Clinical trial NCT05961527: Group MDMA-therapy for Veterans With PTSD
Official title: An Open-Label Feasibility and Safety Study of MDMA-Assisted Group Therapy for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Veterans
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE1
PHASE2
Conditions: PTSD
Keywords: MDMA
PTSD
Veterans
Group Therapy
Lead sponsor: Portland VA Research Foundation, Inc
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation
First posted: 2023-07-27
Enrollment: 23
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 64
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Intervention model description: Open-label study examining safety and feasibility of MDMA-assisted group therapy
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This Phase 2a, open-label, non-randomized, 3-cohort study assesses the feasibility and safety of MDMA-assisted group therapy for the treatment of PTSD in veterans. The study will be conducted in up to N=18 participants, recruited in three cohorts of six participants each and receive therapy sessions throughout their participation in these group cohorts.

Detailed description: To assess the feasibility and safety of MDMA-assisted group therapy for participants with at least moderate PTSD, the sponsor-investigator is conducting a phase 2, open-label, non-randomized, 3-cohort study. This novel treatment package consists of two once-monthly open-label MDMA Sessions combined with non-drug preparatory and integrative therapy administered in both individual and group sessions. The Primary Clinical Outcome measure, the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5), evaluates changes in PTSD symptom severity and is assessed by a blinded centralized Independent Rater (IR) pool. The therapeutic approach will combine manualized MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD with group therapy components.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Are at least 18 years old.
* Are a U.S. Military Veteran
* Are fluent in speaking and reading the predominantly used or recognized language of the study site.
* Are able to swallow pills.
* Agree to have study visits recorded, including MDMA Sessions, outcome assessments, and non-drug psychotherapy sessions.
* Must provide a contact who is willing and able to be reached by the investigators in the event of a participant becoming suicidal or unreachable.
* Must agree to inform the investigators within 48 hours of any medical conditions and procedures.
* If able to become pregnant, must have a negative pregnancy test at study entry and prior to each Experimental Session, and must agree to use adequate contraception through 10 days after the last Experimental Session.
* Must not participate in any other interventional clinical trials during the duration of the study.
* Must commit to medication dosing, therapy, and study procedures.
* Have a current PTSD diagnosis at the time of screening.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Are not able to give adequate informed consent.
* Have uncontrolled hypertension.
* Have a marked baseline QTcF interval \>450 milliseconds \[ms\] demonstrated on repeated ECG assessments.
* Have a history of additional risk factors for Torsade de pointes (e.g., heart failure, hypokalemia, family history of Long QT Syndrome).
* Have evidence or history of significant medical disorders.
* Have symptomatic liver or biliary disease.
* Have history of hyponatremia or hyperthermia.
* Weigh less than 48 kilograms (kg).
* Are pregnant or nursing, or are able to become pregnant and are not practicing an effective means of birth control.
* Are abusing illegal drugs or alcohol.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in CAPS-5 Total Severity Score
timeFrame: Baseline - 3 months from first Experimental Session
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Change in Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS)
timeFrame: Baseline - 3 months from first Experimental Session
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Vancouver
country: United States
facility: Portland-Vancouver VA
state: Washington
Study officials:
References: