CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT01578057Updated Feb 17, 2014

Evaluation of the Pharmacodynamic and Pharmacokinetic Interactions of Tasimelteon and Ethanol

A Phase 1 interventional study of tasimelteon and Ethanol in Pharmacodyamics and Pharmacokinetics of Tasimelteon Alone and in Combination With Ethanol, sponsored by Vanda Pharmaceuticals. Completed at 1 site in Canada. Open to female participants aged 19 Years to 79 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2014-02-17.

Sponsored by Vanda Pharmaceuticals · Phase 1, Interventional, and Basic science

Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
28
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
19 Years to 79 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

The purpose of this research study is to understand if there is any difference in the effects of tasimelteon when it is taken alone or in combination with alcohol. This research study is also being done to understand if there is any difference in the amount of tasimelteon (and its breakdown products) or alcohol in the blood when taken alone or together. Finally, the study will also look at the safety and tolerability (how acceptable it is) of tasimelteon.

Read the detailed description

Alcohol is a drug that gets absorbed into the bloodstream quickly. The blood carries the alcohol to the brain where it slows down the messages in the brain (alcohol is a depressant). Alcohol affects a person's memory, behaviour, concentration, alertness (your thought process is slower), and coordination (your movements become clumsy). The intended effect of tasimelteon is to cause sleepiness. Sleepiness may result in similar effects on memory, concentration, alertness, and coordination as alcohol. There is the possibility taking tasimelteon and alcohol together can make these effects stronger or worse.

02

Conditions studied

  • Pharmacodyamics and Pharmacokinetics of Tasimelteon Alone and in Combination With Ethanol

Keywords

  • alcohol
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Vanda Pharmaceuticals is the lead sponsor of 81 studies on the registry; 18 are open to participants now.

Of its 31 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 22 (71%) have results posted.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
19 Years to 79 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  1. Ability and acceptance to provide written informed consent;
  2. Men or women between 19- 75 years, inclusive;
  3. Subjects with Body Mass Index (BMI) of ≥18.0 and ≤35.0 kg/m2 (BMI = weight (kg)/ [height (m)]2) and weigh a minimum of 50 kg (110 pounds);
  4. Males, non-fecund females (i.e., surgically sterilized, if procedure was done 6 months before screening or subject is postmenopausal, without menses for 6 months before screening), or females of child-bearing potential using an acceptable method of birth control for a period of 35 days before the first dosing and females must have a negative pregnancy test at the screening and baseline visits; Note: Acceptable methods of birth control include any one of the following: abstinence, vasectomized sexual partner, hormonal methods (i.e. pill, hormonal IUD, Depo-Provera, implants, patch, intravaginal device [NuvaRing]), intrauterine device (IUD [copper banded coils]), diaphragm, cervical cap, or condom with spermicidal jelly or foam.
  5. Social or moderate drinkers who drink on average 7 to 21 units of alcohol per week and have consumed more than 4 (women) or 5 (men) units of alcohol on at least one occasion in the last month; Note: One unit of alcohol is equivalent to 1.5 oz of hard liquor or 5 oz of wine or 12 oz of beer.
  6. Willing and able to comply with study requirements and restrictions;
  7. Subjects must be in good health as determined by past medical history, physical examination, electrocardiogram, clinical laboratory tests and urinalysis;
  8. Vital signs (after 3 minutes resting in a semi-supine or seated position) which are within the ranges shown below:

    1. Body temperature between 35.0-37.5 °C;
    2. Systolic blood pressure between 90-150 mm Hg;
    3. Diastolic blood pressure between 50-95 mm Hg;
    4. Pulse rate between 40-100 bpm.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Subjects who are not able to tolerate [0.6 g/kg for female/0.7 g/kg for men] ethanol during the Qualification visit. Intolerance is defined as ≥ 1 vomiting episode or severe nausea.
  2. Current (within 12 months) drug or alcohol abuse or dependence as defined in DSM IV, Diagnostic Criteria for Drug and Alcohol Abuse or evidence of such abuse as indicated by the laboratory assays conducted during the Screening Visit or at Baseline;
  3. Any major surgery within three months of Baseline or any minor surgery within one month;
  4. History or current evidence of pulmonary, cardiovascular, hepatic, hematopoietic, renal, gastrointestinal or metabolic dysfunction judged by the Investigator to be clinically significant;
  5. Subjects who are currently considered a suicide risk, any subject who has ever made a suicide attempt, or those who are currently demonstrating active (within the last year) suicidal ideation as deemed by the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS);
  6. Any condition requiring the regular use of medication;
  7. Subjects who have used tobacco products 3 months prior to Baseline. Smokers will be defined as any subject who reports cigarette, tobacco, nicotine gum, or nicotine patch use;
  8. Exposure to any investigational drug, including placebo, within 30 days or 5 half-lives (whichever is longer) of Baseline;
  9. Donation or loss of 400 mL or more of blood within two months prior to the Baseline Visit;
  10. Significant illness within the two weeks prior to Baseline;
  11. A known intolerance or hypersensitivity to tasimelteon or drugs similar to tasimelteon including melatonin;
  12. Pregnant or lactating females;
  13. History of liver disease and/or positive for one or more of the following serological results:

    1. A positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)
    2. A positive hepatitis C antibody test (anti-HCV)
    3. A positive HIV test result;
  14. Use of prescription or OTC medication, including melatonin and herbal products (e.g., St. John's Wort) within 2 weeks of the Baseline Visit;
  15. Treatment with any drug known to cause major organ system toxicity (e.g., chloramphenicol or tamoxifen) during the 60 day preceding the Screening visit;
  16. Participation in a previous BMS-214778/VEC-162 trial;
  17. Inability to be venipunctured and/or tolerate venous access;
  18. Subjects who are unable to read or speak English;
  19. Any other sound medical reason as determined by the clinical Investigator.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Investigator)
Enrollment
28 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    tasimelteon + placebo ethanol

    Drug: tasimelteon · Drug: Placebo ethanol

  • Experimental
    ethanol + placebo tasimelteon

    Drug: Ethanol · Other: Placebo tasimelteon

  • Experimental
    tasimelteon + ethanol

    Drug: tasimelteon · Drug: Ethanol

  • Experimental
    placebo tasimelteon + placebo ethanol

    Other: Placebo tasimelteon · Drug: Placebo ethanol

Interventions

  • Drugtasimelteon

    20mg, once

    Also known as: VEC-162, BMS-214778

  • DrugEthanol

    0.6 g/kg ethanol (women) or 0.7 g/kg ethanol (men) in a total volume of 300 mL as a light cranberry juice cocktail, (consumed within 15 minutes).

    Also known as: vodka

  • OtherPlacebo tasimelteon

    once

  • DrugPlacebo ethanol

    A total volume of 300 mL as a light cranberry cocktail (consumed within 15 minutes) with about 1 mL of supernatant of ethanol in the top

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Pharmacodynamic parameters (Digit Vigilance, Digit Symbol Substitution Task, Hopkins Verbal Learning Test Revised , Divided Attention Test, Balance Platform Test, Choice Reaction Time, Visual Analog Scale) as measured by peak change from baseline

    Differences will be calculated for the following comparisons: * Ethanol Alone vs. Placebo-Placebo * Ethanol Alone vs. Tasimelteon + Ethanol * Tasimelteon Alone vs. Placebo-Placebo * Tasimelteon Alone vs. Tasimelteon + Ethanol

    Time frame: Days 1, 8, 15, 22: at pre-dose, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours after dose

Secondary outcomes

  1. Pharmacokinetic parameters (AUC, Cmax, Tmax) of tasimelteon, tasimelteon's metabolites, and ethanol

    Time frame: Approximately Days 1, 8, 15, and 22: predose, 0.25, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours after dosing

  2. Safety and tolerability as measured by spontaneous reporting of AEs, and clinically significant changes in laboratory parameters, ECG parameters, and vital signs

    Time frame: Screening (approximately Day -10), Days -2, -1, 1, and approximately Days 8, 15, 22, 23

  3. The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale will be used to assess suicidal behavior and ideation.

    Time frame: once per day at Screening (approximately day -7),Day -1 (baseline), approximately Days 1, 8, 15, 22 and 23 (end of study)

07

Study locations

1 site
  • INC Research Toronto, Inc.
    Toronto, Ontario M5V 2TC, Canada
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Feb 17, 2014, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01578057
Lead sponsor
Vanda Pharmaceuticals
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Apr 16, 2012
Start date
Apr 2012
Primary completion
Jun 2012
Completion
Jun 2012
Last update
Feb 17, 2014

Oversight

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

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2014. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion