CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT00129285Updated May 8, 2018Results posted

Modafinil Treatment for Cocaine-Dependent Individuals

A Phase 2 interventional study of Low Dose Modafinil and High Dose Modafinil in Cocaine-Related Disorders, sponsored by University of Pennsylvania. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2018-05-08.

Sponsored by University of Pennsylvania · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
210
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 60 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Despite years of active research, there are still no approved medications for the treatment of cocaine dependence. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of modafinil in treating cocaine-dependent individuals.

Read the detailed description

Modafinil is a glutamate-enhancing agent that blunts cocaine euphoria under controlled conditions. Due to its stimulant-like properties, modafinil is also likely to relieve severe cocaine withdrawal symptoms. In turn, this may lead to better clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study is to determine whether modafinil improves abstinence during early recovery from cocaine dependence.

This 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will enroll 210 participants with current DSM-IV diagnoses of cocaine dependence. Treatment will occur for 8 weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive a single morning dose of low-dose modafinil (200 mg/day), high-dose modafinil (400 mg/day), or matching placebo tablets. In addition, each week participants will receive manual-guided cognitive behavioral therapy at the Treatment Research Center. At the end of the 8-week treatment period, modafinil or placebo will be abruptly discontinued. One week following, an end of medication evaluation will occur. In addition to this, two follow-up evaluations will take place 3 and 5 months after initial randomization. Efforts will be made to continue evaluation of subjects who decide to discontinue the modafinil treatment. Urine benzoylecgonine levels will be used to measure cocaine abstinence. Craving, withdrawal, retention, and adverse events will also be evaluated.

02

Conditions studied

  • Cocaine-Related Disorders

Keywords

  • cocaine
03

In context

Cocaine-Related Disorders

415 studies on the registry are indexed under Cocaine-Related Disorders; 12 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 210 is above the median of 60 across 312 interventional studies indexed under Cocaine-Related Disorders.

Browse Cocaine-Related Disorders studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Pennsylvania is the lead sponsor of 1,635 studies on the registry; 239 are open to participants now.

Of its 154 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 104 (68%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 60 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Male or female, aged 18 - 60 years;
  • Current DSM-IV diagnosis of cocaine dependence
  • Using at least $200 worth of cocaine within the past 30 days and having positive urine toxicology (BE) during screening;
  • Able to provide written informed consent and to comply with all study procedures;
  • Women must be surgically sterile, at least two years postmenopausal, or if of childbearing potential be using a medically accepted method of birth control and agree to continue use of this method for at least 30 days after the last dose of study drug (i.e. barrier method with spermicide, steroidal contraceptive [oral and implanted, including Depo-Provera contraceptives must be used in conjunction with a barrier method], or intrauterine device [IUD])

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Currently dependent on any substance other than cocaine or nicotine
  • Neurological or psychiatric disorders, such as psychosis, bipolar illness, organic brain disease, dementia, or any diseases that require psychotropic medications
  • Serious medical illnesses, including but not limited to; uncontrolled hypertension, significant heart disease (including a history of myocardial infarction, angina, mitral valve prolapse, left ventricular hypertrophy, palpitations, and arrhythmia), hepatic disease, renal disease, or any serious, potentially life-threatening or progressive medical illness that may compromise patient safety or study conduct;
  • Received a drug with known potential for toxicity to a major organ system within the month prior to entering treatment including but not limited to; chemotherapeutic agents for neoplastic disease (i.e. methotrexate, vincristine, vinblastine, fluorouracil), agents used for parasitic infections, isoniazid, chlorambucil, dactinomycin, chloramphenicol, immunosuppressive and cytotoxic agents (i.e. cyclosporine, tacrolimus), indomethacin, protease inhibitors, amphotericin B, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, interferon, and sulfonamides;
  • Clinically significant abnormal laboratory values
  • Has any disease of the gastrointestinal system, liver, or kidneys which could result in altered metabolism or excretion of the study medication (history of major gastrointestinal tract surgery, gastrectomy, gastrostomy, bowel resection, etc.) or history of chronic gastrointestinal disorders (ulcerative colitis, regional enteritis, or gastrointestinal bleeding);
  • Known hypersensitivity or allergy to modafinil or receiving chronic therapy with any medication that could interact adversely with one of the medications under study, including propranolol, phenytoin, warfarin and diazepam;
  • Currently taking any medication that could interact adversely with one of the medications under study, including propranolol, phenytoin, warfarin and diazepam
  • Took monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) within 30 days prior to randomization;
  • Taking or has taken an investigational drug within 60 days prior to enrollment
  • If female and of child-bearing capacity, tests positive on a urine pregnancy test, is lactating, has had three or more days of amenorrhea beyond expected menses at the time of the first dose of study medication, is contemplating pregnancy in the next 6 months, or is not using an effective contraceptive method;
  • Received therapy with any opiate-substitute (methadone, LAAM, buprenorphine) within 60 days of study enrollment.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
210 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Low Dose Modafinil

