Safety and Efficacy of AVP-923 in PBA Patients With ALS or MS (STAR)

This study has been completed.
Sponsor:
Collaborator:
INC Research
Information provided by:
Avanir Pharmaceuticals
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT00573443
First received: December 13, 2007
Last updated: June 24, 2011
Last verified: June 2011
  Purpose

Objectives of the study are to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of two different doses of AVP-923 (capsules containing either 30 mg of dextromethorphan hydrobromide and 10 mg of quinidine sulfate [AVP-923-30] or 20 mg of dextromethorphan hydrobromide and 10 mg of quinidine sulfate [AVP-923-20]) when compared to placebo, for the treatment of PBA in a population of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or multiple sclerosis (MS) over a 12-week period. An additional objective is to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of the two different doses of AVP-923 in a subset of the study population.

Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA) is a condition characterized by involuntary, sudden and frequent episodes of laughing and/or crying out of proportion or incongruous to the underlying emotion of happiness or sadness Other terms used to describe this condition include emotional lability, emotionalism, emotional incontinence, emotional discontrol, excessive emotionalism, and pathological laughing and crying. The outbursts can occur spontaneously or in response to provocative stimuli such as questions or events.

A body of evidence suggests that PBA can be modulated through pharmacologic intervention.

Dextromethorphan (DM) is a low-affinity uncompetitive antagonist of the NMDA receptor, reducing the level of excitatory activity. DM also acts at the phencyclidine-binding site, which is part of the NMDA receptor complex. DM is a sigma receptor agonist, suppressing the release of excitatory neurotransmitters.

Quinidine is a known potent inhibitor of cytochrome CYP2D6, that decreases the metabolism of dextromethorphan and helps to achieve sustained and therapeutic levels of this drug.


Condition Intervention Phase
Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA)
Drug: AVP-923
Phase 3

Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Allocation: Randomized
Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Official Title: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy and to Determine the Pharmacokinetics of Two Doses of AVP-923 (Dextromethorphan/Quinidine) in the Treatment of Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA) in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Multiple Sclerosis

Resource links provided by NLM:


Further study details as provided by Avanir Pharmaceuticals:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • The primary efficacy endpoint is the number of laughing and/or crying episodes as recorded in the patient diary. [ Time Frame: 12 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • The main secondary endpoint is the mean change in CNS-LS score. [ Time Frame: 12 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Enrollment: 326
Study Start Date: December 2007
Study Completion Date: September 2009
Primary Completion Date: June 2009 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
Experimental: A
AVP-923-30/10 Capsules (30 mg DM/10 mg Q)
Drug: AVP-923
AVP-923 capsules containing dextromethorphan (DM) and quinidine (Q) taken orally twice-a-day for a 12 week period
Other Names:
  • Zenvia (TM)
  • DM/Q
Experimental: B
AVP-923-20/10 Capsules (20 mg DM/10 mg Q)
Drug: AVP-923
AVP-923 capsules containing dextromethorphan (DM) and quinidine (Q) taken orally twice-a-day for a 12 week period
Other Names:
  • Zenvia (TM)
  • DM/Q
Placebo Comparator: C
Placebo Capsules
Drug: AVP-923
AVP-923 capsules containing dextromethorphan (DM) and quinidine (Q) taken orally twice-a-day for a 12 week period
Other Names:
  • Zenvia (TM)
  • DM/Q

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years to 80 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Main Inclusion Criteria:

  • The patient has a diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (according to El Escorial Criteria, WFN, 1998) and the time from diagnosis of ALS is not be longer than 30 months, or the patient has a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis or probable multiple sclerosis (according to McDonald criteria, 2001)
  • The patient has a clinical history and clinical relevant symptoms of Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA)
  • CNS-LS score at baseline is 13 or greater

Main Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with myasthenia gravis
  • Any personal history of complete heart block, QTc prolongation, or torsades de pointes
  • Any family history of congenital QT interval prolongation syndrome
  • Patients with known sensitivity to quinidine, dextromethorphan or opiate drugs (codeine, etc.)
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00573443

  Show 62 Study Locations
Sponsors and Collaborators
Avanir Pharmaceuticals
INC Research
Investigators
Study Director: Adrian Hepner, M.D. Avanir Pharmaceuticals
  More Information

No publications provided

Responsible Party: Adrian J. Hepner, MD - Sr. Director Clinical Research, Avanir Pharmaceuticals
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00573443     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: 07-AVR-123
Study First Received: December 13, 2007
Last Updated: June 24, 2011
Health Authority: United States: Food and Drug Administration
Argentina: Administracion Nacional de Medicamentos, Alimentos y Tecnologia Medica
Argentina: Human Research Bioethics Committee
Brazil: Ministry of Health
Brazil: National Committee of Ethics in Research

Keywords provided by Avanir Pharmaceuticals:
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease, ALS)
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis
Sclerosis
Motor Neuron Disease
Spinal Cord Diseases
Central Nervous System Diseases
Nervous System Diseases
Neurodegenerative Diseases
TDP-43 Proteinopathies
Neuromuscular Diseases
Proteostasis Deficiencies
Metabolic Diseases
Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS
Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System
Demyelinating Diseases
Autoimmune Diseases
Immune System Diseases
Pathologic Processes
Dextromethorphan
Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
Excitatory Amino Acid Agents
Neurotransmitter Agents
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Pharmacologic Actions
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Antitussive Agents
Central Nervous System Agents
Therapeutic Uses
Respiratory System Agents

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 19, 2013