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Riluzole Augmentation Pilot in Depression (RAPID) Trial

Mass General Brigham logo

Mass General Brigham

Status and phase

Terminated
Phase 2

Conditions

Major Depressive Disorder

Treatments

Drug: Sertraline
Drug: Riluzole
Other: placebo

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT01703039
2012P001841

Details and patient eligibility

About

The investigators are doing a research study to find out if riluzole, when taken along with a standard antidepressant (sertraline) can help people with major depression.

This research study will compare riluzole + sertraline to placebo + sertraline. The investigators hypothesize that adding riluzole will lead to a better antidepressant response, in less time, then sertraline alone.

Full description

Recent attention has focused on the glutamatergic system as a new, distinct target for depression treatment. Riluzole (Rilutek, Sanofi), an oral modulator of glutamate activity with neuroprotective and anticonvulsant properties, is currently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Preliminary studies using riluzole to treat depression in humans are promising, though larger, double-blinded controlled trials are needed.

Overall study population:

Adult outpatients with a current, untreated major depressive episode.

Disallowed therapies include: other psychotropic medications, including antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, other sedative-hypnotics, chronic opiates, or additional antidepressants, psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, vagal nerve stimulations therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy, or phototherapy.

Enrollment

21 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 75 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • Adults (ages 18-75) who meet DSM-IV criteria for a major depressive episode,
  • Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) >22, and
  • No antidepressant treatment for at least three weeks

Exclusion criteria

  • Active drug or alcohol disorder in the past 3 months
  • History of psychosis, history of mania or hypomania
  • Epilepsy or history of seizures
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Congenital QTc prolongation
  • Liver disease
  • Lung disease
  • Acute suicide or homicide risk
  • Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, women of childbearing age not using contraception
  • Unstable medical illness
  • Elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH>5.0mlU/L), or
  • Abnormal liver function tests (ALT>50 U/L or AST>50 U/L)
  • ADD / ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)

Disallowed therapies include: other psychotropic medications, including antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, other sedative-hypnotics, chronic opiates, or additional antidepressants, psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, vagal nerve stimulations therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy, or phototherapy.

Trial design

Primary purpose

Treatment

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

Triple Blind

21 participants in 2 patient groups

sertraline + riluzole
Experimental group
Description:
sertraline 100 mg po daily and riluzole 50 mg po bid
Treatment:
Drug: Riluzole
Drug: Sertraline
sertraline + placebo
Active Comparator group
Description:
sertraline 100 mg po daily and placebo
Treatment:
Other: placebo
Drug: Sertraline

Trial documents
1

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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