A Study of Seltorexant as Adjunctive Therapy to Antidepressants in Adolescents With Major Depressive Disorder Who Have an Inadequate Response to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) and Psychotherapy

Sponsor
Janssen Research & Development, LLC (Industry)
Overall Status
Recruiting
CT.gov ID
NCT04951609
Collaborator
(none)
52
27
2
20
1.9
0.1

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and tolerability of Seltorexant as adjunctive therapy to an antidepressant in adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) in the short-term compared with placebo.

Condition or Disease Intervention/Treatment Phase
Phase 1

Detailed Description

The prevalence of major depression is approximately 4 percentage (%) to 8% in adolescents, with the highest incidence of MDD in child onset depression occurring during mid- to late adolescence (that is, 14 to 18 years of age). Seltorexant (JNJ-42847922) is a potent and selective antagonist of the human orexin-2 receptor (OX2R) that is being developed for the treatment of adjunctive treatment of MDD with insomnia symptoms (MDDIS).The study will be conducted in 3 phases: a screening phase (up to 30 days prior to first dose administration), a double-blind (DB) treatment phase (6 weeks), and a follow-up phase (up to 2 weeks including a telephone consult and on-site follow-up visit. The total study duration for each participant will be up to 12 weeks. Efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics, and biomarkers will be assessed at specified time points during this study. The hypothesis for this study is that the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics in the adolescent MDD population. There is no formal statistical hypothesis testing due to the exploratory and descriptive nature of this study.

Study Design

Study Type:
Interventional
Anticipated Enrollment :
52 participants
Allocation:
Randomized
Intervention Model:
Parallel Assignment
Masking:
Double (Participant, Investigator)
Primary Purpose:
Treatment
Official Title:
A Short-term Exploratory Study to Evaluate Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of Seltorexant as Adjunctive Therapy to Antidepressants in Adolescents With Major Depressive Disorder Who Have an Inadequate Response to SSRI Monotherapy and Psychotherapy
Actual Study Start Date :
Sep 2, 2021
Anticipated Primary Completion Date :
May 4, 2023
Anticipated Study Completion Date :
May 4, 2023

Arms and Interventions

Arm Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: Seltorexant

Participants will receive weight based dose of Seltorexant orally once daily from Day 1 to Day 42 (until the end of Week 6). Participants will continue baseline selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant (Fluoxetine and Escitalopram) orally once daily.

Drug: Seltorexant
Participants will receive a single oral dose of seltorexant.
Other Names:
  • JNJ-42827922
  • Placebo Comparator: Placebo

    Participants will receive matching placebo tablets to seltorexant orally once daily from Day 1 to Day 42 (until the end of Week 6).

    Drug: Placebo
    Participants will receive matching placebo orally.

    Outcome Measures

    Primary Outcome Measures

    1. Number of Participants with Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) [Up to 12 weeks]

      An adverse event is any untoward medical event that occurs in a participant administered an investigational product, and it does not necessarily indicate only events with clear causal relationship with the relevant investigational product. TEAEs are adverse events with onset during the double-blind treatment phase or that are a consequence of a preexisting condition that has worsened since baseline.

    2. Number of Participants with Adverse Event of Special Interest (AESIs) [Up to 12 weeks]

      Number of participants with AESIs will be reported. AEs are considered to be of special interest in this study: a) Cataplexy (sudden, transient episode of muscle weakness accompanied by conscious awareness); b) Sleep paralysis (the experience of not being able to move, react, or speak when falling asleep/awakening); c) Complex, sleep-related behaviors/parasomnias such as confusional arousals, somnambulism (sleep walking), sleep terrors, bruxism (teeth grinding), sleep sex, sleep-related eating disorder, and catathrenia (REM-associated end-inspiratory apnea/breath holding); d) Any new suicidal behavior or suicidal ideation.

    3. Pediatric Adverse Event Rating Scale (PAERS) [Up to 12 weeks]

      The PAERS is a patient-rated scale designed to assess adverse events occurring in pediatric participants treated with psychotropic medication in clinical studies. Individual PAERS (patient-reported version) will rate symptoms and severity of symptoms. This scale has a total of 48 items. There is no overall score and individual item will be rated on a scale of 0 to 4 in which 0 indicates 'not present' and 4 indicates 'very bothersome/an extreme problem'.

    4. Number of Participants with Abnormalities in Clinical Laboratory Values [Up to 6 weeks]

      Number of participants with abnormalities in clinical laboratory values (hematology, serum chemistry and urinalysis) will be reported.

    5. Number of Participants with Abnormalities in Electrocardiogram (ECG) [up to 6 weeks]

      Number of participants with abnormalities in ECG will be reported.

    6. Number of Participants with Abnormalities in Vital Signs [Up to 12 weeks]

      Number of participants with abnormalities in vital sign(blood pressure and pulse/heart rate) will be reported.

    7. Number of Participants with Abnormalities in Physical Examination [Up to 6 weeks]

      Number of participants with abnormalities in physical examination including weight will be reported.

    8. Suicidality Assessment Using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Score [Up to 12 weeks]

      Suicidality assessment using the C-SSRS will be reported. C-SSRS is a clinician rated assessment of suicidal behavior and/ or intent. Scale consists of 28 items in 4 sections: suicide behavior, actual attempts, suicidal ideation, and intensity of ideation. Suicidal ideation consists of 5 yes/no items: wish to be dead, non-specific active suicidal thoughts, active suicidal ideation with any methods (not plan) without intention to act, active suicidal ideation with some intent to act without specific plan, active suicidal ideation with specific plan and intent. Worsening of suicidal ideation will be an increase in severity of suicidal ideation from baseline.

    9. Withdrawal Symptoms Assessment Using the Physician Withdrawal Checklist (PWC-20) [2 weeks]

      Withdrawal symptoms assessment using the PWC-20 will be reported. The PWC-20 is a simple and accurate method used to assess potential withdrawal symptoms following cessation of treatment. The PWC-20 is a reliable and sensitive instrument for the assessment of discontinuation symptoms. Each individual item score ranges from 0 (not present) to 3 (severe), where higher scores = more affected condition.

    10. Number of Participants with Menstrual Cycle Tracking [Up to 6 weeks]

      Number of participants with menstrual cycle tracking will be reported. Menstrual cycles will be tracked during the study in female adolescents or participants who have at least one menses using a participant diary and participant's verbal report.

    Secondary Outcome Measures

    1. Change from Baseline to Week 6/End of Treatment (EOT) in the Children's Depression Rating Scale (CDRS) Total Score [Baseline up to 6 weeks]

      Change from baseline to week 6/EOT in the CDRS total score will be reported. The CDRS-R is a validated 17-item, clinician-rated instrument that measures the severity of a participant's depressive symptoms. The CDRS-R total score is the sum of the responses to 17 questions. Each question is graded on a 5- or 7-point scale. The highest possible score is 113 (the most severe measure of depression), and the lowest is 17 (not suffering from depression).

    2. Change from Baseline to Week 6 in Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) Score [Baseline up to 6 weeks]

      Change from baseline in MADRS score will be reported. The 10-item MADRS is a clinician-administered scale designed to measure depression severity and detects changes due to antidepressant treatment. The test consists of 10 items, each of which is scored from 0 (item not present or normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of the symptoms), for a total score of 60. Higher score represents a more severe condition.

    3. Change from Baseline in Clinical Global Impression- severity (CGI-S) Score Over Time [Baseline up to 6 weeks]

      Change from baseline over time in the CGI-S score will be reported. The CGI-S provides an overall clinician-determined summary measure of the severity of the participant's illness. The CGI-S evaluates the severity of psychopathology on a scale of 1 to 7. Considering total clinical experience with the depression population, a participant is assessed on severity of illness at the time of rating according to: 1=normal (not at all ill); 2=borderline ill; 3=mildly ill; 4=moderately ill; 5=markedly ill; 6=severely ill; 7=among the most extremely ill participants.

