Mood DisorderPhase 1NCT00886886
Interaction Between Reboxetine and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine: Pharmacodynamics (PD) and Pharmacokinetics (PK)
A Phase 1 study testing MDMA and Reboxetine, 8 mg in people with Mood Disorder and Substance-related Disorders, run by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland at 1 site in Switzerland.
Trial summary
MDMA releases dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine in the brain. Serotonin uptake inhibitors have been shown to interact with 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and to decrease its psychoactive and cardiovascular stimulant effects. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 45 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Mood Disorder, Substance-related Disorders, Amphetamine-related Disorders
- What is being tested?
- MDMA and Reboxetine, 8 mg
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 16 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSwitzerland
- Study dates
- Apr 2009to Mar 2010
- Phase
- Phase 1
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
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 45 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Sufficient understanding of the German language
- Subjects understand the procedures and the risks associated with the study
- Participants must be willing to adhere to the protocol and sign the consent form
- Participants must be willing to refrain from taking illicit psychoactive substances during the study.
- Participants must be willing to drink only alcohol-free liquids and no xanthine-containing liquids (such as coffee, black or green tea, red bull, chocolate) after midnight of the evening before the study session. Subjects must agree not to smoke tobacco for 1 h before and 4 hours after MDMA administration.
- Participants must be willing not to drive a traffic vehicle in the evening of the study day.
- Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test at the beginning of the study and must agree to use an effective form of birth control. Pregnancy tests are repeated before each study session.
- Body mass index: 18-25 kg/m2
Who cannot join
- Chronic or acute medical condition including clinically relevant abnormality in physical exam, laboratory values, or ECG. In particular: Hypertension (>140/90 mmHg). Personal or first-grade history of seizures. Cardiac or neurological disorder.
- Current or previous psychotic or affective disorder
- Psychotic or affective disorder in first-degree relatives
- Prior illicit drug use (except Tetrahydrocannabinol-containing products) more than 5 times or any time within the previous 2 months.
- Pregnant or nursing women.
- Participation in another clinical trial (currently or within the last 30 days)
- Use of medications that are contraindicated or otherwise interfere with the effects of the study medications (monoamine oxidase inhibitors, antidepressants, sedatives etc.)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Pharmacological Interaction Between Reboxetine and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy): Pharmacological Effects and Pharmacokinetics
MDMA releases dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine in the brain. Serotonin uptake inhibitors have been shown to interact with 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and to decrease its psychoactive and cardiovascular stimulant effects. This finding indicates that MDMA acts in part by releasing serotonin through the serotonin uptake site. However, in vitro studies show that MDMA binds more potently to the norepinephrine uptake site that to the the serotonin or dopamine uptake transporter. In addition, norepinephrine uptake site blockers such antidepressant drugs attenuate some of the behavioral effects of MDMA in animals. These preclinical data indicate that norepinephrine may also contribute to the response to MDMA in humans. To test this hypothesis this study evaluates the interacting effects of the selective norepinephrine transporter inhibitor reboxetine on the subjective and cardiovascular stimulant effects of MDMA in healthy volunteers.
Read the detailed description
The study will use a randomized double-blind cross-over design with four experimental sessions. Reboxetine (8 mg) or placebo will be administered the night before the experimental session and 1 h before the administration of MDMA (125 mg) or placebo to 16 healthy volunteers. Subjective and cardiovascular responses and plasma samples for pharmacokinetics will be repeatedly assessed throughout the experiments.
We hypothesize that the highly selective norepinephrine uptake inhibitor reboxetine will attenuate subjective and especially heart rate and blood pressure responses to MDMA. Such a result would indicate that norepinephrine is critically involved in the pharmacology of MDMA and may provide helpful in the use and development of treatments for Ecstasy intoxications.
- Being tested
- MDMA, Reboxetine, 8 mg, Placebo
- Keywords
- MDMA, norepinephrine, Ecstasy, stimulant
- Medical subject headings
- Mood Disorders, Substance-Related Disorders, Amphetamine-Related Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
MDMADrug
125 mg, single dose
Reboxetine, 8 mgDrug
two doses 12h and 2h before MDMA
PlaceboDrug
capsules identical to MDMA or Reboxetine
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Reboxetine, MDMA, Placebo | Other | Cross-over within-subjects design with all treatment conditions tested in the same subject. This design has 1 arm but two (actually 4) treatment conditions in the same subject. Receives: Drug: MDMA; Drug: Reboxetine, 8 mg; Drug: Placebo |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Effect of reboxetine on subjective responses to MDMA
Measured: 24h
Secondary outcomes (4)
Effect of reboxetine on physiological responses to MDMA
Measured: 24h
Effects of reboxetine on pharmacokinetics of MDMA
Measured: 24h
Tolerability of MDMA and reboxetine
Measured: 7 days
Effect of reboxetine on neuroendocrine responses to MDMA
Measured: 24h
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted23 Apr 2009 (estimated)
- Study startApr 2009
- Primary completionDec 2009
- Study completionMar 2010
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Mood DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University Hospital, Basel, SwitzerlandThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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 1
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 16 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Matthias E Liechti, MD, Principal investigator, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00886886
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- EKBB373/08
- Status last verified
- Jan 2013
- First submitted
- 22 Apr 2009
- Last updated
- 25 Jan 2013
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
Publications
Vizeli P, Liechti ME. Oxytocin receptor gene variations and socio-emotional effects of MDMA: A pooled analysis of controlled studies in healthy subjects. PLoS One. 2018 Jun 18;13(6):e0199384. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199384. eCollection 2018.
