for 3 months prior to the start of the screening phase; (b) For any participant (regardless of thyroid history), if the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) value is out of range, a free thyroxine (FT4) will be conducted. If the FT4 value is abnormal and considered to be clinically significant (after discussion with the medical monitor), the participant is not eligible
• Participant must be comfortable with self-administration of nasal spray medication and be able to follow the nasal spray administration instructions provided

Exclusion Criteria

• The participant has used ketamine/esketamine (lifetime)
• The participant's depressive symptoms have previously demonstrated nonresponse to an adequate course of treatment with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the current major depressive episode, defined as at least 7 treatments with unilateral/bilateral ECT
• Participant has received vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) or has received deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the current episode of depression
• Participant has a current or history of seizures (uncomplicated childhood febrile seizures with no sequelae are not exclusionary)
• Participant has any anatomical or medical condition that, per the investigator's clinical judgment based on assessment, may impede delivery or absorption of nasal spray study drug

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Esketamine 84 mg	Esketamine 84 mg	Participants will receive nasal spray treatment with esketamine 84 mg twice a week for 4 weeks. Participants may participate in an open-label treatment/observation phase, following completion of the double-blind treatment phase assessments (which includes the Day 28 MADRS assessment).
Placebo	Placebo	Participants will receive nasal spray treatment with placebo twice a week for 4 weeks. Participants may participate in an open-label treatment/observation phase, following completion of the double-blind treatment phase assessments (which includes the Day 28 MADRS assessment).
Esketamine 56 Milligram (mg)	Esketamine 56 mg	Participants will receive nasal spray treatment with esketamine 56 mg twice a week for 4 weeks. Participants may participate in an open-label treatment/observation phase, following completion of the double-blind treatment phase assessments (which includes the Day 28 Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale \[MADRS\] assessment).

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Double-blind Treatment Phase: Change in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) Total Score From Day 1 (Pre-randomization) to Day 28	Day 1 (pre-randomization) to Day 28 (end of DB treatment phase)	The MADRS was a clinician-rated scale designed to measure depression severity and detect changes due to antidepressant treatment. The scale consisted of 10 items, each of which was scored from 0 (item not present or normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of symptoms). MADRS total score was the sum of scores from individual question items, which ranged from 0 to 60, higher scores represented a more severe condition. The MADRS evaluated apparent sadness, reported sadness, inner tension, sleep, appetite, concentration, lassitude, inability to feel (interest level), pessimistic thoughts, and suicidal thoughts. Negative change in MADRS total score indicated improvement.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Double-blind Treatment Phase: Change in MADRS Total Score From Day 1 (Pre-randomization) to Day 2 (24 Hours Post First Dose on Day 1)	Day 1 (pre-randomization) to Day 2 of DB treatment phase (24 hours post first dose on Day 1)	The MADRS was a clinician-rated scale designed to measure depression severity and detect changes due to antidepressant treatment. The scale consisted of 10 items, each of which was scored from 0 (item not present or normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of symptoms). MADRS total score was the sum of scores from individual question items, which ranged from 0 to 60, higher scores represented a more severe condition. The MADRS evaluated apparent sadness, reported sadness, inner tension, sleep, appetite, concentration, lassitude, inability to feel (interest level), pessimistic thoughts, and suicidal thoughts. Negative change in MADRS total score indicated improvement.

Trial Locations

Locations (53)

UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology; 🇺🇸 Birmingham, Alabama, United States

UAB Huntsville Regional Medical Campus; 🇺🇸 Huntsville, Alabama, United States

Preferred Research Partners; 🇺🇸 Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Behavioral Research Specialists LLC; 🇺🇸 Glendale, California, United States

CalNeuro Research; 🇺🇸 Los Angeles, California, United States

Pacific Research Partners; 🇺🇸 Oakland, California, United States

Anderson Clinical Research; 🇺🇸 Redlands, California, United States

University of California at San Diego; 🇺🇸 San Diego, California, United States

Artemis Institute for Clinical Research; 🇺🇸 San Diego, California, United States

UCSF Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building; 🇺🇸 San Francisco, California, United States

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