    4. Change from Baseline to Week 6/EOT on Subjective Sleep Assessment (Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System-Pediatric-Sleep Disturbance [PROMIS-Pediatric-SD] [Short Form 8a]) [Baseline up to 6 weeks]

      Change from baseline to week 6/EOT on subjective sleep assessment (PROMIS-Pediatric-SD [short form 8a]) will be reported. The PROMIS-SD is used to assess self-reported perceptions of sleep quality, sleep depth and restoration associated with sleep. The full PROMIS-SD includes 27 items with each item based on a 7-day recall period and assessed on a 5 level Likert-type scale. The 8-item short form will be used in this study, in which responses are scored 1 to 5 for each item. A higher score on 5 of the 8 items reflects a worse outcome, whereas a higher score on 3 items reflects an improved outcome; therefore, the directionality of the 8 item scores is first synchronized prior to calculation of the total raw score. To find the total raw score for a short form with all questions answered, sum the values of the response to each question. Higher overall score indicates more sleep disturbance.

    5. Change from Baseline to Week 6/EOT on Objective Sleep Assessment Actigraphy [Baseline up to 6 weeks]

      Change from baseline to week 6/EOT on objective sleep assessment actigraphy will be reported. The primary purpose of actigraphy in this study is to have an objective measure of sleep parameters prior to treatment to complement the Consensus Sleep Diary (CSD) as well as other sleep-related PROs.

    6. Cognitive Performance on a Neurocognitive Battery at Baseline and Week 6/EOT [Baseline, Week 6]

      The cogstate computerized cognitive battery is a validated set of assessments which will be performed to assess verbal learning and memory and evaluate cognitive function. The battery will provide assessment of multiple cognitive domains, including attention, visual learning and memory, and executive function. All measures in the cognitive battery have been validated against traditional neuropsychological tests and are sensitive to the effects of various drugs on cognitive performance, including alcohol and benzodiazepines. The participants completed Cogstate computerized cognitive battery has been used for cognitive assessment in several child and adolescent research trials including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and demonstrates good reliability and validity in child and adolescent populations. The ISLT has also been used in adolescent trials, demonstrating sensitivity, reliability and validity.

    7. Change in Subjective Sleep Related Impairment (PROMIS-Pediatric- Sleep-Related Impairment [SRI]) [Up to 6 weeks]

      Change in subjective sleep related impairment (PROMIS-Pediatric-SRI) will be reported. The PROMIS_SRI is used to assess self reported daytime sleepiness and impact on functioning. . The full PROMIS-SD includes 27 items with each item based on a 7-day recall period and assessed on a 5 level Likert-type scale. The 8-item short form will be used in this study, in which responses are scored 1 to 5 for each item. A higher score on 5 of the 8 items reflects a worse outcome, whereas a higher score on 3 items reflects an improved outcome; therefore, the directionality of the 8 item scores is first synchronized prior to calculation of the total raw score. To find the total raw score for a short form with all questions answered, sum the values of the response to each question. Higher overall score indicates more sleep disturbance.

    8. Plasma Concentration of Seltorexant [Up to 6 weeks]

      Plasma concentration of seltorexant will be reported using a validated, specific, and sensitive liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method.

    Eligibility Criteria

    Criteria

    Ages Eligible for Study:
    12 Years to 17 Years
    Sexes Eligible for Study:
    All
    Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
    No
    Inclusion Criteria:
    • Has inadequate response to at least 1, but no more than 2 antidepressant treatments during the current major depressive episode including their current antidepressant fluoxetine or escitalopram (SSRI). Inadequate response is defined as less than (<) 50 percentage (%) symptom reduction after adequate antidepressant treatment for at least 6 weeks at the minimum therapeutic dose, with at least 4 weeks at the optimal dose prior to screening

    • Has had at least 6 sessions of psychotherapy in this episode prior to randomization

    • Must have Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R) total score greater than or equal to (>=) 48 at the beginning of screening with no more than a 25% improvement during screening