PubMed 29912955Hysek CM, Liechti ME. Effects of MDMA alone and after pretreatment with reboxetine, duloxetine, clonidine, carvedilol, and doxazosin on pupillary light reflex. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2012 Dec;224(3):363-76. doi: 10.1007/s00213-012-2761-6. Epub 2012 Jun 15.
PubMed 22700038
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Jan 2013. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Pharmacological Interaction Between Reboxetine and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy): Pharmacological Effects and Pharmacokinetics
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00886886
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- EKBB373/08
- Keywords
- MDMA, norepinephrine, Ecstasy, stimulant
- Phase
- Phase 1
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 16 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospital, Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Apr 2009
- Primary completion
- Dec 2009 (actual)
- Study completion
- Mar 2010 (actual)
- First posted
- 23 Apr 2009 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
MDMA releases dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine in the brain. Serotonin uptake inhibitors have been shown to interact with 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and to decrease its psychoactive and cardiovascular stimulant effects. This finding indicates that MDMA acts in part by releasing serotonin through the serotonin uptake site. However, in vitro studies show that MDMA binds more potently to the norepinephrine uptake site that to the the serotonin or dopamine uptake transporter. In addition, norepinephrine uptake site blockers such antidepressant drugs attenuate some of the behavioral effects of MDMA in animals. These preclinical data indicate that norepinephrine may also contribute to the response to MDMA in humans. To test this hypothesis this study evaluates the interacting effects of the selective norepinephrine transporter inhibitor reboxetine on the subjective and cardiovascular stimulant effects of MDMA in healthy volunteers.
Detailed description
The study will use a randomized double-blind cross-over design with four experimental sessions. Reboxetine (8 mg) or placebo will be administered the night before the experimental session and 1 h before the administration of MDMA (125 mg) or placebo to 16 healthy volunteers. Subjective and cardiovascular responses and plasma samples for pharmacokinetics will be repeatedly assessed throughout the experiments.
We hypothesize that the highly selective norepinephrine uptake inhibitor reboxetine will attenuate subjective and especially heart rate and blood pressure responses to MDMA. Such a result would indicate that norepinephrine is critically involved in the pharmacology of MDMA and may provide helpful in the use and development of treatments for Ecstasy intoxications.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Reboxetine, MDMA, Placebo | Other | Drug: MDMA, Drug: Reboxetine, 8 mg, Drug: PlaceboCross-over within-subjects design with all treatment conditions tested in the same subject. This design has 1 arm but two (actually 4) treatment conditions in the same subject. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 45 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Sufficient understanding of the German language
- Subjects understand the procedures and the risks associated with the study
- Participants must be willing to adhere to the protocol and sign the consent form
- Participants must be willing to refrain from taking illicit psychoactive substances during the study.
- Participants must be willing to drink only alcohol-free liquids and no xanthine-containing liquids (such as coffee, black or green tea, red bull, chocolate) after midnight of the evening before the study session. Subjects must agree not to smoke tobacco for 1 h before and 4 hours after MDMA administration.
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Chronic or acute medical condition including clinically relevant abnormality in physical exam, laboratory values, or ECG. In particular: Hypertension (>140/90 mmHg). Personal or first-grade history of seizures. Cardiac or neurological disorder.
- Current or previous psychotic or affective disorder
- Psychotic or affective disorder in first-degree relatives
- Prior illicit drug use (except Tetrahydrocannabinol-containing products) more than 5 times or any time within the previous 2 months.
- Pregnant or nursing women.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| MDMA125 mg, single dose | Drug | Reboxetine, MDMA, Placebo |
| Reboxetine, 8 mgtwo doses 12h and 2h before MDMA | Drug | Reboxetine, MDMA, Placebo |
| Placebocapsules identical to MDMA or Reboxetine | Drug | Reboxetine, MDMA, Placebo |
Primary outcome
Effect of reboxetine on subjective responses to MDMA
Time frame: 24h
4 secondary outcomes
Effect of reboxetine on physiological responses to MDMA
Time frame: 24h
Effects of reboxetine on pharmacokinetics of MDMA
Time frame: 24h
Tolerability of MDMA and reboxetine
Time frame: 7 days
Effect of reboxetine on neuroendocrine responses to MDMA
Time frame: 24h
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 25 Jan 2013.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 29912955Vizeli P, Liechti ME. Oxytocin receptor gene variations and socio-emotional effects of MDMA: A pooled analysis of controlled studies in healthy subjects. PLoS One. 2018 Jun 18;13(6):e0199384. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199384. eCollection 2018.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 22700038Hysek CM, Liechti ME. Effects of MDMA alone and after pretreatment with reboxetine, duloxetine, clonidine, carvedilol, and doxazosin on pupillary light reflex. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2012 Dec;224(3):363-76. doi: 10.1007/s00213-012-2761-6. Epub 2012 Jun 15.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Matthias E Liechti, MD principal investigator
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 1 study testing MDMA and Reboxetine, 8 mg in people with Mood Disorder and Substance-related Disorders, run by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland at 1 site in Switzerland.
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 8 inclusion and 7 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 25 Jan 2013. 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 Switzerland. 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. 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 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
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?
Effect of reboxetine on subjective responses to MDMA (time frame: 24h). 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 NCT00886886, 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 25 Jan 2013.