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Phobic DisordersPhase 2NCT02432703

A Safety and Efficacy Study of JNJ-42165279 in Participants With Social Anxiety Disorder

A Phase 2 study testing JNJ-42165279 in people with Phobic Disorders, run by Janssen Research & Development, LLC at 21 sites in 3 countries.

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 purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of JNJ-42165279 during 12 weeks of treatment in participants with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 64 years
Conditions the study is for
Phobic Disorders
What is being tested?
JNJ-42165279
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
150 participants
Where
21 sitesin 3 countries
Study dates
11 Jun 2015to 9 Aug 2018
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 64 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Must have a primary DSM-5 diagnosis of Social anxiety disorder (SAD) except those with performance only as a specifier. Participants with a diagnosis of comorbid Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) or Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) may be included if the Investigator considers SAD to be the predominant diagnosis. Participants with current or lifetime history of Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and specific phobia may be included as well
  • Must have a Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale score greater than or equal (>=) 70 at Screening and Baseline
  • Participants with a current episode of MDD must have a HDRS17 total score less than or equal to (<=) 18
  • Must have a body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 35 kilogram per meter square (kg/m^2), inclusive, at screening
  • Female participants must be either postmenopausal or surgically sterile

Who cannot join

  • Participants who have performance only SAD are excluded. Participants with other current significant psychiatric condition(s) (Axis 1 under DSM-IV), including, but not limited to, MDD with psychotic features (lifetime), bipolar disorder (including lifetime diagnosis), obsessive-compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder, eating disorder (e.g., bulimia, anorexia nervosa), autism spectrum disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or schizophrenia are excluded. Participants with a diagnosis of comorbid GAD or MDD may be included
  • Participants is currently receiving specific psychotherapy for SAD
  • Has a history of more than two unsuccessful adequate pharmacological treatment trials for SAD, defined as lack of response to at least 10 weeks of treatment at adequate doses (e.g., paroxetine >= 40 milligram per day (mg/day) or its equivalent; or clonazepam >= 2.5 mg/day or its equivalent)
  • Concurrent use of psychotropic medications
  • has a history of or current thyroid disease, thyroid dysfunction and is currently untreated for it

Trial locations and contacts

21 sites in 3 countries.

21 sites in 3 countries

United States13 sites
  • Study site

    Allentown, Pennsylvania

  • Study site

    Boston, Massachusetts

  • Study site

    Chicago, Illinois

  • Study site

    Dallas, Texas

  • Study site

    Hartford, Connecticut

  • Study site

    La Jolla, California

  • Study site

    Natick, Massachusetts

  • Study site

    New York, New York

  • Study site

    Orlando, Florida

  • Study site

    Reading, Pennsylvania

  • Study site

    Rochester, New York

  • Study site

    Salt Lake City, Utah

  • Study site

    Staten Island, New York

Other trials in United States

Australia4 sites
  • Study site

    Adelaide

  • Study site

    Frankston

  • Study site

    Melbourne

  • Study site

    Perth

Other trials in Australia

Canada4 sites
  • Study site

    Edmonton, Alberta

  • Study site

    Hamilton, Ontario

  • Study site

    Mississauga, Ontario

  • Study site

    Toronto, Ontario

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Official title: A Phase 2a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group, Multi-center Study Investigating the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of JNJ-42165279 in Subjects With Social Anxiety Disorder.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of JNJ-42165279 during 12 weeks of treatment in participants with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD).

Read the detailed description

This is a Phase 2a randomized (study drug assigned by chance), double-blind (neither the Investigator nor the participants know about the study intervention), placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multi-center study of JNJ-42165279 in participants with social anxiety disorder. Participants will receive 25 milligram (mg) JNJ-42165279 or matching placebo orally once-daily from Day 1 up to 12 weeks. Participants will primarily be assessed for the change from baseline in Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) at Week 12. Safety will be monitored throughout the study.

Being tested
JNJ-42165279, Placebo
Keywords
Social Anxiety Disorder, JNJ-42165279
Medical subject headings
Phobic Disorders, Phobia, Social

What participants receive

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

  • JNJ-42165279Drug

    Participants will receive 25 milligram (mg) JNJ-42165279 orally once-daily from Day 1 up to 12 weeks.

  • PlaceboDrug

    Participants will receive a matching placebo orally once-daily from Day 1 up to 12 weeks.

