- ICH GCP
- US Clinical Trials Registry
- Clinical Trial NCT05403086
Pragmatic Trial of Psilocybin Therapy in Palliative Care (PT2PC)
October 21, 2023 updated by: Charles S. Grob, M.D.
Pragmatic Trial of Psilocybin Therapy in Palliative Care (PT2PC): A Multicenter Triple-blind Phase 2 Randomized Controlled Trial of Psilocybin Therapy for Demoralized Adults Near the End of Life
This multicenter, triple-blind, phase 2, randomized controlled trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of psilocybin therapy compared to an active control in treating demoralization in adults near the end of life (≤2 years life expectancy).
Study Overview
Status
Not yet recruiting
Conditions
Intervention / Treatment
Detailed Description
After providing written informed consent, participants deemed eligible for this trial will be randomized to a brief course of talk therapy plus 1 dose of oral psilocybin vs the same brief course of talk therapy plus 1 dose of oral ketamine (the active control).
Participants' degree of demoralization and other clinical outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety) will be assessed at 1, 2, and 5 weeks after the study drug administration.
After completing the study, participants will have the option of being told which study drug they took (aka, "unblinded"); those who were randomized to the active control will be offered another brief course of talk therapy plus 1 dose of oral psilocybin, and the same sequence of outcome assessments.
Study Type
Interventional
Enrollment (Estimated)
100
Phase
- Phase 2
Contacts and Locations
This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.
Study Contact
- Name: Charles S. Grob, M.D.
- Phone Number: (310) 961-2662
- Email: psilocybin@lundquist.org
Study Contact Backup
- Name: Brian T Anderson, M.D.
- Phone Number: (310) 961-2662
- Email: psilocybin@lundquist.org
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
Ages Eligible for Study
18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Description
Inclusion Criteria:
- Aged 18 years and older
- Has the capacity to consent to research
- Is currently a patient in a study-engaged clinical site
- Has a life-threatening illness and a life expectancy of ≤2 years
- Has moderate-to-severe demoralization
- Ability to take oral medication (capsules and liquid)
Exclusion Criteria:
General
- Treatment with another investigational drug or intervention within 1 month of signing Informed Consent Form (ICF)
- If deemed by clinical judgment of the study investigators to be unsafe for undergoing the intervention
Neurological
- Cognitive impairment sufficient to impede the ability to complete study tasks
- History of intracranial hemorrhage
- Recent embolic stroke
- Recent seizure
- Current intracranial mass
- Advanced stage of a neurologic disease that elevates risk for psychosis
Cardiovascular
- Uncontrolled hypertension
- Clinically significant cardiac disease
Respiratory
- Severe pulmonary disease
- Supplemental oxygen requirement
Gastrointestinal
- Current intractable nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
- Recent, clinically significant GI bleed
- Markedly abnormal liver function tests
Endocrine, Renal, and Reproductive
- Pregnancy or lactation
- Severe renal insufficiency
- Unstable insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
Prohibited Medications
- Antipsychotics
- Antidepressants (with exceptions)
- Dopamine agonists
- Drugs known to have adverse interactions with psilocybin or ketamine
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: Parallel Assignment
- Masking: Triple
Arms and Interventions
Participant Group / Arm |
Intervention / Treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Psilocybin
A single moderate-to-high dose of oral psilocybin, plus 4-5 sessions of a brief, existential psychotherapy.
|
Psilocybin, [3-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-1H-indol-4-yl] dihydrogen phosphate.
Other Names:
|
Active Comparator: Ketamine
A single low-to-moderate dose of oral liquid ketamine, plus 4-5 sessions of a brief, existential psychotherapy.
|
ketamine hydrochloride injection, for intravenous or intramuscular use, contains ketamine, a nonbarbiturate general anesthetic and has a molecular formula of C13H16ClNO•HCl and a molecular weight of 274.19.
The chemical name for ketamine hydrochloride is (±)-2-(o-Chlorophenyl)-2-(methylamino)cyclohexanone hydrochloride.
Other Names:
|
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
---|---|---|
Change from Baseline on 16-item Demoralization Scale - II (DS-II) at Week 5
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 5
|
The DS-II is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing demoralization with a 2-week recall period.