    • Participants weighing between fifth and ninety-fifth percentile for age and sex. Obese participants greater than ninety-fifth percentile and underweight participants below fifth percentile may participate following medical clearance, as long as their baseline weight is >=30 kilograms (kg)

    • A female participant of childbearing potential must have a negative urine pregnancy test at screening and baseline

    Exclusion Criteria:
    • Has a history of liver or renal insufficiency, significant cardiac (example, congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, or tachyarrhythmias), vascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, endocrine (including uncontrolled hyperthyroidism), neurologic (including seizure disorder), hematologic, rheumatologic, psychiatric, or metabolic disturbances. Stable medical conditions are allowed

    • Has history or current diagnosis of psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, conduct disorder, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, borderline personality disorder, somatoform disorders, or fibromyalgia

    • Has a significant primary sleep disorder (example, obstructive sleep apnea, parasomnias) confirmed by polysomnography (PSG) assessment at screening for participants in subgroup, but participants with insomnia or hypersomnia disorders are allowed

    • At significant risk of committing suicide based on history or according to the investigator's experience, or based on active suicidal ideation, intent or plan, item 4 or 5 of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) within the past 3 months or a history of suicidal behavior within the last 6 months

    • Has known allergies, hypersensitivity, or intolerance to seltorexant or its excipients

    Contacts and Locations

    Locations

    Site City State Country Postal Code
    1 University of California at San Diego San Diego California United States 92103-8620
    2 Yale University New Haven Connecticut United States 06520
    3 Sarkis Clinical Trials Gainesville Florida United States 32607
    4 Segal Trials Lauderhill Florida United States 33319
    5 APG Research, LLC Orlando Florida United States 32803
    6 Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Chicago Illinois United States 60611
    7 Baber Research Group Naperville Illinois United States 60563
    8 Manhattan Behavioral Medicine New York New York United States 10036
    9 University of Cincinnati Medical Center Cincinnati Ohio United States 45219
    10 Professional Psychiatric Services West Chester Ohio United States 45069
    11 Vanderbilt University Nashville Tennessee United States 37212
    12 University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Dallas Texas United States 75390
    13 Family Psychiatry of The Woodlands The Woodlands Texas United States 77381
    14 G.Gaslini Institute Genova Italy 16147
    15 Ospedale Pediatrico Bambin Gesù Roma Italy 00165
    16 Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore - Fondazione Policlinico Universitario 'A. Gemelli' Roma Italy 00168
    17 Hosp. Sant Joan de Deu Esplugues de Llobregat Spain 08950
    18 Hosp. Gral. Univ. Gregorio Marañon Madrid Spain 28007
    19 Hosp. Univ. Ramon Y Cajal Madrid Spain 28034
    20 Hosp. Univ. Pta. de Hierro Majadahonda Majadahonda Spain 28222
    21 Corporacio Sanitari Parc Tauli Sabadell Spain 08208
    22 Skane University Hospital Lund Sweden 22185
    23 Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden 75321
    24 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Glasgow United Kingdom G12 0XH
    25 Kings College Hospital London United Kingdom SE5 9RS
    26 Greater Manchester Mental Health NHSFT Manchester United Kingdom M25 3BL
    27 Warneford Hospital, NIHR Clinical Research Facility Oxford United Kingdom OX7 3JX

    Sponsors and Collaborators

    • Janssen Research & Development, LLC

    Investigators

    • Study Director: Janssen Research & Development, LLC Clinical Trial, Janssen Research & Development, LLC

    Study Documents (Full-Text)

    None provided.

    More Information

    Publications

    None provided.
    Responsible Party:
    Janssen Research & Development, LLC
    ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
    NCT04951609
    Other Study ID Numbers:
    • CR109041
    • 2021-000567-77
    • 42847922MDD1016
    First Posted:
    Jul 7, 2021
    Last Update Posted:
    Aug 18, 2022
    Last Verified:
    Aug 1, 2022
    Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement:
    Yes
    Plan to Share IPD:
    Yes
    Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product:
    Yes
    Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product:
    No
    Additional relevant MeSH terms:

    Study Results

    No Results Posted as of Aug 18, 2022