ClinicalTrials.gg
Active, not recruitingNCT03396601SevereBDUpdated Jan 19, 2024

NRX100 vs. Placebo for Rapid Stabilization of Acute Suicidal Ideation and Behavior in Bipolar Depression

A Phase 3 interventional study of Ketamine Hydrochloride and Placebo in Bipolar Depression and Suicidal Ideation, sponsored by NeuroRx, Inc.. Active, not recruiting at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-01-19.

Sponsored by NeuroRx, Inc. · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Dec 2024, 1 year 10 months ago, but the record still lists the study as active, not recruiting.
Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
150
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

NMDA antagonist drugs have increasingly been demonstrated to reduce symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation. NeuroRx has developed a sequential therapy consisting of IV NRX-100 (ketamine HCL) for rapid stabilization of symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation followed by oral NRX-101 (fixed dose combination of D-cycloserine and lurasidone) for maintenance of stabilization from symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation. This study will test the hypothesis that that NRX-100 is superior to placebo in achieving rapid reduction in symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation in patients with Severe Bipolar Depression and Acute Suicidal Ideation or Behavior within 24 hours of administration.

Read the detailed description

Background and Rationale: NMDA antagonist drugs have increasingly been demonstrated to reduce symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation. Specifically, NRX-100 (ketamine HCl, 0.5 mg/kg IV over 40 minutes) has been shown to induce acute reductions in suicidality and depression in patients with bipolar depression, relative to control. Numerous reports have documented a 50% reduction in the MADRS depression scale and a 75% reduction in suicidality following a single infusion of ketamine in patients with suicidal ideation and depression. While the repeat use of ketamine is not supported and may be contraindicated by the literature, D-cycloserine (DCS), when combined with SSRI antidepressants in patients with treatment resistant depression, and when combined with atypical antipsychotics, in particular lurasidone (NRX-101), has shown separation from control and ability to maintain remission from suicidality and depression over 6 weeks with oral use.

Primary Objective:

  • To test the hypothesis that a single infusion of NRX-100 is superior to placebo infusion in the rapid stabilization of patients with severe Bipolar Depression and Acute Suicidal Ideation and Behavior (ASIB).

Secondary Objectives:

  • Key secondary: To test the hypothesis that there is a more favorable reduction in the mean change from baseline on the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) between NRX-100 and saline groups on day 1 and day 2.

Methodology: A multi-center, randomized, double-blind, trial involving a single IV infusion to achieve response by 24 hours. The randomization will be 3:1 favoring NRX-100 (ketamine) infusion (n=105) vs. Saline infusion (n=35). Subjects who respond successfully to treatment will be offered enrollment in a six week followup study of NRX-101 (an oral fixed dose combination of d-cycloserine and lurasidone) vs. standard of care in order to ascertain maintenance of the ketamine effect.

02

Conditions studied

  • Bipolar Depression
  • Suicidal Ideation
03

In context

Bipolar Disorder

1,683 studies on the registry are indexed under Bipolar Disorder; 266 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 150 is above the median of 64 across 1,279 interventional studies indexed under Bipolar Disorder.

Browse Bipolar Disorder studies →

Lead sponsor

NeuroRx, Inc. is the lead sponsor of 9 studies on the registry; 3 are open to participants now.

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

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.

Inclusion criteria

A subject will be eligible for inclusion in this study only if all of the following criteria apply:

  1. 18 to 65 years of age, inclusive, at screening.
  2. Able to understand and provide written and dated prior to screening. Deemed likely to comply with study protocol and communicate AEs and other information, and agree to be hospitalized to complete screening and initiate experimental treatment.
  3. Resides in a stable living situation, in the opinion of the investigator
  4. Has an identified reliable informant, in the opinion of the investigator
  5. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD) according to the criteria defined in the . The diagnosis of BD will be made by a psychiatrist and supported by the MINI 7.0.2.
  6. Suicidal ideation or behavior as evidenced by an answer of "Yes" to item 4 or item 5 on the C-SSRS.
  7. A score of greater than or equal to 20 on the 10 items of the BISS that correspond with MADRS (equivalent to MADRS (BDM) total score of 30).
  8. In good general health, as ascertained by medical history, physical examination (including measurement of seated vital signs), clinical laboratory evaluations, and
  9. If female, a status of non- or use of an acceptable form of per the following specific criteria:

    1. Non-childbearing potential (e.g., physiologically incapable of becoming pregnant, i.e., permanently sterilized [status post hysterectomy, bilateral tubal ligation], or with last menses at least one year prior to screening); or
    2. Childbearing potential, and meets the following criteria:

    i. Using any form of hormonal birth control, on hormone replacement therapy started prior to 12 months of amenorrhea, using an intrauterine device (IUD), having a monogamous relationship with a partner who has had a vasectomy, or sexually abstinent.

