A Phase 3 interventional study of PPP001 and placebo in Cancer and Chronic Pain Due to Malignancy (Finding), sponsored by Tetra Bio-Pharma. Terminated at 1 site in Canada. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-10-09.
Sponsored by Tetra Bio-Pharma · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
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Cancer causes pain in many of the patients that it affects. Physicians specialized in palliative care help advanced cancer patients to maintain as good pain control as possible through the use of medications such as opioids. Even with palliative care and optimal use of medications, many patients still suffer enormously as the cancer spreads. Because of this, some cancer patients also try or use cannabis in different ways to relieve their pain and improve the way they feel. However, there has not been much high-quality research done yet to prove whether or not cannabis products are truly useful to relieve severe cancer pain. This study is to test if advanced cancer patients who use inhaled medical cannabis (PPP001), in addition to palliative care management, will experience improvement in quality of life and relieve uncontrolled pain, providing safety conditions.
This is a 4-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group design trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of inhaled PPP001 to improve quality of life (HRQoL) and reduce pain intensity, in patients with uncontrolled cancer pain and incurable malignancy.
Nine hundred forty six adult patients, male and female, with chronic cancer pain (at least 3 months in duration) and advanced disease, with an average weekly pain intensity score greater than 4 on a 11 points Numerical Rate Scale (NRS), will be prospectively recruited and invited to participate in this trial.
Informed consent will be obtained by a Research Assistant.
After baseline documentation with standardized scales, patients will be randomized to one of 2 parallel groups:
Group A: 4 weeks PPP001-kit three times daily; Group B: 4 weeks placebo-kit three times daily; The inhalation of PPP001 or placebo-kit will be allowed three times a day at 4-6 hour intervals. Rescue medication will also be allowed.
Patients will have a dose titration phase during the first week, followed by an additional 3-week period of treatment. The dose escalation will allow patients to adapt to the potential AEs of cannabis.
Patients will have follow-up after 1 week and 4 weeks of treatment. Once the patient has completed 4 weeks of inhaled PPP001 or placebo, it will be rolled into a long-term follow-up phase until drop-out or death. All patients, including the ones in the placebo group, will be allowed to receive the active treatment once the 4-weeks trial has finished, and continue it until death or drop-out.
10,824 studies on the registry are indexed under Neoplasms; 2,325 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 8 is below the median of 60 across 7,706 interventional studies indexed under Neoplasms.
Browse Neoplasms studies →Tetra Bio-Pharma is the lead sponsor of 7 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
A female volunteer must meet one of the following criteria:
If of - agrees to use one of the accepted regimens from at least 28 days prior to the first drug administration, during the study and for at least 60 days after the last dose. An acceptable method of contraception includes one of the following:
A male volunteer with sexual partners who are pregnant, possibly pregnant, or who could become pregnant must meet the following criteria:
A. Abstinence from heterosexual intercourse. B. Condom with spermicide or condom with intravaginally applied spermicide
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.
A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.
Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².
Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Life expectancy
The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ECOG performance status
A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.
Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ALT and AST (liver enzymes)
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
GFR and eGFR (kidney filtering)
GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².
Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Childbearing potential
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Clinically significant
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
DSM diagnostic criteria
The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
280 mg dried cannabis pellet -(9% THC / 2% CBD per pellet)
Combination Product: PPP001
280 mg dried extracted cannabis pellet (0% THC / 0.6% CBD per pellet)
Combination Product: placebo
1 pellet smoked three times a day with titanium pipe (280 mg dried cannabis pellet - 9% THC / 2% CBD per pellet)
Also known as: titanium pipe
1 pellet smoked three times a day with titanium pipe (280 mg dried cannabis pellet - 0% THC / 0.6% CBD per pellet)
Also known as: titanium pipe
improve Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of patients with uncontrolled cancer pain and incurable malignancy
Does the daily use of PPP001-kit improve European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire - Core 15 Palliative (EORTC-QLQ-C15-PAL). Scale range is 1 to 4; 1 (Not at All) being the worst rating to the maximal rating of 4 (Very Much).
Time frame: Change from Baseline in HRQoL at Weeks 1 and 4. Change from baseline at 12-weeks follow-up and every 6-weeks after week 12 follow-up until the date of death from any cause or assessed up to 12 months.
Does the daily use of PPP001-kit improve uncontrolled cancer pain
Changes in pain as measured by the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF) scale. Scale range is 0 to 10; 0 (No pain) being the best rating to the maximal rating of 10 (Pain as bad as you can imagine).
Time frame: Change from Baseline in BPI-SF at Weeks 1 and 4. Change from baseline at 12-weeks follow-up and every 6-weeks after week 12 follow-up until the date of death from any cause or assessed up to 12 months
Does the daily use of PPP001-kit improve symptom burden
Changes in symptom burden as measured by the revised Edmonton Symptom Assessment System version with Constipation and Sleep was added to assess improvement in symptom burden (ESAS-r-CS). Scale range is 0 to 10; 0 (No symptom) being the best rating to the maximal rating of 10 (Worst possible score for symptom).
Time frame: Change from Baseline in ESAS-r-CS at Weeks 1 and 4. Change from baseline at 12-weeks follow-up and every 6-weeks after week 12 follow-up until the date of death from any cause or assessed up to 12 months
Does the daily use of PPP001-kit improve functional status
Changes in Palliative Performance Scale (PPSv2) version 2. Scale range is a left to right and downward scale for participant to find the best description of their palliative performance. Worst being 0% score representing Dead to PPS 100% representing Full ability to interact and function.
Time frame: Change from Baseline in PPSv2 at Weeks 1 and 4. Change from baseline at 12-weeks follow-up and every 6-weeks after week 12 follow-up until the date of death from any cause or assessed up to 12 months
Does the daily use of PPP001-kit improve the QoL of family caregivers
Changes in Caregivers Quality of Life Index- Cancer (CQOLC). Scale range is 0 to 4; 0 meaning Not at All affected and 4 meaning Very Much affected.
Time frame: Change from Baseline in CQOLC at Weeks 1 and 4
Changes in validated Udvalg for klinische Undersøgelser (UKU) Side Effects Rating Scale, Self-rating version for Patients (UKU-SERS-Pat)
Changes in validated Udvalg for klinische Undersøgelser (UKU) Side Effects Rating Scale, Self-rating version for Patients (UKU-SERS-Pat). Scale range is 0 to 3 for rating the degree of severity and a second scale for the investigator that assigns a casual relationship of improbable, possible or probable.
Time frame: Change versus placebo for safety and tolerability at Weeks 1 and 4. Change from baseline at 12-weeks follow-up and every 6-weeks after week 12 follow-up until the date of death from any cause or assessed up to 12 months.
Does the daily use of PPP001-kit improve cognition
Changes in validated Mini-Cog. Scale range is numerical and rates the ability to recall words and ability to draw a clock showing numbers from 1 to 12 and then drawing the given time.
Time frame: Change versus placebo for Mini-Cog at Weeks 1 and 4. Change from baseline at 12-weeks follow-up and every 6-weeks after week 12 follow-up until the date of death from any cause or assessed up to 12 months
Does the daily use of PPP001-kit influence pharmacodynamics
Changes in a 100-mm VAS of good drug effect, and a VAS for the items "high," "relaxed," "stressed," and "happy" (0 = not at all, 10 = extremely)
Time frame: Change versus placebo for 100-mm VAS at Weeks 1 and 4
Does the daily use of PPP001-kit influence the use of concurrent medications
Changes in concurrent medications will be measured using the Medication Quantification Scale (MQS) version III. The MQS version III is a method of quantifying different pain drug regimens by evaluating the use of 22 distinct drug classes (e.g., nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs \[NSAIDs\], antidepressants, benzodiazepines, opiates). A single value is calculated based on a patient's pain medication profile, taking into account dosages, and the types of pain medications prescribed.
Time frame: Change from Baseline in MQS version III at Weeks 1 and 4.
Does the daily use of PPP001-kit improve quality of life
Changes in validated European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D). First scale range provides 5 statements that describe the participants health TODAY; it includes 5 different health assessments. The second scale is 0 to 100 and requires that the participant places a mark on the scale showing how good or bad they feel TODAY; 0 meaning The worst health they can imagine; 100 meaning the best health they can imagine.
Time frame: Change from Baseline in EQ-5D at Weeks 1 and 4. Change from baseline at 12-weeks follow-up and every 6-weeks after week 12 follow-up until the date of death from any cause or assessed up to 12 months
Does the daily use of PPP001-kit improve uncontrolled cancer pain
Changes in pain as measured by the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). The NRS is a measure of the average weekly pain intensity score greater than on a 0 to 10 points scale where 0 is No Pain and 10 is the worst pain.
Time frame: Change from Baseline in NRS at Weeks 1 and 4. Change from baseline at 12-weeks follow-up and every 6-weeks after week 12 follow-up until the date of death from any cause or assessed up to 12 months
Does the daily use of PPP001-kit improve mood and illness-understanding
Changes in validated Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS). Scale range is 0 to 3; 0 meaning None and 3 meaning Severe.
Time frame: Change versus placebo for MDAS at Weeks 1 and 4. Change from baseline at 12-weeks follow-up and every 6-weeks after week 12 follow-up until the date of death from any cause or assessed up to 12 months
Does the daily use of PPP001-kit influence the use of the need for rescue medication
Rescue medication will be based on the calculation of 10% of the total morphine equivalent daily dose (MEDD). The reduction or increase in the total MEDD will be recorded after starting treatment with PPP001.
Time frame: Change from Baseline in rescue medication reported as an MEDD at Weeks 1 and 4.
Plan to share: Undecided
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Ran from Mar 2018 to primary completion in Dec 2018, 8 months.
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This study is terminated, as verified in Oct 2019. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Studies of the drug tested here: PPP001
Tetra Bio-Pharma