Pharmaco-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Study of Clavulanic Acid

Phase 1

Completed

Conditions: Cocaine Dependence

Interventions: Other: Placebo
Drug: Clavulanic Acid

Registration Number: NCT04411914

Lead Sponsor: Temple University

Brief Summary: A dose-escalation study to determine the optimum dose of Clavulanic Acid (CLAV) for effects on craving and efficacy.

Detailed Description: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group inpatient study of clavulanic acid for 10 days in adults (18-65) seeking treatment for cocaine use disorder. For those subjects who can tolerate 500 mg/day for 3 days (or matched placebo), there will be a forced dose escalation to 750 mg/day for 3 days. Subjects who can tolerate 750 mg/day for three days will have a forced dose escalation to 1000 mg/day for 4 days until the study ends.

Thus, there are 3 Periods for each participant:

Period 1: 500 mg CLAV per day for days 1-3; Period 2: 750 mg per day for days 4-6; Period 3: 1000 mg/day for days 7-10.

Subjective, cognitive, and adverse effect assessments, blood pressure and pulse will be performed daily. Structural MRI, resting state MRI (rs-fMRI), functional MRI (fMRI) and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) scans will be done at baseline and on Days 3, 6 and 10 of the study. At the time of each scan, safety of the subject to complete the scan will be re-assessed. fMRI was not done at baseline.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 13

Inclusion Criteria

Be able to verbalize understanding of consent form
Be male or female adult volunteers ages 18-65 inclusive.
Have a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (DSM-5) diagnosis of cocaine use disorder, moderate to severe in early remission
Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 17.5 to 39.9 kg/m2; and a total body weight of at least 45 kg (99 lbs.)
Have a history and brief physical examination that demonstrate no clinically significant contraindication for participating in the study, and/ or significant or unstable medical or psychiatric illness.

Exclusion Criteria

Have a current DSM-5 substance use disorder, mild, moderate, or severe, on any drug of abuse other than nicotine, caffeine, and cocaine use disorder in early remission verified by Urine Drug Screen (UDS). Alcohol use disorder and marijuana use disorder, mild without withdrawal symptoms, will be permitted.
Have any previous medically adverse reaction to CLAV, Augmentin, penicillin, Ticarcillin, cephalosporin, or any beta-lactam drug.
Have any illness, condition, and use of medications, in the opinion of the principal investigator, sub-investigators which would preclude safe and/or successful completion of the study.
Report having human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or test positive for HIV during screening
Be pregnant (females).
Unable to tolerate MRI scan for duration of 60 minutes for physical or psychological reasons.

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Placebo	Placebo	Participants will receive 10 days of placebo and will have a "dose" escalation at the same time as the experimental group. They will be given additional placebo pills to match the number given to the experimental group (i.e. 2 PBO capsules/day for days 1-3, 3 PBO capsules/day days 4-6 and 4 PBO capsules/day for days 7-10).
Clavulanic Acid	Clavulanic Acid	Participants will receive 10 days of CLAV-- Period 1: 500 mg/day for days 1-3; Period 2: 750 mg/day for days 4-6; Period 3: 1000 mg/day for days 7-10.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Brain Glutamate Concentration in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) in Subjects With Cocaine Use Disorder (CUD) Treated With Escalating Doses of Clavulanate (CLAV)	ACC glutamate and CCQ will be measured and correlated on Day 10 of treatment with CLAV compared with baseline.	Brain glutamate concentration in the ACC (based on Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS)) will be correlated with cocaine craving (measured by Cocaine Craving Questionnaire (CCQ)) in subjects receiving escalating doses of CLAV for 10 days. Measurement will be made at baseline and Day 10 of CLAV (1000 mg/day) in subjects with cocaine use disorder.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in Resting State Network Connectivity From Baseline	Assessment was done at the end of Period 1, 2 and 3 detailed above. Data from the end of Period 3 (Day 10, 1000mg CLAV) are reported.	Craving-associated neurocircuitry (frontal-striatal-thalamic connectivity) will be examined with resting state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rs-fMRI) and Cocaine Craving Questionnaire (CCQ-45). The CCQ is comprised of five 9-item sub-scales (desire to use cocaine, intention and planning to use cocaine, anticipation of positive outcome from use, anticipation of relief from withdrawal or dysphoria, and lack of control over use) measured on a scale of 1 to 7, total scores ranging from 45 to 315 with higher numbers indicating increased craving.. The rs-fMRI activity and CCQ were assessed in the 9 participants at baseline and at the end of each of 3 periods. rs-fMRI activity and CCQ were correlated using the Spearman Correlation Coefficient calculation. A negative correlation coefficient indicates an inverse relationship between the assessments; higher rs-fMRI activity correlates with lower craving.
Craving	CCQ-45 questionnaires were completed daily during the study. Data from day 10 adjusted for baseline score are reported.	Craving will be evaluated by Cocaine Craving Questionnaire (CCQ-45). The CCQ is comprised of five 9-item sub-scales (desire to use cocaine, intention and planning to use cocaine, anticipation of positive outcome from use, anticipation of relief from withdrawal or dysphoria, and lack of control over use) measured on a scale of 1 to 7, total scores ranging from 45 to 315 with higher numbers indicating increased craving. The results are the CCQ scores on day 10 minus the baseline scores before starting study drug.
Change in Brain Glutamine From Baseline	Brain glutamine will be analyzed at baseline (Day 1 prior to CLAV or PBO dose) and at Day 10 day (having completed Periods 1, 2 and 3 (CLAV 500mg/day for 3 days, 750 mg/day for 3 days and 1000 mg/day for 4 days).	Change in brain glutamine (Gln) concentration in the ACC at Day 10 compared to baseline as assessed by MRS in the ACC.
Number of Participants With Treatment-related Adverse Events (AEs)	1-24 days (during and up to 2 weeks after study dosing period)	Adverse events (AES) will be defined as any clinically significant changes in vital signs, clinically significant change in Electrocardiogram (EKG) from baseline measurement, clinically significant changes in laboratory bloodwork (Complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, urinalysis), or any self reported side effects compared with baseline. AEs will be collected throughout the study and reviewed by a physician. An evaluation of AE severity (mild, moderate, severe) will be evaluated by a physician based on participant self-report. AEs per subject will be listed by organ system, and the number of AEs within the subject population will be totaled.