    ii. Negative urinary pregnancy test at screening, confirmed by a second negative urinary pregnancy test at randomization prior to receiving study treatment.

    iii. Willing and able to continuously use one of the following methods of birth control during the course of the study, defined as those which result in a low failure rate (i.e., less than 1% per year) when used consistently and correctly: implants, injectable or patch hormonal contraception, oral contraceptives, IUD, double-barrier contraception, sexual abstinence. The form of birth control will be documented at screening and pre-ketamine baseline.

  10. between 18-35kg/m2.
  11. Concurrent psychotherapy will be allowed if the type and frequency of the therapy (e.g., weekly or monthly) has been stable for at least three months prior to screening and is expected to remain stable for the duration of the study.
  12. Concurrent hypnotic therapy (e.g., with zolpidem, zaleplon, melatonin, benzodiazepines, or trazodone) will be allowed if the therapy has been stable for at least four weeks prior to screening and if it is expected to remain stable during the course of the subject's participation in the study. Subjects can also continue treatment with benzodiazepines used for anxiety if therapy has been stable for at least four weeks prior to screening and if it is expected to remain stable during the course of the subject's participation in the study.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

A subject will not be eligible for inclusion in this study if any of the following criteria apply:

  1. Female of who is not willing to use one of the specified forms of during the study.
  2. Female who is pregnant or breastfeeding.
  3. Female with a positive pregnancy test at screening or before oral dosing of product.
  4. Current diagnosis of moderate or severe substance use disorder (except marijuana or tobacco use disorder) within the 12 months prior to screening. Substance abuse cannot be the precipitant of entry to treatment.
  5. Subjects with a lifetime history of PCP/ketamine drug use, or failed use of ketamine for depression.
  6. History of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, or any history of psychotic symptoms when not in an acute bipolar mood episode.
  7. History of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or eating disorder NOS (OSFED) within five years of screening.
  8. Has dementia, delirium, amnestic, or any other cognitive disorder.
  9. Any major psychiatric disorder, including a personality disorder, which is clinically predominant to BD at screening, or has been the primary focus of treatment predominant to BD at any time within six months prior to screening.
  10. Current major psychiatric disorder, diagnosed at screening with the MINI 7.0.2, that is the primary focus of treatment, with BD as the secondary focus of treatment, within the past six months.
  11. A abnormality on the screening physical examination that might affect safety or study participation, or that might confound interpretation of study results according to the study clinician.
  12. Current episode of:

    1. Untreated hypertension, (Stage 1 or greater) as defined by a systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg at screening on two of three measurements at least 15 minutes apart. If untreated due to missing medication dose/s this is not exclusionary.
    2. Hypertension, Stage 2, as defined by a systolic blood pressure ≥155 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥99 mmHg within 1.5 hours prior to ketamine infusion on two of three measurements at least 15 minutes apart at the pre-ketamine assessment (on Day 0 at Visit 1).
    3. Recent myocardial infarction (within one year).
    4. Syncopal event within the past year.
    5. Congestive heart failure (CHF) Criteria >Stage 2.
    6. Angina pectoris.
    7. Heart rate \<50 or >105 beats per minute at screening, pre-ketamine infusion (Day 0) or at randomization (Day 1).
    8. ≥450 msec at screening for men, ≥ 470 msec for women, pre-ketamine infusion (Day 0), or at randomization (Day 1), on two of three measurements at least 15 minutes apart.
  13. History of hypertension, or on antihypertensives for the purpose of lowering blood pressure, with either an increase in antihypertensive dose or increase in the number of antihypertensive drugs used to treat hypertension over the last two months.
  14. Chronic lung disease, excluding asthma.
  15. Lifetime history of surgical procedures involving the brain or meninges, encephalitis, meningitis, degenerative central nervous system (CNS) disorder (e.g., Alzheimer's or Parkinson's Disease), epilepsy, mental retardation, or any other disease/procedure/accident/intervention that, according to the screening clinician, is deemed associated with significant injury to or malfunction of the CNS; or history of significant head trauma within the past two years.
  16. Presents with any of the following lab abnormalities:

    a. Subjects with diabetes mellitus fulfilling any of the following criteria: i. Unstable diabetes mellitus defined as glycosylated () >8.0 % at screening.

    ii. Admitted to hospital for treatment of diabetes mellitus or diabetes mellitus-related illness in the past 12 weeks.

    iii. Not under physician care for diabetes mellitus. iv. Has not been on the same dose of oral hypoglycemic drug(s) and/or diet for the four weeks prior to screening. For thiazolidinediones (glitazones) this period should not be less than eight weeks.

    b. Any other clinically significant abnormal laboratory result (as determined by the investigator and medical monitor) at the time of the screening.

  17. Any current or past history of any physical condition which, in the investigator's opinion, might put the subject at risk or interfere with study results interpretation.
  18. Subjects on exclusionary concomitant psychotropic medications (see Appendix 1) as defined in the study manual.
  19. At randomization, subjects prescribed more than one agent in each category;

    1. Approved antidepressants (e.g., SSRIs, SNRIs, TeCAs, fluoxetine), but not 5-HT-2a antagonists (lurasidone, aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine)
    2. Mood stabilizers (e.g., lithium, carbamazepine, valproic acid)
  20. Subjects with exclusionary laboratory values (see Table 2).
  21. Known allergies to lurasidone or Latuda, cycloserine or Seromycin, or the mannitol, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide, and/or HPMC (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose).
  22. Participation in any clinical trial with an investigational drug or device within the past month or concurrent to study participation.
  23. Study site personnel and/or persons employed by NeuroRx, Inc. or Target Health or by the investigator or study site (i.e., permanent, temporary contract worker, or designee responsible for the conduct of the study), or an immediate family member (i.e., spouse or parent, child, or sibling [biological or legally adopted]) of such persons.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(14)

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.

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.

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.

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.

ECG (electrocardiogram)

A recording of the heart’s electrical activity, taken with stickers on the chest, arms and legs. It takes a few minutes and does not hurt.

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.

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.

Postmenopausal

Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).

BMI (body mass index)

Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.

What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.

Investigational drug or device

A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.

It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.

NYHA class (heart failure)

The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.

I
No limits: ordinary activity causes no undue tiredness or breathlessness.
II
Slight limits: comfortable at rest, ordinary activity causes symptoms.
III
Marked limits: comfortable at rest, less than ordinary activity causes symptoms.
IV
Symptoms even at rest; any activity makes them worse.

Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.

QT and QTc

On an ECG, the QT interval is the time the heart’s lower chambers take to activate electrically and recover in each beat. QTc is that time adjusted for heart rate (QTcF by Fridericia’s formula, QTcB by Bazett’s). Some medicines lengthen it, and a long QTc can raise the risk of a dangerous heart rhythm.

The study may name a correction formula and a limit in milliseconds, often around 450–480.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).

HbA1c

A blood test of average blood sugar over the past two to three months, given as a percentage or in mmol/mol. 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or more is the usual threshold for diabetes, normally confirmed by a second test.

Excipients

The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
150 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    NRX-100 infusion

    Infusion of IV NRX-100 (ketamine)

    Drug: Ketamine Hydrochloride

  • Experimental
    Saline (placebo) infusion

    Infusion of IV Saline

    Drug: Placebo

Interventions

  • Ketamine HCl will be infused intravenously at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes

  • DrugPlacebo

    Normal Saline placebo will be infused IV over 40 minutes

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Suicidal Ideation

    A score of 3 or less on the Columbia Suicidality Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). The scale is scored from 0 to 5 on suicidal ideation.

    Time frame: 24 hours

Secondary outcomes

  1. Depression

    Mean change from baseline on Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) between NRX-100 and saline infusion. The scale consists of 10 items, each scored from 0-6, for a possible total score of 60.

    Time frame: 24 hours

07

Study locations

2 sites
  • Research Centers of America
    Hollywood, Florida 33024, United States
  • JP Smith Hospital
    Fort Worth, Texas 76104, United States
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Started Jun 2019 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2024, 66 months after the start.

Of 29 industry-sponsored phase 3 interventional studies under Bipolar Disorder, half reached primary completion within 33 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 17 and three quarters within 49. This study's planned 66 months is above that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 43 studies reached it within 37 months; a quarter within 21 and three quarters within 60.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Jan 5, 2018
First posted
Jan 11, 2018
StartActual
Jun 25, 2019
Primary completionEst.
Dec 31, 2024
CompletionEst.
Dec 31, 2024
Last update
Jan 19, 2024
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 19, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03396601
Lead sponsor
NeuroRx, Inc.
Collaborators
Target Health Inc.
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jan 11, 2018
Start date
Jun 25, 2019
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2024 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2024 (estimated)
Last update
Jan 19, 2024

Study contacts

Martin Brecher, MD
study director · VP, Clinical Development, NeuroRx, Inc.

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Jan 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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Discussion

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Studies of the drug tested here: Ketamine

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