Study groups in NCT02432703
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
JNJ-42165279ExperimentalParticipants will receive 25 milligram (mg) JNJ-42165279 orally once-daily from Day 1 up to 12 weeks.
Receives: Drug: JNJ-42165279
PlaceboPlacebo comparatorParticipants will receive a matching placebo orally once-daily from Day 1 up to 12 weeks.
Receives: Drug: Placebo

What is being measured

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

  1. Change From Baseline in Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) Total Score

    The LSAS is a 24-item, semi-structured interview on the severity of Social Anxiety Disorder. The LSAS separately assesses fear and avoidance of 24 social situations. The scale is divided into 2 subscales, 13 situations concerning performance anxiety, and 11 situations pertaining to social situations. The 24 items are first rated on a Likert Scale from 0 to 3 on fear felt during the situations (0=none, 1=mild, 2=moderate, 3= severe), and then the same items are rated regarding avoidance of the situation (0=never, 1=occasionally, 2=often, 3=usually) with higher scores indicating greater social anxiety. The LSAS fear/anxiety and avoidance subscale was calculated by summing the 24 fear/anxiety and avoidance item scores of the LSAS, and ranges from 0 to 72. Combining the total scores for the Fear and Avoidance sections provides an overall score with a maximum of 144 points and a minimum of 0 points. Higher scores indicated higher probability of social anxiety disorder (SAD).

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

Secondary outcomes (10)
  1. Change From Baseline in LSAS Fear/Anxiety and Avoidance Subscales

    The LSAS is a 24-item, semi-structured interview on the severity of Social Anxiety Disorder. The LSAS separately assesses fear and avoidance of 24 social situations. The scale is divided into 2 subscales, 13 situations concerning performance anxiety, and 11 situations pertaining to social situations. The 24 items are first rated on a Likert Scale from 0 to 3 on fear felt during the situations (0=none, 1=mild, 2=moderate, 3= severe), and then the same items are rated regarding avoidance of the situation (0=never, 1=occasionally, 2=often, 3=usually). Combining the total scores for the Fear and Avoidance sections provides an overall score with a maximum of 144 points and a minimum of 0 points. Higher scores indicated higher probability of SAD. The LSAS fear/anxiety and avoidance subscale was calculated by summing the 24 fear/anxiety and avoidance item scores of the LSAS, and ranges from 0 to 72.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  2. Percentage of Participants With Greater Than or Equal to (>=) 50 Percent (%) Improvement From Baseline (Responders) on LSAS Total Score

    Responders are participants with >= 50% improvement from baseline. The LSAS scale consists of 24 items which are divided into 2 subscales that address social interactional (11 items) and performance (13 items) situations. The 24 items are first rated on a Likert Scale from 0 to 3 on fear felt during the situations (0=none, 1=mild, 2=moderate, 3= severe), and then the same items are rated regarding avoidance of the situation (0=never, 1=occasionally, 2=often, 3=usually) with higher scores indicating greater social anxiety. The LSAS fear and avoidance subscale was calculated by summing the 24 fear/anxiety and avoidance item scores of the LSAS, and ranges from 0 to 72. Combining the total scores for the Fear and Avoidance sections provides an overall score with a maximum of 144 points and a minimum of 0 points. Higher scores indicated higher probability of SAD.

    Measured: Week 12

  3. Percentage of Participants With >=30% Improvement From Baseline (Remitters) on LSAS Total Score

    Remitters are participants with >= 30% improvement from baseline on LSAS total score. The LSAS scale consists of 24 items which are divided into 2 subscales that address social interactional (11 items) and performance (13 items) situations. The 24 items are first rated on a Likert Scale from 0 to 3 on fear felt during the situations (0=none, 1=mild, 2=moderate, 3= severe), and then the same items are rated regarding avoidance of the situation (0=never, 1=occasionally, 2=often, 3=usually) with higher scores indicating greater social anxiety. The LSAS fear and avoidance subscale was calculated by summing the 24 fear/anxiety and avoidance item scores of the LSAS, and ranges from 0 to 72. Combining the total scores for the Fear and Avoidance sections provides an overall score with a maximum of 144 points and a minimum of 0 points. Higher scores indicated higher probability of SAD.

    Measured: Week 12

  4. Change From Baseline in Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (SIGH-A) Total Score

    The SIGH-A was included to determine the frequency and severity of signs and symptoms of anxiety, including participants with comorbid generalized anxiety disorders (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), and determine both their influence on treatment and their responsiveness to treatment. The SIGH-A scale consists of 14 items with a score of 0 to 4. Higher scores indicated higher severity (0-absent, 1-mild, 2-moderate, 3-severe, 4-incapacitating). The SIGH-A total score was calculated by summing the 14 item scores, and ranges from 0 to 56. Higher scores indicated worse results.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  5. Change From Baseline in Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM)-A6 Score

    The HAM-A6 is a 6-item subscale derived from the original Hamilton Anxiety scale (HAM-A). It comprises of five psychic anxiety symptoms: anxious mood, psychic tension, fears, intellectual disturbances, and anxious behavior observed at the interview, as well as one somatic item, muscular tension. Each of the 6 items is rated by the clinician on a 5-point scale ranging from 0 (not present) to 4 (maximum degree). The HAM-A6 score was calculated by summing the 6 item scores, and ranges from 0 to 24. Higher scores indicated greater severity of symptoms.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  6. Change From Baseline in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS)-17 Total Score

