A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Fixed Doses of Intranasal Esketamine in Japanese Participants With Treatment Resistant Depression

A Randomized, Double-blind, Multicenter, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Fixed Doses of Intranasal Esketamine in Japanese Subjects With Treatment Resistant Depression

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of fixed dosed intranasal esketamine compared to intranasal placebo, as an add-on to an oral antidepressant in Japanese participants with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), in improving depressive symptoms.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Depression
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Placebo; Drug: Intranasal esketamine (28 mg); Drug: Intranasal esketamine (56 mg); Drug: Intranasal esketamine (84 mg)

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 202
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Japan
  • Akita, Japan
  • Fukui-shi, Japan
  • Fukuoka, Japan
  • Fukuoka-Shi, Japan
  • Gunma, Japan
  • Hachinohe-shi, Japan
  • Hachioji-shi, Japan
  • Hirakata, Japan
  • Hiratsuka-shi, Japan
  • Hokkaido, Japan
  • Ibaraki, Japan
  • Ichikawa, Japan
  • Kanzaki-gun, Japan
  • Karatsu, Japan
  • Kashihara, Japan
  • Kawasaki, Japan
  • Kita-Azumi, Nagano, Japan
  • Kita-Ku, Japan
  • Kitakyushu, Japan
  • Kobe, Japan
  • Kochi, Japan
  • Kodaira, Japan
  • Komoro-shi, Japan
  • Kumamoto, Japan
  • Kure, Japan
  • Kurume-shi, Japan
  • Kyoto, Japan
  • Maizuru, Japan
  • Morioka, Japan
  • Nagakute, Japan
  • Nagasaki, Japan
  • Okayama, Japan
  • Okayama-shi, Japan
  • Okinawa, Japan
  • Osaka, Japan
  • Sapporo-shi, Japan
  • Setagaya-ku, Japan
  • Shibuya-ku, Japan
  • Shinjuku, Japan
  • Shinjuku-ku, Japan
  • Takatsuki-shi, Japan
  • Toyoake, Japan
  • Ube, Japan
  • Yokohama, Japan
  • Yokohama-shi, Japan
  • Yonago, Japan

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 64 years (ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• At the start of the screening phase, participant must meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for single-episode major depressive disorder (MDD) or recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD), without psychotic features, based upon clinical assessment and confirmed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). In the case of single-episode MDD, the participant must be diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder, which meets criteria of major depressive episode for a continuous duration of greater than or equal to (>=)2 years, and the same physician from the site must be examining the participant for >=2 years continuously as a primary care physician of the participant
• The participant's current major depressive episode, depression symptom severity (MADRS total score greater than or equal to [>=] 28 required), and antidepressant treatment response in the current depressive episode, must be confirmed using the SAFER interview
• Participant must be medically stable on the basis of clinical laboratory tests, physical examination, medical history, vital signs (including blood pressure), pulse oximetry, and 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) performed in the screening phase
• A woman of childbearing potential must have a negative highly sensitive serum Beta (β) human chorionic gonadotropin [β-hCG] test at the start of the screening phase and a negative urine pregnancy test must be obtained before the first dose of study drug on Day 1 of the double-blind induction phase prior to randomization
• Contraceptive use by men or women should be consistent with local regulations regarding the use of contraceptive methods for participant participating in clinical studies

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participant has received vagal nerve stimulation or has received deep brain stimulation in the current episode of depression
• Participant previously received esketamine or ketamine as treatment for their MDD
• Participant has homicidal ideation/intent, per the investigator's clinical judgment, or has suicidal ideation with some intent to act within 6 months prior to the start of the screening phase
• Participant has a history of moderate or severe substance or alcohol use disorder according to DSM-5 criteria, except nicotine or caffeine, within 6 months before the start of the screening phase
• Participant has a current or past history of seizure disorder (uncomplicated childhood febrile seizures with no sequelae are not exclusionary)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: DOUBLE

