CClinicalTrials.gg
TerminatedNCT00881205EXCITINGUpdated Mar 12, 2012Results posted

Rivastigmine in Multiple Sclerosis Patients With Cognitive Impairment

A Phase 4 interventional study of Rivastigmine transdermal patch and Placebo in Multiple Sclerosis and Cognitive Impairment, sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Terminated at 49 sites in Germany. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2012-03-12.

Sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

Why this study was terminated
Termination of study due to low enrollment
Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
86
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of 10 cm² rivastigmine patch vs. placebo in cognitively impaired Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients. Primary objective was the assessment of cognition by the Selective Reminding Test (SRT) -a subtest of the brief repeatable battery (BRB) - after titration of 4 weeks and maintenance of 12 weeks. This double-blind period was followed by a 52-week open-label treatment phase to assess long-term safety of rivastigmine patch in these patients.

02

Conditions studied

  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Cognitive Impairment

Keywords

  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Cognition
  • Rivastigmine
  • Patch
03

In context

Multiple Sclerosis

3,460 studies on the registry are indexed under Multiple Sclerosis; 661 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 86 is above the median of 50 across 2,342 interventional studies indexed under Multiple Sclerosis.

Browse Multiple Sclerosis studies →

Lead sponsor

Novartis Pharmaceuticals is the lead sponsor of 2,673 studies on the registry; 228 are open to participants now.

Of its 576 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 431 (75%) have results posted.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 65 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  1. Written informed consent to participate in the trial
  2. Males and females between 18 and 55 years of age;
  3. Definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis as defined by 2005 revised McDonald criteria
  4. MS-subtype: Clinical isolated syndrome (CIS), Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS), Secondary progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS);
  5. Cognitive Impairment
  6. Sufficient education to read, write and communicate comprehensibly

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Use of other investigational drugs at the time of enrollment, or within 30 days or 5 half-lives of enrollment, whichever is longer
  2. Women who are pregnant or breast feeding or who are menstruating and capable of becoming pregnant and not practicing a medically approved method of contraception
  3. With a physical or sensory disability that can subjectively prevent the patient from completing all study requirements
  4. Patients suffering any other type of concomitant psychiatric and/or neurological disorder other than MS which is known to affect cognition (e.g. severe depressive symptoms, cerebrovascular diseases, epilepsy).
  5. Patients suffering an acute relapse of MS in the previous 30 days (treated or not with intravenous or oral glucocorticoid regimens) prior to baseline.
  6. With a history or current problem of drug-addiction and/or alcohol abuse.
  7. Known or 'new' diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (if screening blood glucose is suspicious for diabetes [≥126 mg/dL or ≥7 mmol/L if fasting and ≥200 mg/dL or 11.1 mmol/L if random testing] a patient should be further evaluated for diabetes mellitus)
  8. With a history of severe or moderate-severe cranioencephalic trauma.
  9. History or presence of any intolerance or contraindication for the application of rivastigmine (or for drugs with similar chemical structures) as listed in the current Investigator's Brochure and/or SPC, i.e. severe liver insufficiency, pancreatitis, gastric ulcer, convulsions.
  10. With a history in the past year or a current diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease (for instance, stroke, transient ischemic events, aneurysms).
  11. Severe depressive symptoms indicated by a score of more than ≥ 14 on the MADRS at screening
  12. History of malignancy of any organ system, treated or untreated, within the past 5 years whether or not there is evidence of local recurrence or metastases, with the exception of localized basal cell carcinoma of the skin

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
86 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Rivastigmine

    Rivastigmine patch arm with the application of one 5 cm² patch, followed by an increase to the target dose of 10 cm² patch size.

    Drug: Rivastigmine transdermal patch

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo

    Placebo patch arm with the application of one 5 cm² patch, followed by an increase to the target dose of 10 cm² patch size.

    Drug: Placebo

Interventions

  • DrugRivastigmine transdermal patch

    Transdermalapplication of one 5 cm² patch, followed by an increase to the target dose of 10 cm² patch size. All patches are round, beige in color.

  • DrugPlacebo

    Transdermal application of one 5 cm² patch, followed by an increase to the target dose of 10 cm² patch size. Matching the size, shape and color of rivastigmine patches.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change From Baseline to Week 16 in Total Recall on the Selective Reminding Test (SRT) in the Intent to Treat (ITT) Population

    The Selective Reminding Test(SRT) is a test to assess verbal learning and memory. During the administration of the SRT only the examiner and the patient should be in the testing room. A list of twelve words is read aloud by the examiner at a rate of one word per two seconds. The patient is asked to recall all twelve words. Only the words that are missed on the preceding trial are given in the consecutive trial. The total score represents a sum score of 6 trials, therefore the range is from 0-72. The lower the value the worse the outcome.

