Trial of Cannabis for Essential Tremor

October 9, 2022 updated by: Fatta B Nahab, University of California, San Diego

A Double-Blind, Cross-Over, Placebo- Controlled Efficacy and Tolerability Study of Oral Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) for Essential Tremor (ET).

This is a pilot trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a combined oral formulation of THC and CBD in patients with Essential Tremor.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Essential tremor (ET) is the most common neurological movement disorder, affecting up to 1% of the population and up to 5% of individuals over the age of 65. ET is characterized by often disabling tremors that occur when an individual moves. The tremors most commonly affect the hands, head, voice, and legs in order of frequency, leading to impairment in activities of daily living and morbidity. No pharmacological agent has been developed for ET, though existing agents such as propranolol and primidone are used off-label to reduce tremor amplitude. Deep brain stimulation surgery is often reserved for only individuals with the most severe tremors. Patients with ET have long reported tremor benefits with the use of cannabis, though no controlled trials have been conducted. The investigators plan to conduct the first double-blind, placebo-control clinical trial of cannabis in an oral capsule. Various validated tremor rating methods will be used to quantify tremor severity, while looking at tolerability and safety.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
7

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2
  • Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • La Jolla, California, United States, 92093
        • University of California San Diego

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

21 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of ET by a Movement Disorder Neurologist
  • Stable dose of tremor medication for a period of at least 6 weeks prior to screening
  • Tremor in the arms
  • Tremor(s) is/are moderately severe (amplitude of at least 1cm)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Significant non-ET related abnormal findings on neurological exam
  • Tremor at rest, or other features suggestive of Parkinson disease
  • Diagnosis of dementia
  • Pregnant or nursing
  • Childbearing potential and unable or unwilling to use contraception during course of the trial
  • On medications known to interact with the study drug
  • Current or prior history of alcohol or substance abuse
  • Recent exposure to primidone (within the past 21 days) or benzodiazepines (such as Valium, Ativan or Klonopin), ketoconazole, ritonavir, clarithromycin, rifampin, carbamazepine, St. Johns Wort, digoxin or other medications known to affect your liver enzymes (within the past 7 days).
  • Unwilling to abstain from consuming grapefruits, grapefruit juice or grapefruit containing products.
  • Taking medications such as warfarin, cyclosporine, and amphotericin B that are highly protein-bound
  • Do not wish to take a cannabis-derived agent
  • Allergy or sensitivity to sorbitol, xylitol, stevia or other natural sweeteners
  • Allergy or sensitivity to cannabis
  • Used cannabis or a cannabis-derived product (such as CBD oil) within the past 4 weeks or plan to use it during this research study.
  • Diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder (e.g., mania, bipolar depressive disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or other major psychiatric disorder)
  • Current or prior history of suicidal thoughts and/or behavior
  • Active medical problem affecting the immune system, liver, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, heart, endocrine system (such as diabetes and/or thyroid), and/or a blood clotting disorder
  • Current infection
  • Reduced kidney function (GFR <60)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: CBD/THC
Treatment arm consisting of Tetrahydrocannabinol (5mg/capsule) and Cannabidiol (100mg/capsule).
Drug: CBD/THC
Oral formulation of combined Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Other Names:
  • cannabidiol
  • cannabis
  • marijuana
  • tetrahydrocannabinol
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Matched placebo capsule with no active ingredients.
Drug: Placebo oral capsule
Matched Placebo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Digital Spirography
Time Frame: Day 22 (100 minutes post-dose)
The tremor mean amplitude calculated using computerized spirography to measure kinetic tremors.
Day 22 (100 minutes post-dose)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Score on a Scale From Baseline of the Tremor Research Group Essential Tremor Rating Scale (TETRAS)
Time Frame: Baseline and Day 22
The performance sub scale of the TETRAS will be used to measure tremor severity. The scale ranges from 0 to 60 points (0 being no tremor).
Baseline and Day 22
Global Impression of Change
Time Frame: Day 22
The Global impression of change will be calculated based on both physician and patient report. The scale ranges from a score of 1 (very much improved) to 7 (very much worse) with a score of 4 indicating 'no change'.
Day 22
Number of Participants Reporting Adverse Events Based on Common Terminology Criteria
Time Frame: Days 1, 3, 6, 22
Side effects survey
Days 1, 3, 6, 22
Number of Participants at Risk for Suicide Based on Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
Time Frame: Day 22
This is a scale looking at risk assessment of suicidality. The presence of any positive responses will lead to further evaluation.
Day 22
Number of Participants With New Study-related Electrocardiogram (EKG) Abnormalities
Time Frame: Day 22
Electrocardiographic changes from baseline measures will trigger further evaluation. EKG's will be rated as normal/abnormal relative to the baseline EKG reading, and abnormal findings will be rated as clinically significant/not clinically significant.
Day 22
Accelerometry-based Assessment of Tremor Severity
Time Frame: Baseline and Day 22
The spectral power density measure of accelerometry data to measure will serve as a measure of tremor severity, comparing tremor amplitude from this digital biomarker at the time of the primary outcome to the same measure at baseline.
Baseline and Day 22

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of California, San Diego

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research
Tilray
International Essential Tremor Foundation

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Fatta Nahab, MD, UCSD

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 22, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 1, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
November 30, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 9, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 11, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 16, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 13, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 9, 2022

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 180414

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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