    The HDRS-17 is a clinician-administered rating scale designed to assess the severity of symptoms in participants diagnosed with depression with a score range of 0 to 52. Each of the 17 items is rated by the clinician on either a 3-point (0 to 2) or a 5-point scale (0 to 4). The point scale used a rating of 0 (absent), 1 (doubtful to mild), 2 (mild to moderate), 3 (moderate to severe), and 4 (very severe). A total score (0 to 52) was calculated by adding the scores of all 17 items. For each item as well as the total score, a higher score represents a more severe condition.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  7. Change From Baseline in HDRS17 Anxiety/Somatization Factor Total Score

    The HDRS17 anxiety/somatization factor derived from Cleary and Guy's factor analysis of the HDRS17 scale, includes six items from the original 17-item version: the items for psychic anxiety, somatic anxiety, gastrointestinal somatic symptoms, general somatic symptoms, hypochondriasis, and insight. Each of these items is rated by the clinician on either a 3-point (0 to 2) or a 5-point scale (0 to 4). The point scale used a rating of 0 (absent), 1 (doubtful to mild), 2 (mild to moderate), 3 (moderate to severe), and 4 (very severe). HDRS17 anxiety/somatization factor total score was calculated as the sum of the 6 item scores ranging from 0 to 18. Higher scores indicated greater severity of symptoms.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  8. Change From Baseline in HAM-D6 Total Score

    A 6-item subscale from the HDRS17 (HAM-D6) was analyzed as it had been shown to be a uni-dimensional scale that provided information to core depressive symptoms and was sensitive to treatment response. The six items were: depressed mood, guilt feelings, work and interests, psychomotor retardation, psychic anxiety, and general somatics (tiredness and pains). Each of these items is rated by the clinician on either a 3-point (0 to 2) or a 5-point scale (0 to 4). The point scale used a rating of 0 (absent), 1 (doubtful to mild), 2 (mild to moderate), 3 (moderate to severe), and 4 (very severe). General somatics is scored 0 to 2 and all others are scored 0 to 4. The HAM-D6 total score was calculated by summing the 6 items scores, and ranges from 0 to 22. Higher scores indicated greater severity of core symptoms.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  9. Percentage of Participants With Change From Baseline in Clinical Global Impression- Improvement (CGI-I) Score

    The CGI-I is a 7-point scale that requires the clinician to assess how much the participant's illness has improved or worsened relative to a baseline state at the beginning of the intervention. The CGI-I is rated as: 1=very much improved; 2=much improved; 3=minimally improved; 4=no change; 5=minimally worse; 6=much worse; 7=very much worse. Percentage of participants with change from baseline (very much improved or much improved and Worsening or no change) in CGI-I score were reported.

    Measured: Week 12

  10. Percentage of Participants With >=50% Improvement From Baseline (Responders) in SIGH-A Total Score

    Responders are participants with >= 50% improvement from baseline in SIGH-A total score. The SIGH-A scale consists of 14 items with a score of 0 to 4. Higher scores indicated higher severity (0-absent, 1-mild, 2-moderate, 3 severe, 4-incapacitating). The SIGH-A total score was calculated by summing the 14 item scores, and ranges from 0 to 56. Higher scores indicated worse results.

    Measured: Baseline, Week 12

Timeline

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

  1. First posted4 May 2015 (estimated)
  2. Study start11 Jun 2015
  3. Primary completion9 Aug 2018
  4. Study completion9 Aug 2018

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
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator
Enrolment
150 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02432703
Sponsor's protocol ID
CR106641
Other IDs
42165279SAX2001, 2014-004258-32, 2014
Status last verified
Apr 2025
First submitted
29 Apr 2015
Last updated
29 Apr 2025
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No

Publications

  • Schmidt ME, Liebowitz MR, Stein MB, Grunfeld J, Van Hove I, Simmons WK, Van Der Ark P, Palmer JA, Saad ZS, Pemberton DJ, Van Nueten L, Drevets WC. The effects of inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) by JNJ-42165279 in social anxiety disorder: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled proof-of-concept study. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2021 Apr;46(5):1004-1010. doi: 10.1038/s41386-020-00888-1. Epub 2020 Oct 18.

    PubMed 33070154

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing JNJ-42165279 in people with Phobic Disorders, run by Janssen Research & Development, LLC at 21 sites in 3 countries.

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 5 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 29 Apr 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 21 sites in United States, Australia, Canada. 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 2 Sep 2021). 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?

Change From Baseline in Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) Total Score (time frame: Baseline and Week 12). 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 NCT02432703, which also lists 1 linked publication.

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 29 Apr 2025.

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