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Placebo; Participant will receive 1 spray of placebo to each nostril at 0 minute, 5 minutes and 10 minutes.	Drug: Placebo; Participant will receive 1 spray of placebo to each nostril at 0 minute, 5 minutes and 10 minutes.
Experimental: Esketamine 28 milligram (mg); Participant will receive 1 spray of Esketamine to each nostril at 0 minute and placebo at 5 minutes and 10 minutes.	Drug: Intranasal esketamine (28 mg); Participant will receive 1 spray of Esketamine to each nostril at 0 minute and placebo at 5 minutes and 10 minutes.
Experimental: Esketamine 56 mg; Participant will receive 1 spray of Esketamine to each nostril at 0 minute, 5 minutes and placebo at 10 minutes.	Drug: Intranasal esketamine (56 mg); Participant will receive 1 spray of Esketamine to each nostril at 0 minute, 5 minutes and placebo at 10 minutes.
Experimental: Esketamine 84 mg; Participant will receive 1 spray of Esketamine to each nostril at 0 minute, 5 minutes and 10 minutes.	Drug: Intranasal esketamine (84 mg); Participant will receive 1 spray of Esketamine to each nostril at 0 minute, 5 minutes and 10 minutes.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Double-Blind (DB) Induction Phase: Change From Baseline in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) Total Score up to Day 28	MADRS is clinician-rated scale designed to measure depression severity, and to detect changes due to antidepressant treatment. Scale consists of 10 items (apparent sadness, reported sadness, inner tension, sleep, appetite, concentration, lassitude, interest level, pessimistic thoughts, and suicidal thoughts), each of which is scored from 0 (item is not present or is normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of symptoms), summed for a total possible score of 0 to 60. Higher scores represent more severe condition. Negative change in score indicates improvement.	Baseline (Day 1) up to Day 28 (DB phase) induction

