Adaptive Pharmacotherapy for Smoking Cessation

Randomized Controlled Smoking Cessation Trial on Adaptive Pharmacotherapy

The purpose of this study is to assess an "adaptive" approach to smoking cessation pharmacotherapy. The protocol is designed to compare adaptive vs. standard approaches to two common smoking cessation pharmacotherapies - Varenicline (commonly known as Chantix) and the Nicotine Patch. The investigators hypothesize that participants allocated to adaptive therapy will show significantly higher biochemically confirmed 30-day continuous abstinence at 12 weeks post-Target Quit Day (TQD).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Nicotine Dependence
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Varenicline Standard Protocol; Behavioral: Nicotine Patch Standard Protocol; Drug: Varenicline Adaptive Protocol; Drug: Nicotine Adaptive Protocol

Detailed Description

The purpose of this study is to assess an "adaptive" approach to smoking cessation pharmacotherapy. The protocol is designed to compare adaptive vs. standard approaches to two common smoking cessation pharmacotherapies (Varenicline and Nicotine Patch). The adaptive treatment approach provides the addition of Bupropion in the pre-quit period for participants who are not "responding" to initial treatment. Little is known about the adaptive use of Varenicline or Nicotine Patch, in which Bupropion is added to Varenicline or Patch for those who do not respond to one of these medications in a pre-quit treatment period. This study attempts to address these knowledge deficits. The study (N=300) is a double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial designed to compare biochemically-confirmed abstinence rates in smokers randomized to Varenicline Adaptive Protocol vs. Varenicline (N=150) and for comparison, Nicotine Patch Adaptive Protocol vs. Nicotine Patch (N=150). The "Varenicline Adaptive Protocol" is conducted by starting treatment with Varenicline 4 weeks prior to the quit day and following each participant's response to this pre-treatment medication. After 2 weeks, if the patient shows a reduction greater than 50% in cigarettes smoked per day, then the patient is considered to be a "Varenicline responder" and is continued on Varenicline alone out to 12-weeks post quit day. If the patient does not spontaneously decrease smoking in the pre-quit period by more than 50% cigarettes per day, the patient is considered to be a "Varenicline non-responder" and Bupropion is added to the Varenicline. For comparison, an identical protocol is used with nicotine patch vs. nicotine patch adaptive treatment. The study uses only FDA-approved medications: Varenicline, Nicotine Patch, Bupropion, and placebo controls. To pattern clinical practice, participants will be able to choose whether they would like to use a patch or Varenicline-based treatment. After choosing, however, they will be randomized to adaptive vs. non-adaptive version of that treatment. Placebo medications are matched throughout the study. Participants will be blinded to all medications. All participants will receive behavioral treatment including a single 40-minute visit with a medical provider. The study is designed to provide researchers and clinicians with a better understanding of how to use adaptive pharmacotherapy protocols to improve smoking cessation rates.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 188
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Carolina
    • Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27705
      • Duke Center for Smoking Cessation

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria

1. Age 18 years or older
2. Actively smoking 5 or more cigarettes per day for at least one year
3. Fluency in spoken and written English
4. Willing to set a quit date within 6 weeks
5. Access to a telephone
6. Willingness to take Varenicline OR nicotine patch (patient choice)
7. Willingness to take Bupropion

