HNK: (2R,6R)-Hydroxynorketamine for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain

Sponsor

Rush University Medical Center (Other)

Overall Status

Not yet recruiting

CT.gov ID

NCT05864053

Collaborator

Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (U.S. Fed)

Enrollment

Location

Arms

Anticipated Duration (Months)

0.7

Patients Per Site Per Month

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

The goal of this randomized double blind three way (1:1:1) cross over clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness and duration of analgesia of a single infusion of (2R,6R)-HNK 0.5mg/kg compared with ketamine 0.5mg/kg and saline with a 5-week interval between treatments on pain, pain qualities, physical function, pain interference, sleep disturbance and quality of life in subjects with neuropathic pain of the extremities.

The questions that this study will address are:

What is the analgesic efficacy of (2R,6R)-HNK on pain intensity and pain qualities in patients with chronic (>3 month) neuropathic pain (NP).
What will be the effective duration of a single infusion of (2R,6R)-HNK in patients with NP.
Will (2R,6R)-HNK reduce pain related effects including interference in daily activities of life, sleep disturbances and change the qualities of pain reported by patients.

Participants will receive each of the three study drugs in a random order at 5-week intervals over a 15 week period. The drug will be administered as a 45-minute infusion.

Participants will complete quantitative sensory and pain evaluations and complete patient reported pain outcomes prior to receiving the first study drug and at 7, 14 and 21 and 35 days following study drug administration.

Condition or Disease	Intervention/Treatment	Phase
Pain, Neuropathic	Drug: Ketamine Drug: (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine Drug: Saline	Phase 1/Phase 2

Detailed Description

Adult patients (18 to 80 years) with an established diagnosis of chronic (> 3 month) neuropathic pain (NP) of the extremities will be identified and screened for study inclusion. After informed consent is obtained, subject will be randomized into a (2R,6R)-HNK (H), ketamine (K) or saline (S) infusion groups for each of the study drug administration periods. The group sequences for the infusions will be: KSH, HSK, KHS, SKH and HKS and each group will contain 5 subjects at each sequence. Study subjects will be evaluated for at least 7 days prior to the first treatment and for 35 days following each treatment. Researchers involved in the subject's care and assessments will be blinded to group allocation. Safety will be assessed throughout the study. Baseline safety assessments will include height, body mass index (BMI), weight, temperature, medical, visual and ocular history, physical examinations, and vital signs (VS). Prior to study commencement and 28 days after each drug infusion a blood chemistry panel, liver function tests (LFT), a complete blood count (CBC) and a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) will be obtained. A pretreatment quantitative pain evaluation will assess overall pain level, pain tolerance, pinprick hyperalgesia, touch, brush and cold allodynia. Patients will be maintained on their current scheduled analgesic regimen during the study and instructed to use on-demand analgesic only as needed.

Study Design

Study Type:

Interventional

Anticipated Enrollment :

25 participants

Allocation:

Randomized

Intervention Model:

Crossover Assignment

Intervention Model Description:

Randomized double blind three way (1:1:1) cross over clinical trialRandomized double blind three way (1:1:1) cross over clinical trial

Masking:

Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking Description:

Double-blind

Primary Purpose:

Treatment

Official Title:

(2R,6R)-Hydroxynorketamine a Novel Therapeutic Analgesic for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain: A Randomized Double Blind Cross-Over Trial.

Anticipated Study Start Date :

Jan 1, 2024

Anticipated Primary Completion Date :

Dec 1, 2026

Anticipated Study Completion Date :

Dec 1, 2026

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/Treatment
Active Comparator: Ketamine Ketamine 0.5mg/kg 45 minute infusion x 1	Drug: Ketamine Ketamine will be administered over a 45-minute period.
Experimental: (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine 0.5mg/kg 45 minute infusion x 1	Drug: (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine (2R,6R)-Hydroxynorketamine hydrochloride will be administered over a 45-minute period.
Placebo Comparator: Saline Saline 45 minute infusion x 1	Drug: Saline Saline will be administered over a 45-minute period.

Arm

Intervention/Treatment

Active Comparator: Ketamine

Ketamine 0.5mg/kg 45 minute infusion x 1

Drug: Ketamine

Ketamine will be administered over a 45-minute period.

Experimental: (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine

(2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine 0.5mg/kg 45 minute infusion x 1

Drug: (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine

(2R,6R)-Hydroxynorketamine hydrochloride will be administered over a 45-minute period.

Placebo Comparator: Saline

Saline 45 minute infusion x 1

Drug: Saline

Saline will be administered over a 45-minute period.

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

Pain intensity [35 days]
Area under the pain by time curve

Secondary Outcome Measures

Pain qualities [35 days]
Change in the AUC's of T-metric score for pain qualities from the PROMIS neuropathic pain qualities questionnaire
PainDETECT questionnaire screening scores [5 weeks]
Assessing weekly change in PainDETECT screening scores. PainDETECT is a patient-reported pain qualities assessment tool developed to screen for neuropathic pain. The assessment scale is scored from -1 to 38. Total scores of 12 or less indicates nociceptive pain, 13-18 represent possible neuropathic pain, and >19 represents >90% likelihood of neuropathic pain.
Analgesic consumption [5 weeks]
Weekly analgesic consumption quantified using the MQS III

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years to 75 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Inclusion Criteria:

Adult patients (18 to 80 years) with an established diagnosis of chronic (> 3 month) NP of the extremities.
Presence of NP as determined at screening using the 10 item Neuropathic Pain Questionnaire (DN4), with a score of ≥4 required for study inclusion.
Ability to read and write English sufficiently to complete study related procedures.
A body mass index (BMI) (weight [kg]/height[m ]) between 18 and 35 kg/m (inclusive) and weighs between 50 kg and 120 kg (110 - 264 pounds).
Blood pressure with subject is in a supine position for approximately 5 minutes between 90 and 145 mmHg systolic and no higher than 90 mmHg diastolic at baseline.
A 12-lead ECG with no clinically significant abnormality as judged by the Investigator and QTc interval ≤ 450 milliseconds at baseline.
Resting pulse rate between 45 and 100 beats per minute.
Clinical laboratory findings and liver function tests within the normal range, or if outside of the normal ranges, deemed not clinically significant in the opinion of the PI.
Agree to provide written informed consent and comply with the rules regarding consumption of alcohol, caffeinated beverages, and tobacco/nicotine products during the study.
Patients may be taking scheduled or as needed medications for their chronic neuropathic pain and agree to continue taking the scheduled medications throughout the study period.
If the subject experiences pain relief they may elect not to take as needed medications.

Exclusion Criteria:

Subjects with suspected increased intracranial or intraocular pressure.
Subjects that have previously received ketamine for the treatment of a chronic pain diagnoses.
Previous or current participation in any clinical study with an investigational drug, device, or biologic within 30 days.
Subjects with severe medical illness including (but not limited to) hepatic, cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, hematologic, endocrine, gastrointestinal, immunologic, dermatologic, neurologic, oncologic, or psychiatric disease that in the opinion of the PI would endanger the safety of the subject or the validity of the study results.
Clinically significant acute illness in the 2 weeks prior to dosing.
Inability to effectively communicate with research staff.
Subjects with known liver disease.
Widespread pain or a diagnosis of fibromyalgia.
Current diagnosis of mental illness.
Pregnancy.
Allergy to ketamine or any study drug.
Consumption of beverages or food that contain alcohol, grapefruit, poppy seeds, Brussel sprouts, pomegranate, broccoli, char-grilled meat within 2 days prior to drug administration.
Use of tobacco or nicotine-containing products within 4 weeks prior to drug administration.
Poor peripheral venous access.
Subjects in the opinion of the PI should not participate in the study.