    Time frame: After 16 weeks of treatment

07

Results

Posted Feb 24, 2012
Limitations and caveats
This study was terminated early due to low recruitment numbers. This study did not have the anticipated 80% power.

Participant flow

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestoneRivastigminePlacebo
Started4541
Completed3434
Not completed117
Withdrew: Adverse event83
Withdrew: Withdrawal by subject12
Withdrew: Lost to follow-up01
Withdrew: Administrative problems11
Withdrew: Condition no longer requires drug10

Outcome measures

PrimaryChange From Baseline to Week 16 in Total Recall on the Selective Reminding Test (SRT) in the Intent to Treat (ITT) Population

The Selective Reminding Test(SRT) is a test to assess verbal learning and memory. During the administration of the SRT only the examiner and the patient should be in the testing room. A list of twelve words is read aloud by the examiner at a rate of one word per two seconds. The patient is asked to recall all twelve words. Only the words that are missed on the preceding trial are given in the consecutive trial. The total score represents a sum score of 6 trials, therefore the range is from 0-72. The lower the value the worse the outcome.

Time frame:
After 16 weeks of treatment
Reported as:
Mean · units on a scale

No measurements were reported for this outcome.

Adverse events

Non-serious events are listed at a 3% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Total Patients—6/86 (7%)48/86 (55.8%)
Rivastigmine—2/45 (4.4%)25/45 (55.6%)
Placebo—4/41 (9.8%)23/41 (56.1%)
Most frequent serious events
Most frequent serious events
EventTotal PatientsRivastigminePlacebo
NAUSEAGastrointestinal disorders1/860/451/41
OEDEMA PERIPHERALGeneral disorders1/860/451/41
PYREXIAGeneral disorders1/860/451/41
DIZZINESSNervous system disorders1/860/451/41
OPTIC NEURITISNervous system disorders1/860/451/41
DEPRESSIONPsychiatric disorders1/860/451/41
CELLULITISInfections and infestations1/861/450/41
PYELONEPHRITISInfections and infestations1/861/450/41
SEPSISInfections and infestations1/861/450/41
Most frequent other events
Showing 10 of 19
Most frequent other events
EventTotal PatientsRivastigminePlacebo
ERYTHEMASkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders13/867/456/41
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS RELAPSENervous system disorders10/864/456/41
NASOPHARYNGITISInfections and infestations7/866/451/41
RASHSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders7/865/452/41
NAUSEAGastrointestinal disorders6/862/454/41
DEPRESSIONPsychiatric disorders5/861/454/41
DIARRHOEAGastrointestinal disorders3/861/452/41
INFLUENZA LIKE ILLNESSGeneral disorders3/861/452/41
RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONInfections and infestations2/860/452/41
DIZZINESSNervous system disorders2/860/452/41

Baseline characteristics

Age Continuous
Age Continuous(years)RivastigminePlaceboTotal
Mean44.6 ± 9.444.0 ± 7.344.3 ± 8.5
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)RivastigminePlaceboTotal
Female232043
Male201838
08

Study locations

49 sites
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Aachen, 52062, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Aalen, 73430, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Abensberg, 93326, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Achim, 28832, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Alzenau, 63755, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Aschaffenburg, 63739, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Bad Mergentheim, 97980, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Bayreuth, 95445, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Berlin, 10178, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative SIte
    Berlin, 10713, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Berlin, 12103, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Berlin, 13347, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Bochum, 44892, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Böblingen, 71034, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Düsseldorf, 40211, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Eisenach, 99817, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Ellwangen, 73479, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Erbach, 64711, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Erlangen, 91054, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Essen, 45122, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Essen, 45138, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Giessen, 35385, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Göttingen, 37075, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Hamburg, 20354, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Hamburg, 22083, Germany
  • Novartis Investigational Site
    Hamburg, 22179, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Hannover, 30623, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Itzehoe, 25524, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Kaltenkirchen, 24568, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Koeln, 51109, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Krefeld, 47798, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Lappersdorf, 93138, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Leipzig, 04103, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Leipzig, 04157, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Ludwigshafen, 67059, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Lüneburg, 21335, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Neu-Ulm, 89231, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Neuburg, 86633, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Oldenburg, 26122, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Osnabruck, 49078, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Rostock, 18147, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Stade, 21682, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Stuttgart, 70182, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Stuttgart, 70191, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Ulm, 89073, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Unterhaching, 82008, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Viernheim, 69518, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Wiesbaden, 65183, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Wolfratshausen, 82515, Germany
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 12, 2012, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00881205
Lead sponsor
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Apr 15, 2009
Start date
Apr 2009
Primary completion
Jan 2011
Completion
Jan 2011
Results posted
Feb 24, 2012
Last update
Mar 12, 2012

Study contacts

Novartis Pharmaceuticals
study director · Novartis Pharmaceuticals
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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