    Low Dose Modafinil 200 mg daily

    Drug: Low Dose Modafinil

  • Experimental
    High Dose Modafinil

    High dose modafinil 400 mg daily

    Drug: High Dose Modafinil

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo

    Placebo

    Drug: Placebo

Interventions

  • DrugLow Dose Modafinil

    modafinil 200 mg/day

    Also known as: Provigil

  • DrugHigh Dose Modafinil

    modafinil 400 mg/day

    Also known as: Provigil

  • DrugPlacebo

    placebo 400 mg/day

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Urine Toxicology for Cocaine

    Abstinent in the final 3 weeks of treatment

    Time frame: 3 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Retention; Number of Evaluation Visits Attended

    Number of visits attended compared between the three conditions using anova

    Time frame: 8 weeks

  2. Cocaine Selective Severity Assessment (CSSA) Total Score

    Cocaine Selective Severity assessment (CSSA) total score has a range 0-126. Higher scores indicating greater severity of cocaine withdrawal obtained weekly. Groups compared using GEE model over 8 weeks of treatment.

    Time frame: 8 weeks

07

Results

Posted May 8, 2018

Participant flow

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestoneLow Dose ModafinilHigh Dose ModafinilPlacebo
Started657075
Completed404337
Not completed252738

Outcome measures

PrimaryUrine Toxicology for Cocaine

Abstinent in the final 3 weeks of treatment

Time frame:
3 weeks
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Urine Toxicology for Cocaine
ParticipantsLow Dose ModafinilHigh Dose ModafinilPlacebo
Urine Toxicology for Cocaine383
SecondaryRetention; Number of Evaluation Visits Attended

Number of visits attended compared between the three conditions using anova

Time frame:
8 weeks
Reported as:
Mean · number of evaluation sessions attended
Retention; Number of Evaluation Visits Attended
number of evaluation sessions attended1Low Dose Modafinil2 High Dose Modafinil3. Placebo
Retention; Number of Evaluation Visits Attended16.8 ± 7.116.5 ± 6.714.3 ± 7.1
SecondaryCocaine Selective Severity Assessment (CSSA) Total Score

Cocaine Selective Severity assessment (CSSA) total score has a range 0-126. Higher scores indicating greater severity of cocaine withdrawal obtained weekly. Groups compared using GEE model over 8 weeks of treatment.

Time frame:
8 weeks
Reported as:
Mean · units on a scale
Cocaine Selective Severity Assessment (CSSA) Total Score
units on a scaleLow Dose ModafinilHigh Dose ModafinilPlacebo
Cocaine Selective Severity Assessment (CSSA) Total Score12.89 ± 11.7015.04 ± 13.5215.2 ± 14.32

Adverse events

Collected over Adverse events were collected over the course of the 8 week trial. Non-serious events are listed at a 5% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Modafinil High Dose—1/70 (1.4%)63/70 (90%)
Placebo—0/75 (0%)62/75 (82.7%)
Modafinil Low Dose—0/65 (0%)50/65 (76.9%)
Most frequent serious events
Most frequent serious events
EventModafinil High DosePlaceboModafinil Low Dose
Treatment Emergent ManiaPsychiatric disorders1/700/750/65
Most frequent other events
Showing 10 of 12
Most frequent other events
EventModafinil High DosePlaceboModafinil Low Dose
Body AchesMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders23/7027/7517/65
Upper respiratory tract infectionInfections and infestations18/7022/7514/65
HeadacheGeneral disorders15/7014/7511/65
Increased energyNervous system disorders10/702/756/65
InsomniaGeneral disorders9/705/756/65
appetite changesGastrointestinal disorders4/708/756/65
teeth problemsGeneral disorders6/707/756/65
DiarrheaGastrointestinal disorders6/704/752/65
Stomach problemsGastrointestinal disorders6/704/752/65
NauseaGastrointestinal disorders4/704/755/65

Baseline characteristics

Age, Categorical
Age, Categorical(Participants)Low Dose ModafinilHigh Dose ModafinilPlaceboTotal
<=18 years0000
Between 18 and 65 years657075210
>=65 years0000
Age, Continuous
Age, Continuous(years)Low Dose ModafinilHigh Dose ModafinilPlaceboTotal
Mean41.72 ± 6.943.64 ± 7.742.46 ± 7.542.64 ± 8.7
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)Low Dose ModafinilHigh Dose ModafinilPlaceboTotal
Female18181955
Male475256155
Region of Enrollment
Region of Enrollment(participants)Low Dose ModafinilHigh Dose ModafinilPlaceboTotal
United States657075210
08

Study locations

1 site
  • University of Pennsylvania
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 6178, United States
09

References and documents

10

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 8, 2018, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
11

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00129285
Lead sponsor
University of Pennsylvania
Collaborators
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Aug 11, 2005
Start date
Jul 2004
Primary completion
Jan 2008
Completion
Apr 2008
Results posted
May 8, 2018
Last update
May 8, 2018

Study contacts

Charles Dackis
principal investigator · University of Pennsylvania

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2018. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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