AzTrials
AzTrials

Treatment Resistant Depressive DisorderPhase 3NCT02556606

Ketamine for Treatment Resistant Late-Life Depression

A Phase 3 study testing Ketamine and Midazolam in people with Treatment Resistant Depressive Disorder, run by VA Office of Research and Development 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
Search all trials

Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a single infusion of ketamine (KET), to determine which dose is optimal 7 days after infusion using Bayesian Adaptive Randomization, and to learn about how ketamine works in the body and brain in persons with late-life treatment resistant depression. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 55 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Treatment Resistant Depressive Disorder
What is being tested?
Ketamine and Midazolam
Type of treatment
Injection or infusion
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
33 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
1 Oct 2015to 31 Mar 2020
Phase
Phase 3
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 55 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Male or female patients, 55 years of age,
  • Participants must fulfill DSM 5 criteria for a Major Depressive Episode (Unipolar), based on a structured diagnostic interview, the DSM 5 M.I.N.I. 7.0
  • Participants must have a history of at least one previous episode of depression prior to the current episode (recurrent MDD) or have chronic MDD (of at least two years' duration),
  • Participants have not responded to two or more adequate trials of FDA-approved antidepressants, determined by Antidepressant Treatment Response Questionnaire (ATRQ) criteria.
  • Participants must score 14 or greater on the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Report (QIDS-SR), and score 27 on the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS),
  • Each participant must have a level of understanding sufficient to agree to all tests and examinations required by the protocol and must sign an informed consent document.

Who cannot join

  • Patients currently on fluoxetine,
  • History of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or any psychotic disorder, or bipolar disorder,
  • Documented history of a psychotic disorder in a first-degree relative,
  • Current diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or eating disorder [bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa],
  • Alcohol or substance use [except nicotine] within the preceding 6 months,
  • Patients with any clinically significant personality disorder that would, in the investigator's judgment, preclude safe study participation,
Show all 21Show fewer
  • Patients judged to be at serious and imminent suicidal or homicidal risk,
  • Serious, unstable medical illnesses including respiratory [obstructive sleep apnea, or history of difficulty with airway management during previous anesthetics], cardiovascular [including ischemic heart disease and uncontrolled hypertension], and neurologic [including history of severe head injury],
  • For study entry, patients must be reasonable medical candidates for ketamine or midazolam infusion, as determined by a board-certified physician co-investigator during study Screening,
  • Clinically significant abnormal findings of laboratory parameters [including urine toxicology screen for drugs of abuse], physical examination, or ECG,
  • Hypertension (systolic BP >160 mm Hg or diastolic BP >90 mm Hg),
  • Patients with one or more 11 seizures without a clear and resolved etiology,
  • Patients starting hormonal treatment (e.g., estrogen) in the 3 months prior to Screening,
  • Past intolerance or hypersensitivity to ketamine, or history of recreational use of phencyclidine (PCP) or ketamine,
  • Past intolerance or hypersensitivity to midazolam,
  • Age-related cognitive decline or mild dementia suggested by a score of < 25 on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) at Screening,
  • Patients taking medications with known activity at the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA) or AMPA glutamate receptor [e.g., riluzole, amantadine, lamotrigine, memantine, topiramate, dextromethorphan, D-cycloserine], or the muopioid receptor,
  • Patients taking any of the following medications: St John's Wort, theophylline, tramadol, metrizamide,
  • Patients who demonstrate > 25% decrease in depressive symptoms as reflected by the QIDS-SR score from Screening to Randomization,
  • Patients who have received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the past 6 months prior to Screening,
  • Patients currently receiving treatment with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) or repetitive transcranial stimulation (rTMS).

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX

    Houston, Texas, 77030

Other trials in United States

About this study

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a single infusion of ketamine (KET), to determine which dose is optimal 7 days after infusion using Bayesian Adaptive Randomization, and to learn about how ketamine works in the body and brain in persons with late-life treatment resistant depression.

Read the detailed description

Primary Aim: To identify the best performing condition across a single intravenous infusion of ketamine (KET) 0.1 mg/kg, KET 0.25 mg/kg, KET 0.50 mg/kg) and midazolam (MID) 0.03 mg/kg on Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) treatment response (at least a 50% improvement in depression from baseline) 7 days after the infusion in up to 72 Veterans with Late-Life Treatment Resistant Depression (LL-TRD) , using a triple blind (patient, rater, anesthesiologist) Bayesian adaptive randomization design.

Hypothesis 1: Single KET 0.5 mg/kg infusion is superior to KET 0.1 mg/kg, KET 0.25 mg/kg, and MID 0.03 mg/kg measured by the proportion of participants demonstrating > 50% reduction on MADRS scores 7 days post-treatment.

Secondary Aim: To evaluate the durability of day 7 treatment response across 3 sub-anesthetic doses of a single KET (0.1 mg/kg, 0.25 mg/kg, and 0.50 mg/kg) and MID (0.03 mg/kg) infusion in veterans with LL-TRD during a 4 week follow-up.

Hypothesis 2: a single KET 0.5 mg/kg infusion will be superior to a single infusion of KET 0.1 mg/kg, KET 0.25 mg/kg, and MID 0.03 mg/kg as measured by the proportion of participants demonstrating > 50% reduction on MADRS scores at 28 days post-infusion.

Tertiary Aim: To evaluate the immediate and longer-term safety and tolerability of the most effective KET infusion relative to MID in vets with LL-TRD.

Hypothesis 3: KET infusion at the most effective dose will be safe and well tolerated compared to MID, as assessed by psychoactive and general side effect rating scales during and up to 4 weeks post study infusion.

Exploratory Aims:

  1. To measure the effects of the most effective dose of KET relative to MID on neurocognitive performance.
  2. To measure the effects the most effective dose of KET relative to MID on peripheral biomarkers of cellular plasticity and inflammation.
  3. To measure the effects the most effective dose of KET relative to MID on resting-state quantitative electroencephalography.
Being tested
Ketamine, Midazolam
Keywords
ketamine, depression, treatment resistant, treatment resistant depression, late life depression, depression in the elderly, geriatric depression
Medical subject headings
Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant, Depression

What participants receive

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

  • KetamineDrug

    randomly assigned to a single 40 min infusion of either KET 0.1mg/Kg

  • KetamineDrug

    randomly assigned to a single 40 min infusion of either KET 0.25mg/Kg

  • KetamineDrug

    randomly assigned to a single 40 min infusion of either KET 0.50mg/Kg

  • MidazolamDrug

    single 40 min infusion of MID 0.03mg/Kg

Study groups in NCT02556606
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Ketamine 0.10 mg/kgExperimentalrandomly assigned to a single 40 min infusion of either KET 0.1mg/Kg
Receives: Drug: Ketamine
Ketamine 0.25 mg/kgExperimentalrandomly assigned to a single 40 min infusion of either KET 0.25mg/Kg
Receives: Drug: Ketamine
Ketamine 0.50 mg/kgExperimentalrandomly assigned to a single 40 min infusion of either KET 0.50mg/Kg
Receives: Drug: Ketamine
Midazolam 0.03 mg/kgActive comparatorrandomly assigned to a single 40 min infusion of either MID 0.03mg/Kg
Receives: Drug: Midazolam

What is being measured

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

  1. Percentage of Participants Demonstrating at Least a 50% Reduction on Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale Scores

    To determine the best performing intervention among three sub-anesthetic doses of a single ketamine (0.1 mg/kg, 0.25 mg/kg, and 0.50 mg/kg) and midazolam (0.03 mg/kg) in Veterans with LL-TRD as measured by the percentage of participants demonstrating at least a 50% reduction from pre-treatment baseline on Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS; score range 0 - 60, higher scores meaning more severe depression) scores at 7 days post-infusion.

    Measured: Day 7 post-infusion

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Percentage of Patients With Continuation From Day 7 to Day 28 Post-infusion of at Least a 50% Improvement in MADRS

    Patients with a day 7 treatment response (at least a 50% improvement from baseline in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS]) are followed until day 28 post-infusion; day 7 non-responders are not followed. Outcome measure is the percentage of patients who continue to be responder at day 28, and is interpreted as a measure of durability of efficacy.

    Measured: 28 days post-infusion follow-up

Timeline

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

  1. First posted22 Sep 2015 (estimated)
  2. Study start1 Oct 2015
  3. Primary completion31 Mar 2020
  4. Study completion31 Mar 2020

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 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
We use a Bayesian, adaptive, randomized design initially allocating subjects to 2 arms in a 1:3 ratio: ARM 1: MID 0.03 mg/kg (active placebo); ARM 2: four conditions KET 0.1 mg/kg, KET 0.25 mg/kg, KET 0.5 mg/kg or MID 0.03 mg/kg. After 1:1:1:1 allocation of the first 20 subjects to ARM 2, Bayesian adaptive randomization may stop for superiority, change randomization ratios and/or prune arms for futility based on the probability of a day 7 treatment response. ARM 1 remains open for allocation to ensure a placebo group sufficiently large for comparison with best dose KET. For analyses, MID of ARM 1 and ARM 2 will be combined so that there are 4 conditions (or arms) for final statistical analyses. We expected to enroll a maximum 72 patients.
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
33 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02556606
Sponsor's protocol ID
CLNA-001-14F
Status last verified
Dec 2021
First submitted
25 Jun 2015
Last updated
11 Jan 2022
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Vekhova KA, Namiot ED, Jonsson J, Schioth HB. Ketamine and Esketamine in Clinical Trials: FDA-Approved and Emerging Indications, Trial Trends With Putative Mechanistic Explanations. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2025 Feb;117(2):374-386. doi: 10.1002/cpt.3478. Epub 2024 Oct 20.

    PubMed 39428602
  • Murphy N, Lijffijt M, Ramakrishnan N, Vo-Le B, Vo-Le B, Iqbal S, Iqbal T, O'Brien B, Smith MA, Swann AC, Mathew SJ. Does mismatch negativity have utility for NMDA receptor drug development in depression? Braz J Psychiatry. 2022 Jan-Feb;44(1):61-73. doi: 10.1590/1516-4446-2020-1685.

    PubMed 33825765

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 3 study testing Ketamine and Midazolam in people with Treatment Resistant Depressive Disorder, run by VA Office of Research and Development 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 6 inclusion and 21 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 Jan 2022. 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. 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 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.

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 9 Aug 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?

Percentage of Participants Demonstrating at Least a 50% Reduction on Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale Scores (time frame: Day 7 post-infusion). 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 NCT02556606, 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 Jan 2022.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in