ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT03402152NRX-GLXUpdated Aug 9, 2022

NRX101 Glx Biomarker Validation Study

A Phase 2/3 interventional study of NRX-101 and Lurasidone HCl in Bipolar Depression and Suicidal Ideation, sponsored by NeuroRx, Inc.. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2022-08-09.

Sponsored by NeuroRx, Inc. · Phase 2/3, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was Jan 2021, 5 years 10 months ago, and no results have been posted to the registry.
Phase
Phase 2/3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
8
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Subnormal level of Glutamate+Glutamine (Glx) in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) of the brain has been associated with depression and PTSD. Similarly, interventions that increase the level of Glx in the brain, specifically electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and intravenous ketamine infusion have been associated with a rapid decrease in depression and suicidal ideation. This effect has been demonstrated in a dose-dependent manner in randomized clinical assessments. D-cycloserine, a glycine site modulator of NMDA receptor function has been demonstrated to increase Glx in the ACC of normal volunteers. The purpose of this study is to determine whether NRX-101, an experimental drug containing a fixed dose combination of D-cycloserine and lurasidone (1) raises Glx by a greater amount than either placebo or lurasidone alone in patients with bipolar depression, and (2) whether that elevation in Glx is correlated with a decrease in depression.

02

Conditions studied

  • Bipolar Depression
  • Suicidal Ideation

Keywords

  • Biomarker
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 enrollment of 8 is below 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 2 or item 3 on the C-SSRS.
  7. A score of greater than or equal to 20 on the MADRS.
  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 2 / Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Triple (Participant, Care provider, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
8 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    NRX-101 vs. Placebo

    Following study enrollment and randomization, subjects will undergo two treatment sessions, 3 days apart. Each treatment session will be conducted while the subject is undergoing Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to measure Glx in the ACC. In one treatment session the subject will receive oral placebo and in the other treatment session the subject will receive oral NRX-101. Following the second treatment session, the subject will participate in a four week open study of NRX-101, at the end of which a third session of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy will be conducted.

    Drug: NRX-101 · Drug: Placebo

  • Experimental
    NRX-101 vs. lurasidone HCl

    Following study enrollment and randomization, subjects will undergo two treatment sessions, 3 days apart. Each treatment session will be conducted while the subject is undergoing Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to measure Glx in the ACC. In one treatment session the subject will receive oral lurasidone and in the other treatment session the subject will receive oral NRX-101. Following the second treatment session, the subject will participate in a four week open study of NRX-101, at the end of which a third session of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy will be conducted.

    Drug: NRX-101 · Drug: Lurasidone HCl

Interventions

  • NRX-101, a fixed dose combination of D-cycloserine+lurasidone will be given twice a day by mouth

  • Lurasidone HCl will be given twice a day by mouth

  • DrugPlacebo

    Placebo oral capsule

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Glx

    Mean change in Glx Area Under the Curve (AUC) measured in 15 minute increments over 2 hours at following experimental drug vs. comparator

    Time frame: Immediate

Secondary outcomes

  1. Depression

    Depression as measured by score on the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). The MADRS is a 10 item scale with each item scored from 0 (best) to 6 (worst) for a total possible score of 60.

    Time frame: 4 weeks

  2. Suicidal ideation (1)

    Suicidal ideation as measured on the Columbia Suicidal Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) cored from 0 to 5,

    Time frame: 4 weeks

  3. Suicidal ideation (2)

    Suicidal ideation as measured by item 10 of the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (scored from 0 "best" to 6 "worst")

    Time frame: 6 hours

07

Study locations

1 site
  • New York State Psychiatric Institute
    New York, New York 10032, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Dong Z, Grunebaum MF, Lan MJ, Wagner V, Choo TH, Milak MS, Sobeih T, Mann JJ, Kantrowitz JT. Relationship of Brain Glutamate Response to D-Cycloserine and Lurasidone to Antidepressant Response in Bipolar Depression: A Pilot Study. Front Psychiatry. 2021 Jun 2;12:653026. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.653026. eCollection 2021. PubMed 34149476 ↗
  • Milak MS, Rashid R, Dong Z, Kegeles LS, Grunebaum MF, Ogden RT, Lin X, Mulhern ST, Suckow RF, Cooper TB, Keilp JG, Mao X, Shungu DC, Mann JJ. Assessment of Relationship of Ketamine Dose With Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Glx and GABA Responses in Adults With Major Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Aug 3;3(8):e2013211. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.13211. PubMed 32785636 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 9, 2022, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03402152
Lead sponsor
NeuroRx, Inc.
Collaborators
Target Health Inc.
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jan 18, 2018
Start date
Nov 1, 2018
Primary completion
Jan 1, 2021
Completion
Jun 1, 2021
Last update
Aug 9, 2022

Study contacts

Joshua T Kantrowicz, MD
principal investigator · New York State Psychiatric Institute

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 completed, as verified in Aug 2022. 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