Possible scores range 0-32 with higher scores indicating a greater degree of demoralization.
|
Baseline and Week 5
|
Change from Baseline on 16-item Demoralization Scale - II (DS-II) at Week 2
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 2
|
The DS-II is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing demoralization with a 2-week recall period.
Possible scores range 0-32 with higher scores indicating a greater degree of demoralization.
|
Baseline and Week 2
|
Secondary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
---|---|---|
Odds of improvement from Baseline on Clinical Global Impression scale (CGI-I) for demoralization at Week 5.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 5
|
The CGI-I is a widely used and validated assessment of global clinical improvement.
Possible scores range "0=Not assessed", "1=Very much improved", to "7=Very much worse."
The CGI-I has been adapted here for assessing improvement in demoralization.
|
Baseline and Week 5
|
Odds of improvement from Baseline on Clinical Global Impression scale (CGI-I) for demoralization at Week 2.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 2
|
The CGI-I is a widely used and validated clinician-rated assessment of global clinical improvement.
Possible scores range "0=Not assessed", "1=Very much improved", to "7=Very much worse."
The CGI-I has been adapted here for assessing improvement in demoralization.
|
Baseline and Week 2
|
Odds of meeting criteria for demoralization on the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research-Revised (DCPR-R) at Week 5.
Time Frame: Week 5
|
The DCPR-R is a validated clinician-rated assessment of various psychosomatic conditions, including demoralization, which is rated as Present or Absent with a 1-month recall period.
|
Week 5
|
Odds of meeting criteria for demoralization on the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research-Revised (DCPR-R) at Week 2.
Time Frame: Week 2
|
The DCPR-R is a validated clinician-rated assessment of various psychosomatic conditions, including demoralization, which is rated as Present or Absent with a 1-month recall period.
|
Week 2
|
Change from Baseline on GRID Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression 6-item (GRID-HAMD-6) at Week 5.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 5
|
The GRID-HAMD-6 is a validated, clinician-rated measure of the core symptoms of major depression.
Possible scores range 0-4 with higher scores indicating a greater degree of depressed mood.
|
Baseline and Week 5
|
Change from Baseline on GRID Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression 6-item (GRID-HAMD-6) at Week 2.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 2
|
The GRID-HAMD-6 is a validated, clinician-rated measure of the core symptoms of major depression.
Possible scores range 0-4 with higher scores indicating a greater degree of depressed mood.
|
Baseline and Week 2
|
Change from Baseline on Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) at Week 5.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 5
|
The PHQ-9 is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing depression symptom severity with a 2-week recall period.
Possible scores range 0-27 with higher scores indicating worse depression.
|
Baseline and Week 5
|
Change from Baseline on Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) at Week 2.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 2
|
The PHQ-9 is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing depression symptom severity with a 2-week recall period.
Possible scores range 0-27 with higher scores indicating worse depression.
|
Baseline and Week 2
|
Change from Baseline on Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) at Week 5.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 5
|
The GAD-7 is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing the severity of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms with a 2-week recall period.
Possible scores range 0-21 with higher scores indicating greater severity of symptoms of GAD.
|
Baseline and Week 5
|
Change from Baseline on Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) at Week 2.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 2
|
The GAD-7 is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing the severity of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms with a 2-week recall period.
Possible scores range 0-21 with higher scores indicating greater severity of symptoms of GAD.
|
Baseline and Week 2
|
Change from Baseline on Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Palliative Care 14-item scale (FACIT-Pal-14) at Week 5.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 5
|
The FACIT-Pal-14 is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing quality of life in palliative care patients with a 7-day recall period.
Possible scores range 0-56 with higher scores indicating a better quality of life.
|
Baseline and Week 5
|
Change from Baseline on Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Palliative Care 14-item scale (FACIT-Pal-14) at Week 2.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 2
|
The FACIT-Pal-14 is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing quality of life in palliative care patients with a 7-day recall period.
Possible scores range 0-56 with higher scores indicating a better quality of life.
|
Baseline and Week 2
|
Change from Baseline on Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being 12-item scale (FACIT-Sp-12) at Week 5.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 5
|
The FACIT-Sp-12 is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing spiritual well-being with a 7-day recall period.
Scores range 0-48 with a higher score indicating better spiritual well-being.
|
Baseline and Week 5
|
Change from Baseline on Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being 12-item scale (FACIT-Sp-12) at Week 2.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 2
|
The FACIT-Sp-12 is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing spiritual well-being with a 7-day recall period.
Scores range 0-48 with a higher score indicating better spiritual well-being.
|
Baseline and Week 2
|
Change from Baseline on Hopelessness Assessment in Illness Questionnaire (HAI) at Week 5.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 5
|
The HAI is a validated patient-reported measure of hopelessness in terminally ill cancer patients.
Scores range 0-16 with higher scores indicating higher levels of hopelessness.
|
Baseline and Week 5
|
Change from Baseline on Hopelessness Assessment in Illness Questionnaire (HAI) at Week 2.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 2
|
The HAI is a validated patient-reported measure of hopelessness in terminally ill cancer patients.
Scores range 0-16 with higher scores indicating higher levels of hopelessness.
|
Baseline and Week 2
|
Relative risks for treatment-related, clinically significant adverse events
Time Frame: Through study completion (up to 4 months)
|
Relative risks for treatment-related serious adverse events, unexpected adverse events, common adverse events, and adverse events of special interest
|
Through study completion (up to 4 months)
|
Other Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
---|---|---|
Treatment Allocation Questionnaire (TAQ) at Week 2.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 2
|
The TAQ is a questionnaire made for this study.
Participants will be asked what study drug they believed they received at their medication visit (psilocybin or ketamine).
They will then be asked to rate with which certainty they believe this using a visual analog scale 0-100%.
|
Baseline and Week 2
|
Treatment Allocation Questionnaire (TAQ) at Week 5.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 5
|
The TAQ is a questionnaire made for this study.
Participants will be asked what study drug they believed they received at their medication visit (psilocybin or ketamine).
They will then be asked to rate with which certainty they believe this using a visual analog scale 0-100%.
|
Baseline and Week 5
|
Mystical Experience Questionnaire-30 (MEQ30) at Medication Visit.
Time Frame: At the end of the Medication Visit (Visit 4 / Day 0)
|
The MEQ30 is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing mystical-type experiences, derived from the earlier surveys of subjective responses to psilocybin.
Scores range 0-150 with a higher score indicating a more mystical-type experience.
|
At the end of the Medication Visit (Visit 4 / Day 0)
|
Challenging Experience Questionnaire (ChEQ) at Medication Visit.
Time Frame: At the end of the Medication Visit (Visit 4 / Day 0)
|
The ChEQ is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing challenging experiences with psychedelics.
Possible scores range 0-130 with a higher score indicating greater psychologically adverse reactions to psilocybin.
|
At the end of the Medication Visit (Visit 4 / Day 0)
|
Change from Baseline in 15-item Death Transcendence Scale (DTS-15) at Week 1.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 1
|
The DTS-15 is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing death transcendence.
Possible scores range 0-60 with a higher score indicating a higher level of death transcendence.
|
Baseline and Week 1
|
Persisting Effects Questionnaire 4-item (PEQ-4) at Week 5.
Time Frame: Week 5
|
The PEQ-4 is a patient-reported outcome assessing the enduring effects of psilocybin.
Ratings are made with respect to other life experiences.
Possible scores range 0-32 with a higher score indicating higher enduring effects of psilocybin.
|
Week 5
|
Change in patient-reported pain from Baseline in Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF) at Week 5.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 5
|
The BPI-SF is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing pain over the last 24-hours, with higher scores on subscales indicating higher severity of pain, and/or higher impact on functioning.
This measure will assess change in pain in the subset of patients with moderate-to-severe pain at Baseline.
|
Baseline and Week 5
|
Change in patient-reported pain from Baseline in Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF) at Week 2.
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 2
|
The BPI-SF is a validated, patient-reported outcome assessing pain over the last 24-hours, with higher scores on subscales indicating higher severity of pain, and/or higher impact on functioning.
This measure will assess change in pain in the subset of patients with moderate-to-severe pain at Baseline.
|
Baseline and Week 2
|
Collaborators and Investigators
This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.
Sponsor
Collaborators
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Charles S. Grob, M.D., Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
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.
General Publications
- Griffiths RR, Johnson MW, Carducci MA, Umbricht A, Richards WA, Richards BD, Cosimano MP, Klinedinst MA. Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial. J Psychopharmacol. 2016 Dec;30(12):1181-1197. doi: 10.1177/0269881116675513.
