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Medication Development in Alcoholism: Apremilast Versus Placebo

T

The Scripps Research Institute

Status and phase

Completed
Phase 2

Conditions

Alcohol Use Disorder

Treatments

Drug: Apremilast
Drug: Placebo

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other
NIH

Identifiers

NCT03175549
U01AA025476

Details and patient eligibility

About

The primary hypotheses under test are that alcohol dependent subjects treated with apremilast will report decreased craving for alcohol following alcohol exposure in the laboratory and report significantly less drinking under naturalistic conditions, than those treated with placebo.

Enrollment

51 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 65 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • Male or female volunteers, 18-65 years of age
  • Meets DSM-5 criteria for current alcohol use disorder of moderate or greater severity (AUD-MS)
  • In the month prior to screening, reports drinking ≥ 21 standard drinks per week if male, ≥ 14 if female, with at least one heavy drinking day (≥ 5 males, ≥ 4 females) per week.
  • Subjects will not be seeking treatment because the medication studies are not treatment trials, and to avoid exposing treatment-seekers to alcohol cues
  • Subjects must be abstinent a minimum of 3 days (but not more than 7 days) prior to the human lab session
  • Negative BAC and a CIWA score of < 9 at time of lab session to eliminate acute alcohol or withdrawal effects on dependent measures.
  • In acceptable health in the judgment of the study physician, on the basis of interview, medical history, physical exam, EKG, routine urine and blood chemistry.
  • Females with childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test on the screening, randomization, and lab session visits and agree to use effective birth control for the duration required by a given study.
  • Able to provide informed consent and understand questionnaires and study procedure
  • Willing to comply with the provisions of the protocol and take daily oral medication.

Exclusion criteria

  • Active suicidal ideation, as systematically assessed with the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale.
  • Meets DSM-5 criteria for a major psychiatric disorder, including mood or anxiety disorders or substance use disorders other than alcohol or nicotine
  • Has a urine drug screen (UDS) positive for substances of abuse other than alcohol.
  • Significant medical disorders that will increase potential risk or interfere with study participation as determined by the study physician
  • Known hypersensitivity to apremilast
  • Treatment within the month prior to screening with (1) an investigational drug, (2) medications which may negatively interact with study medications, or (3) drugs that may influence study outcomes (e.g., disulfiram [Antabuse], naltrexone [ReVia], acamprosate [Campral], anticonvulsants, or antidepressants).
  • Ongoing treatment with medications that may increase risk, including prescribed, over-the-counter, and herbal preparations, as determined by the study physician.
  • Sexually active female subjects with childbearing potential who are pregnant, nursing, or refuse to use effective methods of birth control for the duration required by a specific protocol.
  • No fixed domicile and/or no availability by home or mobile telephone
  • History of hypersensitivity to the study drug or the ingredients.
  • Failure to take double-blind medication as prescribed.

Trial design

Primary purpose

Other

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

Quadruple Blind

51 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Apremilast (Otezla)
Active Comparator group
Description:
Fixed oral dose of 90 mg/d following the standard titration for a total dosing duration of 14 days.
Treatment:
Drug: Apremilast
Placebo
Placebo Comparator group
Description:
Identical placebo pills taken orally for 14 days
Treatment:
Drug: Placebo

Trial documents
3

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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