A Safety and Effectiveness Study of JNJ-18038683 in Patients With Moderate to Severe Depression

Major Depressive Disorder Clinical Trial

Official title: A Phase IIa Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Double-dummy, and Placebo- and Active Controlled Study to Investigate the Safety and Efficacy of JNJ-18038683 Administered to Subjects With Major Depressive Disorder

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of JNJ-18038683 compared to escitalopram and placebo in patients with moderate to severe depression.

Clinical Trial Description

This study is being done to assess safety and tolerability and to explore the effectiveness of a new, experimental drug in the treatment of moderate to severe depression. Approximately 225 patients with depression will be recruited for the study. Patients who meet study criteria will need to stop taking any depression medications they are currently using. They will be randomly assigned to one of 3 treatment arms; each patient has an equal chance of receiving 20 mg JNJ-18038683, 20 mg escitalopram, or placebo. Placebo has no active drug. Escitalopram is a drug currently approved to treat depression. This is a blinded study, ie the patient, the study doctor, and the study sponsor will not know what treatment the patient receives until all patients complete the study. Patients receiving either escitalopram or JNJ-18038683 will be titrated up to their assigned dose, receiving 10 mg doses for one week prior to increasing to 20 mg. Patients who are not able to tolerate 20 mg of JNJ-18038683 will be allowed to drop down to the 10 mg dose at any time after the titration period. Patients taking 20 mg escitalopram will receive 10 mg at their final week to taper off of the drug. Patients will receive a drug blister card at each weekly visit containing drug for the upcoming week. The study doctor and the sponsor will monitor the study for the occurrence of possible side effects. In addition to a screening visit, patients will return weekly for 9 additional study visits. After completing the study, patients may resume other depression medications. Medical and psychiatric history, physical examination, blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, weight and electrocardiograms (ECGs) will be checked periodically. Blood samples will be taken for standard safety laboratory tests as well as for the measurement of the drug blood level. Questionnaires relating to depression, sleep and sexual experience will be administered throughout the study. Each day for nine weeks, patients will take orally two JNJ-18038683 tablets, active and/or placebo, and two escitalopram capsules, active and/or placebo. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Depression
• Depressive Disorder
• Depressive Disorder, Major
• Major Depressive Disorder

• NCT number: NCT00566202
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C.
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: December 2007
• Completion date: December 2008