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Bipolar DisorderPhase 2NCT00376220

A Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Riluzole in Bipolar Depression

A Phase 2 study testing Riluzole in people with Bipolar Disorder, run by Johns Hopkins University at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry is conducting a research study to examine the effectiveness of riluzole in treating the depressed phase of bipolar disorder. This outpatient treatment study of medication or placebo will last 9-12 weeks. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 75 years
Conditions the study is for
Bipolar Disorder
What is being tested?
Riluzole
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
94 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
May 2004to May 2010
Phase
Phase 2
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 75 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Ages 18-75
  • Diagnosed with Bipolar I or II disorder and currently depressed
  • Tried at least one antidepressant during the current episode of depression
  • Currently taking either lithium, depakote, or tegretol
  • Currently in outpatient treatment with a psychiatrist

Who cannot join

  • Current psychotic symptoms
  • Women who are pregnant or nursing
  • Any serious, uncontrolled medical illness
  • History of liver problems
  • Current or past blood diseases
  • Current drug or alcohol abuse
  • Currently receiving Electroconvulsive Shock Therapy (ECT)
  • Judged to be at serious suicidal risk

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Johns Hopkins

    Baltimore, Maryland, 21205

Other trials in United States

About this study

The Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry is conducting a research study to examine the effectiveness of riluzole in treating the depressed phase of bipolar disorder. This outpatient treatment study of medication or placebo will last 9-12 weeks. The study includes medical and psychiatric evaluations as well as time-limited medication treatment at no cost, and you will be compensated for your participation.

Read the detailed description

The study will last 8 to 12 weeks and requires weekly visits. Participants will come to Johns Hopkins for a screening visit during which they will talk with a psychiatrist, answer questions about their mood and symptoms, have their blood drawn and have a brief physical exam. If they meet criteria for the study, any antidepressant medication that they are taking will be tapered and stopped before beginning study medications. Participation in the study includes free study medication, labs, and testing plus reimbursement for transportation. Participants will also be paid and after the study referred back to their treating psychiatrist with treatment recommendations.

Being tested
Riluzole, Placebo
Keywords
Bipolar, Depression
Medical subject headings
Bipolar Disorder, Depression

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • RiluzoleDrug

    Also called Rilutek

    Initially dispensed 50 mg capsules to take twice a day (BID). At two weeks, increase dose to 50 mg/100 mg. At four weeks increase to 100 mg BID (two capsules in the morning (qAM), two capsules in the evening (qHS). If significant side effects occur (at any time), titration can be slowed and doses can be reduced to a minimum daily dose of 50 mg/day, after which titration may resume by no more than 50 mg a week. Subjects who are unable to tolerate the minimal daily dose permitted in the study will be discontinued from further participation. In addition, if clinical remission is observed at a lower dose of study medication (defined as Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) < 12) the dose will not be increased further unless clinical symptoms recur.

  • PlaceboOther

    Initially dispensed 50mg capsules to take BID. At two weeks increase dose to 50 mg/100 mg. At four weeks increase to 100 mg BID (two capsules qAM, two capsules qHS). If significant side effects occur (at any time), titration can be slowed and doses can be reduced to a minimum daily dose of 50 mg/day, after which titration may resume by no more than 50 mg a week. Subjects who are unable to tolerate the minimal daily dose permitted in the study will be discontinued from further participation. In addition, if clinical remission is observed at a lower dose of study medication (defined as MADRS < 12) the dose will not be increased further unless clinical symptoms recur.

Study groups in NCT00376220
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
1ExperimentalDrug: Riluzole Initially dispensed 50 mg capsules to take twice a day (BID). At two weeks, increase dose to 50 mg/100 mg. At four weeks increase to 100 mg BID (two capsules in the morning (qAM), two capsules in the evening (qHS). If significant side effects occur (at any time), titration can be slowed and doses can be reduced to a minimum daily dose of 50 mg/day, after which titration may resume by no more than 50 mg a week. Subjects who are unable to tolerate the minimal daily dose permitted in the study will be discontinued from further participation. In addition, if clinical remission is observed at a lower dose of study medication (defined as Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) < 12) the dose will not be increased further unless clinical symptoms recur. Other Names: • Rilutek
Receives: Drug: Riluzole
2Placebo comparatorInitially dispensed 50mg capsules to take BID. At two weeks increase dose to 50 mg/100 mg. At four weeks increase to 100 mg BID (two capsules qAM, two capsules qHS). If significant side effects occur (at any time), titration can be slowed and doses can be reduced to a minimum daily dose of 50 mg/day, after which titration may resume by no more than 50 mg a week. Subjects who are unable to tolerate the minimal daily dose permitted in the study will be discontinued from further participation. In addition, if clinical remission is observed at a lower dose of study medication (defined as MADRS < 12) the dose will not be increased further unless clinical symptoms recur.
Receives: Other: Placebo

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Mean Change in the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) Total Score From Baseline to the End of 8 Weeks of Therapy.

    The Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale measures symptoms of depression (MADRS) is a semi-structured interview rating scale for depression that assesses 10 symptoms. The scale is composed of 10 questions with a fixed 7 point scale (0-6). Total score ranges from 0-60. A higher score indicates more depressive symptoms. MADRS Response will be defined as a > 50% reduction in MADRS score from baseline.

    Measured: 8 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted14 Sep 2006 (estimated)
  2. Study startMay 2004
  3. Primary completionMay 2010
  4. Study completionMay 2010

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
94 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00376220
Sponsor's protocol ID
04-04-23-10
Status last verified
Feb 2017
First submitted
13 Sep 2006
Last updated
11 Apr 2017
Data monitoring committee
Yes
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Zarate CA Jr, Quiroz JA, Singh JB, Denicoff KD, De Jesus G, Luckenbaugh DA, Charney DS, Manji HK. An open-label trial of the glutamate-modulating agent riluzole in combination with lithium for the treatment of bipolar depression. Biol Psychiatry. 2005 Feb 15;57(4):430-2. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2004.11.023.

    PubMed 15705360
  • Zarate CA Jr, Payne JL, Quiroz J, Sporn J, Denicoff KK, Luckenbaugh D, Charney DS, Manji HK. An open-label trial of riluzole in patients with treatment-resistant major depression. Am J Psychiatry. 2004 Jan;161(1):171-4. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.161.1.171.

    PubMed 14702270

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing Riluzole in people with Bipolar Disorder, run by Johns Hopkins University at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Apr 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 11 Apr 2017). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Mean Change in the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) Total Score From Baseline to the End of 8 Weeks of Therapy. (time frame: 8 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00376220, which also lists 2 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Apr 2017.

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