A Phase 3 interventional study of SEP-363856 and Placebo in Generalized Anxiety Disorder, sponsored by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc.. Recruiting at 17 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-26.
Sponsored by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (part of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd.) · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
This is a global, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, 3-arm, placebo-controlled, multicenter study designed to compare the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of fixed doses of SEP-363856 (50 and 75 milligrams per day [mg/day]) to placebo in adults at least 18 years of age with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) over 8 weeks.
517 studies on the registry are indexed under Generalized Anxiety Disorder; 124 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 576 is above the median of 83 across 439 interventional studies indexed under Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Browse Generalized Anxiety Disorder studies →Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. is the lead sponsor of 295 studies on the registry; 18 are open to participants now.
Of its 106 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 71 (67%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Key Inclusion Criteria:
Key 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hepatitis B tests
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will receive 50 milligrams (mg) SEP-363856 tablet, orally, once a day (QD) from Days 1 to 56.
Drug: SEP-363856
Participants will receive 50 mg SEP-363856 tablet, orally, QD, from Days 1 to 3 and then 75 mg tablet from Days 4 to 56.
Drug: SEP-363856
Participants will receive SEP-363856-matching placebo tablet, orally, QD from Days 1 to 56.
Other: Placebo
Oral tablet
Also known as: Ulotaront
Oral tablet
Change From Baseline at Week 8 in Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) Total Score
The HAM-A is a clinician-administered rating scale developed to quantify the severity of anxiety symptomatology. It consists of 14 items, each defined by a series of symptoms. Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 0 (absent) to 4 (very severe). The total score ranges from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating greater severity.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change From Baseline at Week 8 in Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) Score
The CGI-S is a clinician-rated assessment of the participant's current illness state on a 7-point Likert-type scale (1=normal, not at all ill; 7=among the most extremely ill participants), where a higher score is associated with greater illness severity. A decrease in value indicates improvement.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Proportion of Participants Achieving HAM-A Response Criterion at Week 8 (Greater Than or Equal to [≥] 50 Percent [%] Improvement From Baseline in HAM-A Total Score)
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Number of Participants With Treatment-emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs), Serious Adverse Events (SAEs) and TEAEs Leading to Discontinuation
Time frame: Throughout the trial (up to Week 9)
Percentage of Participants With Any Change in Laboratory Tests Values From Baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Weeks 4 and 8
Percentage of Participants With Any Change From Baseline in Vital Signs
Vital signs including blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature will be recorded.
Time frame: From Baseline up to Week 8
Percentage of Participants With Any Change From Baseline in Weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference
Time frame: From Baseline up to Week 8
Percentage of Participants With Any Change From Baseline in 12-Lead Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Time frame: From Baseline up to Week 8
Number of Participants With Changes in Frequency and Severity of Suicidal Ideation and Suicidal Behavior as Measured by the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
The C-SSRS is a clinician administered, interview-based rating scale which systematically assesses suicidal ideation, suicidal behavior and non-suicidal self-injurious behavior. The C-SSRS includes 'yes' or 'no' responses for assessment of suicidal behavior (preparatory acts or behavior, aborted attempt, interrupted attempt, suicidal behavior, completed suicide), suicidal ideation (wish to be dead, non-specific active suicidal thoughts, active suicidal ideation with any methods, active suicidal ideation with some intent, active suicidal ideation with specific plan and intent) and non-suicidal self-injurious behavior.
Time frame: Up to Week 9
Change From Baseline in Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) at Week 8
The AIMS total score commonly uses the sum of items 1-7 and ranges from 0 to 28 (0 = no abnormal movements; 28 = maximum severity on rated items); higher scores indicate more severe abnormal involuntary movements (worse outcome). A higher total score indicates more frequent or severe involuntary movements across multiple muscle groups.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change From Baseline in Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale (BARS) at Week 8
The BARS is a rating scale intended for the assessment of neuroleptic-induced akathisia. The global score ranges from 0 to 5 (0 = no akathisia; 5 = severe akathisia), and higher scores indicate more severe akathisia (worse outcome).
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change From Baseline in the Modified Simpson Angus Scale (MSAS) at Week 8
The MSAS consists of a list of 10 symptoms of Parkinsonism (gait, arm dropping, shoulder shaking, elbow rigidity, wrist rigidity, head rotation, glabella tap, tremor, salivation, and akathisia). Each item will be rated on a 5-point scale, with a score of zero representing absence of symptoms, and a score of 4 representing a severe condition. The MSAS Total Score is the sum of the scores for all 10 items, ranging from 0 to 40. Higher scores indicate more severe movement disorder.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Plan to share: Yes — Anonymized individual participant data (IPD) that underlie the results of this study will be shared with researchers to achieve aims pre-specified in a methodologically sound research proposal. Small studies with less than 25 participants are excluded from data sharing.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan, Informed consent form
Time frame: Data will be available after marketing approval in global markets, or beginning 1-3 years following article publication. There is no end date to the availability of the data.
Access criteria: Otsuka will share data on the Vivli data sharing platform: https://vivli.org/ourmember/Otsuka/
Data sharing details ↗ · clinical-trials.otsuka.com
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions 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.
Studies of the drug tested here: SEP-363856
Generalized Anxiety Disorder →
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. →