Exclusion Criteria

1. Daily use of a second form of tobacco or nicotine (e.g. e-cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff).
2. Current use of a smoking cessation medication (e.g. nicotine replacement, Varenicline, Bupropion).
3. Report of pregnancy, attempting to get pregnant, or actively breast feeding or positive urine pregnancy test (only given to females with child bearing potential).
4. Additional criteria may apply.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Varenicline Standard Protocol; Participant choses Varenicline-based treatment and is then randomized to Standard Treatment arm (N=75). Four weeks prior to target quit date (TQD), participant starts placebo Varenicline. Consistent with Varenicline Standard Treatment, 1 week prior to the TQD the participant will switch to active Varenicline and placebo Bupropion. Participant will continue active Varenicline and placebo Bupropion to 12 weeks post-TQD.	Behavioral: Varenicline Standard Protocol; 4 weeks pre-TQD: Start Placebo Varenicline 1 week prior to TQD: Switch to Active Varenicline 1 week prior to TQD: Start Placebo Bupropion Varenicline + Placebo Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD; Other Names: Standard Varenicline
Active Comparator: Nicotine Patch Standard Protocol; Participant choses Nicotine patch-based treatment and is then randomized to Standard Treatment arm (N=75). Four weeks prior to target quit date (TQD), participant starts placebo Nicotine Patch. One week prior to TQD, participant will start placebo Bupropion. Consistent with Nicotine Patch Standard Treatment, participant will start active Nicotine Patch on TQD. Participant will continue active Nicotine Patch and placebo Bupropion to 12 weeks post-TQD.	Behavioral: Nicotine Patch Standard Protocol; 4 weeks pre-TQD: Start Placebo Nicotine Patch TQD: Start active Nicotine Patch 1 week prior to TQD: Start Placebo Bupropion Nicotine Patch + Placebo Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD; Other Names: Standard Nicotine Patch
Experimental: Varenicline Adaptive Protocol; Participant chooses Varenicline treatment and is randomized to Adaptive Treatment arm (N=75). Four weeks prior to target quit date (TQD), participant starts active Varenicline. Two weeks prior to TQD, cigarettes smoked per day is assessed. If the number of cigarettes smoked per day is reduced by >50%, the participant is considered a Varenicline responder, and starts placebo Bupropion 1 week prior to the TQD. If the participant DOES NOT reduce cigarettes smoked per day by >50%, the participant is considered a Varenicline non-responder and starts active Bupropion 1 week prior to TQD. Varenicline responders will continue active Varenicline and placebo Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD. Varenicline non-responders will continue active Varenicline and active Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD.	Drug: Varenicline Adaptive Protocol; VARENICLINE RESPONDER 4 weeks pre-TQD: Start Varenicline 2 weeks pre-TQD: DOES reduce cigs/day by > 50% 1 week pre-TQD: Start Placebo Bupropion Varenicline + Placebo Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD VARENICLINE NON-RESPONDER 4 weeks pre-TQD: Start Varenicline 2 weeks pre-TQD: DOES NOT reduce cigs/day by > 50% 1 week pre-TQD: Start active Bupropion Varenicline + Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD; Other Names: Adaptive Varenicline
Experimental: Nicotine Patch Adaptive Protocol; Participant choses Nicotine treatment and is randomized to Adaptive Treatment arm (N=75). Four weeks prior to target quit date (TQD), participant starts active Nicotine Patches. Two weeks prior to TQD, cigarettes smoked per day is assessed. If cigarettes smoked per day is reduced by >50%, the participant is considered a Nicotine Patch responder and starts placebo Bupropion 1 week prior to the TQD. If the participant DOES NOT reduce cigarettes smoked per day by >50%, the participant is considered a Nicotine Patch non-responder and starts active Bupropion 1 week prior to the TQD. Nicotine Patch responders will continue active Nicotine Patches and placebo Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD. Nicotine Patch non-responders will continue active Nicotine Patches and Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD.	Drug: Nicotine Adaptive Protocol; NICOTINE PATCH RESPONDER 4 weeks pre-TQD: Start Patch 2 weeks pre-TQD: DOES reduce cigs/day by > 50% 1 week pre-TQD: Start Placebo Bupropion Patch + Placebo Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD NICOTINE PATCH NON-RESPONDER 4 weeks pre-TQD: Start Patch 2 weeks pre-TQD: DOES NOT reduce cigs/day by > 50% 1 week pre-TQD: Start Bupropion Patch + Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD; Other Names: Adaptive Nicotine

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Biochemically-confirmed 30-day Continuous Smoking Abstinence	Number of participants who self report complete smoking abstinence over the last 30 days and are also verified to be abstinent by carbon monoxide (CO) expired breath testing with CO < 7 parts per million.	12 weeks post-TQD (Visit 4)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
7-day Point Prevalence Biochemically Confirmed Abstinence	Number of participants who self report complete smoking abstinence over the last 7 days and are also verified to be abstinent by carbon monoxide (CO) expired breath testing with CO < 7 parts per million.	12 weeks post-TQD (Visit 4)
Phone-assessed Self-reported Abstinence	Number of participants who self reported smoking abstinence over the last 24 hours assessed via single-item question.	52 weeks post-TQD
Change in Cigarettes Smoked Per Day	The percentage of participants who decreased the number of daily cigarettes smoked by 50% or more from the baseline assessment visit to 12 weeks post target quit day assessment visit collected by self-report in participants who completed the 12-week post target quit day assessment visit	12 weeks post-TQD (Visit 4)
Change in Cigarettes Smoked Per Day (Phone)	The percentage of participants who decreased the number of daily cigarettes smoked by 50% or more from the baseline assessment visit to 52 weeks post target quit day assessment visit collected by self-report in participants who completed the 52-week post target quit day phone assessment.	52 weeks post-TQD

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Duke University
• Collaborators: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA); Pfizer
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: James M Davis, M.D., Duke University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 6, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 30, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): May 12, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 30, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 15, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): July 17, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 19, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 17, 2021
• Last Verified: August 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Bupropion; Varenicline; Nicotine addiction; Cigarette smoking; Chantix; Nicotine Patch; Adaptive Approach
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Substance-Related Disorders; Tobacco Use Disorder; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Neurotransmitter Agents; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Autonomic Agents; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Cholinergic Agents; Ganglionic Stimulants; Nicotinic Agonists; Cholinergic Agonists; Nicotine; Varenicline
• Other Study ID Numbers: Pro00072077; P50DA027840 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

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
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: Yes