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
DB Induction Phase: Percentage of Participants With Response Based on MADRS Total Score	A participant is defined as responder (yes=1 and no=0) at a given time point if the percent improvement from baseline in MADRS is greater than or equal to (>=) 50 percent (%). MADRS is clinician-rated scale designed to measure depression severity, and to detect changes due to antidepressant treatment. Scale consists of 10 items (apparent sadness, reported sadness, inner tension, sleep, appetite, concentration, lassitude, interest level, pessimistic thoughts, and suicidal thoughts), each of which is scored from 0 (item is not present or is normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of symptoms), summed for a total possible score of 0 to 60. Higher scores represent more severe condition.	Days 2, 8, 15, 22 and 28 (DB induction phase)
DB Induction Phase: Percentage of Participants With Remission Based on MADRS Total Score	A participant was considered in remission at a given time point if the MADRS total score <=12. MADRS is clinician-rated scale designed to measure depression severity, and to detect changes due to antidepressant treatment. Scale consists of 10 items (apparent sadness, reported sadness, inner tension, sleep, appetite, concentration, lassitude, interest level, pessimistic thoughts, and suicidal thoughts), each of which is scored from 0 (item is not present or is normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of symptoms), summed for a total possible score of 0 to 60. Higher scores represent more severe condition.	Days 2, 8, 15, 22 and 28 (DB induction phase)
DB Induction Phase: Percentage of Participants Showing Onset of Clinical Response	A participant was defined as having a clinical response if there was at least 50% improvement from baseline in the MADRS total score with onset by Day 2 that was maintained to Day 28 in DB induction phase. Participants were allowed one excursion (non-response) on Days 8, 15 or 22, provided the score is at least 25% improvement. MADRS is clinician-rated scale designed to measure depression severity, and to detect changes due to antidepressant treatment. Scale consists of 10 items (apparent sadness, reported sadness, inner tension, sleep, appetite, concentration, lassitude, interest level, pessimistic thoughts, and suicidal thoughts), each of which is scored from 0 (item is not present or is normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of symptoms), summed for a total possible score of 0 to 60. Higher scores represent more severe condition.	Day 2 up to Day 28 (DB induction phase)
DB Induction Phase: Change From Baseline in Clinical Global Impression - Severity (CGI-S) Total Score up to Day 28	CGI-S provides measure of severity of participant's illness including participant's history, psychosocial circumstances, symptoms, behavior and impact of symptoms on ability to function. CGI-S evaluates severity of psychopathology on scale of 0 to 7. Considering total clinical experience, participant is assessed on severity of mental illness according to: 0=not assessed; 1=normal (not at all ill); 2=borderline mentally ill; 3=mildly ill; 4=moderately ill; 5=markedly ill; 6=severely ill; 7=among most extremely ill patients. Values of 0 (not assessed) were excluded from analysis. CGI-S permits global evaluation of participant's condition at given time.	Baseline (Day 1) up to Day 28 (DB induction pahse)
DB Induction Phase: Change From Baseline in Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD-7) up to Day 28	GAD-7 was a brief and validated 7-item self-report assessment of overall anxiety. Participants respond to each item using a 4-point scale with response categories of 0=not at all, 1=several days, 2=more than half the days, and 3=nearly every day. Item responses are summed to yield a total score with a range of 0 to 21, where higher scores indicate more anxiety. The recall period is 2 weeks. The severity of the GAD-7 is categorized as follows: None (0-4), Mild (5-9), Moderate (10-14) and Severe (15 -21).	Baseline (Day 1) up to Day 28 (DB induction phase)
DB Induction Phase: Change From Baseline in Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) Total Score up to Day 28	SDS is a participant-reported outcome measure and 5 item questionnaire used for assessment of functional impairment and associated disability. First three items assess disruption of 1 work/school, 2 social life, 3 family life/home responsibilities using a 0(no impairment)-10 (most severe impairment). Score for first 3 items are summed to create total score of 0-30 where higher score indicates greater impairment and a negative change in score indicates improvement. It also has one item on days lost from school or work and one item on days when under productive.	Baseline (Day 1) to Day 28 (DB induction phase)
Posttreatment Phase: Time to Relapse in Participants With Remission (MADRS Total Score <=12)	Time to relapse in participants with remission at the end of the double-blind phase was defined as the time between induction phase and the first documentation of a relapse event during the posttreatment phase. Relapse was defined as any of the following: 1) MADRS total score >= 22 for 2 consecutive assessments. The date of the second MADRS assessment was used for the date of relapse; 2) Hospitalization for worsening depression or any other clinically relevant event determined per clinical judgment to be suggestive of relapse of depressive illness like suicide attempt, completed suicide, or hospitalization for suicide prevention. If hospitalized for any of these events, start date of hospitalization was used as relapse date. If participant was not hospitalized, event date was used. 3) If both relapse criteria were met, earlier date was defined as date of relapse. Remission was defined as MADRS total score <=12.	From EndPoint (last post baseline assessment value during the DB induction phase [up to Day 28]) up to 24 weeks (posttreatment phase)
Posttreatment Phase: Time to Relapse in Participants With Response (>=50% Reduction From Baseline in MADRS Total Score) But Who Are Not in Remission	Time to relapse in participants with response (>=50% reduction from baseline in MADRS total score) but who are not in remission was reported. Relapse is defined as any of the following: 1) MADRS total score >= 22 for 2 consecutive assessments. The date of the second MADRS assessment was used for the date of relapse. 2)Hospitalization for worsening depression or any other clinically relevant event determined per clinical judgment to be suggestive of relapse of depressive illness like suicide attempt, completed suicide, or hospitalization for suicide prevention. If hospitalized for any of these events, start date of hospitalization was used as relapse date. If participant was not hospitalized, event date was used. 3) If both relapse criteria were met, earlier date was defined as date of relapse. Remission was defined as MADRS total score <=12.	From EndPoint (last post baseline assessment value during the DB induction phase [up to Day 28]) up to 24 weeks (posttreatment phase)
Posttreatment Phase: Change From Baseline in Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) Total Score at Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24	SDS is a participant-reported outcome measure and is a 5-item questionnaire which has been widely used and accepted for assessment of functional impairment and associated disability. The first three items assess disruption of (1) work/school, (2) social life, and (3) family life/home responsibilities using a 0-10 rating scale. The score for the first three items are summed to create a total score of 0-30, where a higher score indicates greater impairment. It also has one item on days lost from school or work and one item on days when under productive. FAS (responders): All randomized participants who received at least 1 dose of intranasal study medication during DB induction phase and who were responders at the end of DB induction phase and entered posttreatment phase	Baseline (DB induction phase), Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 (posttreatment phase)
OL Induction Phase: Percentage of Participants With Remission Based on MADRS Total Score	A participant was considered in remission at a given time point if the MADRS total score <=12. MADRS is clinician-rated scale designed to measure depression severity, and to detect changes due to antidepressant treatment. Scale consists of 10 items (apparent sadness, reported sadness, inner tension, sleep, appetite, concentration, lassitude, interest level, pessimistic thoughts, and suicidal thoughts), each of which is scored from 0 (item is not present or is normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of symptoms), summed for a total possible score of 0 to 60. Higher scores represent more severe condition.	Days 8, 15, 22 and 28 (OL induction phase)
OL Induction Phase: Change From Baseline (Prior to the First Dose of OL Induction Phase) in MADRS Total Score up to Endpoint OL Induction Phase (Last Post Baseline Assessment Value During the OL Induction Phase [OL: up to Day 28])	MADRS is clinician-rated scale designed to measure depression severity, and to detect changes due to antidepressant treatment. Scale consists of 10 items (apparent sadness, reported sadness, inner tension, sleep, appetite, concentration, lassitude, interest level, pessimistic thoughts, and suicidal thoughts), each of which is scored from 0 (item is not present or is normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of symptoms), summed for a total possible score of 0 to 60. Higher scores represent more severe condition.	Baseline (Prior to first Dose of OL induction phase on Day 1) up to endpoint of OL induction phase (last post baseline assessment value during OL induction phase [OL: up to Day 28])
OL Induction Phase: Percentage of Participants With Severity of Psychopathology on the CGI-S Scale	CGI-S provides measure of severity of participant's illness including participant's history, psychosocial circumstances, symptoms, behavior and impact of symptoms on ability to function. CGI-S evaluates severity of psychopathology on scale of 0 to 7. Considering total clinical experience, participant is assessed on severity of mental illness according to: 0=not assessed; 1=normal (not at all ill); 2=borderline mentally ill; 3=mildly ill; 4=moderately ill; 5=markedly ill; 6=severely ill; 7=among most extremely ill patients. CGI-S permits global evaluation of participant's condition at given time.	Baseline (Prior to first dose of OL induction phase on Day 1), endpoint of OL induction phase (last post baseline assessment value during the OL induction phase [OL: up to Day 28])