- Ross S, Bossis A, Guss J, Agin-Liebes G, Malone T, Cohen B, Mennenga SE, Belser A, Kalliontzi K, Babb J, Su Z, Corby P, Schmidt BL. Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial. J Psychopharmacol. 2016 Dec;30(12):1165-1180. doi: 10.1177/0269881116675512.
- Anderson BT, Danforth A, Daroff PR, Stauffer C, Ekman E, Agin-Liebes G, Trope A, Boden MT, Dilley PJ, Mitchell J, Woolley J. Psilocybin-assisted group therapy for demoralized older long-term AIDS survivor men: An open-label safety and feasibility pilot study. EClinicalMedicine. 2020 Sep 24;27:100538. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100538. eCollection 2020 Oct.
- Grob CS, Danforth AL, Chopra GS, Hagerty M, McKay CR, Halberstadt AL, Greer GR. Pilot study of psilocybin treatment for anxiety in patients with advanced-stage cancer. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2011 Jan;68(1):71-8. doi: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.116. Epub 2010 Sep 6.
- Gan LL, Gong S, Kissane DW. Mental state of demoralisation across diverse clinical settings: A systematic review, meta-analysis and proposal for its use as a 'specifier' in mental illness. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2022 Sep;56(9):1104-1129. doi: 10.1177/00048674211060746. Epub 2021 Dec 8.
- Caruso R, Breitbart W. Mental health care in oncology. Contemporary perspective on the psychosocial burden of cancer and evidence-based interventions. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2020 Jan 9;29:e86. doi: 10.1017/S2045796019000866.
- Reiche S, Hermle L, Gutwinski S, Jungaberle H, Gasser P, Majic T. Serotonergic hallucinogens in the treatment of anxiety and depression in patients suffering from a life-threatening disease: A systematic review. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2018 Feb 2;81:1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.09.012. Epub 2017 Sep 22.
- Ross S. Therapeutic use of classic psychedelics to treat cancer-related psychiatric distress. Int Rev Psychiatry. 2018 Aug;30(4):317-330. doi: 10.1080/09540261.2018.1482261. Epub 2018 Aug 13.
- Robinson S, Kissane DW, Brooker J, Michael N, Fischer J, Franco M, Hempton C, Sulistio M, Pallant JF, Clarke DM, Burney S. Refinement and revalidation of the demoralization scale: The DS-II-internal validity. Cancer. 2016 Jul 15;122(14):2251-9. doi: 10.1002/cncr.30015. Epub 2016 May 12.
- Robinson S, Kissane DW, Brooker J, Hempton C, Michael N, Fischer J, Franco M, Sulistio M, Clarke DM, Ozmen M, Burney S. Refinement and revalidation of the demoralization scale: The DS-II-external validity. Cancer. 2016 Jul 15;122(14):2260-7. doi: 10.1002/cncr.30012. Epub 2016 May 12.
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 (Estimated)
January 14, 2024
Primary Completion (Estimated)
December 31, 2025
Study Completion (Estimated)
March 31, 2026
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
April 24, 2022
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
June 1, 2022
First Posted (Actual)
June 3, 2022
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Actual)
October 24, 2023
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
October 21, 2023
Last Verified
October 1, 2023
More Information
Terms related to this study
Keywords
Additional Relevant MeSH Terms
- Physiological Effects of Drugs
- Neurotransmitter Agents
- Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
- Central Nervous System Depressants
- Peripheral Nervous System Agents
- Analgesics
- Sensory System Agents
- Anesthetics, Dissociative
- Anesthetics, Intravenous
- Anesthetics, General
- Anesthetics
- Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
- Excitatory Amino Acid Agents
- Psychotropic Drugs
- Ketamine
- Psilocybin
- Hallucinogens
Other Study ID Numbers
- 21-008459
Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)
Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?
YES
IPD Plan Description
Data from this study may be requested from other researchers 2 years after the completion of the primary endpoint by contacting the study sponsor.
IPD Sharing Time Frame
Data will become available 2 years after completion of the primary endpoint.
IPD Sharing Access Criteria
Data will be made available to qualified investigators who agree to the data sharing policies of the study.
IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type
- STUDY_PROTOCOL
- SAP
- ICF
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.
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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