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K.

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Ohnishi T, Wakamatsu A, Kobayashi H. Different symptomatic improvement pattern revealed by factor analysis between placebo response and response to Esketamine in treatment resistant depression. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2022 Aug;76(8):377-383. doi: 10.1111/pcn.13379. Epub 2022 Jun 9.
• Takahashi N, Yamada A, Shiraishi A, Shimizu H, Goto R, Tominaga Y. Efficacy and safety of fixed doses of intranasal Esketamine as an add-on therapy to Oral antidepressants in Japanese patients with treatment-resistant depression: a phase 2b randomized clinical study. BMC Psychiatry. 2021 Oct 25;21(1):526. doi: 10.1186/s12888-021-03538-y.

Helpful Links

• A Randomized, Double-blind, Multicenter, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Fixed Doses of Intranasal Esketamine in Japanese Subjects With Treatment Resistant Depression

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 12, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 19, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): December 13, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 27, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 27, 2016
• First Posted (Estimate): September 28, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 19, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 24, 2020
• Last Verified: September 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Mental Disorders; Mood Disorders; Depression; Depressive Disorder; Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant; Psychotropic Drugs; Antidepressive Agents; Esketamine
• Other Study ID Numbers: CR108227; 54135419TRD2005 (Other Identifier: Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K., Japan)

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No