The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of nabiximols, a cannabinoid spray, for the treatment of moderate to severe spasticity in adult patients with AQP4-IgG positive and antibody-negative NMOSD. The main question it aims to answer is whether treatment with nabiximols improves patient-reported spasticity ratings compared to treatment with a placebo. This trial will also answer whether nabiximols impact pain, spasm frequency, mood, walking ability, and sleep. Participants will be mailed the treatments and placebo treatments, and will be asked to complete study visits and questionnaires remotely. There is also an optional sub-study that involves in-person visits with ultrasound imaging and in-person neurologic exams.
Patients with NMOSD often have medication-resistant and severe spasticity due to longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesions. Existing treatments are limited by their efficacy and tolerability. Cannabinoids have been shown to quantitatively improve spasticity in mouse models of neuroinflammation, and nabiximols, a cannabinoid-based oromucosal spray, have demonstrated efficacy for medication-resistant spasticity in multiple sclerosis. However, no studies have as yet explored the use of nabiximols specifically in NMOSD, and there is a significant unmet need for new symptomatic treatments in this patient population. The goal of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of nabiximols spray, for the treatment of moderate to severe spasticity in adult patients with AQP4-IgG positive and seronegative NMOSD. This study is designed as a phase IIb, single-site, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled 2x2 crossover clinical trial, with a 2-week washout period between treatment periods. After randomization, each participant enters into Period 1, which begins with a 2-week dose escalation period with a pre-defined dose escalation scheme, followed by a 4-week stable treatment period. After completion of Period 1, all participants have a 2-week washout period and then enter Period 2, where they again complete a 2-week dose escalation period and 4-week constant treatment period. The patient-reported 0-10 numeric rating scale for spasticity (NRS-S) is the primary outcome measure. All key study procedures are performed virtually, including a weekly electronic study diary, additional weekly surveys, and 8 virtual video-based study visits including a screening visit and safety follow up visit. Additional optional in-person assessments of spasticity (neurologic exam, modified Ashworth Scale and muscle ultrasound elastography) will be performed for a selection of local participants. In total, the study has a 20-week duration per participant, from the screening visit to the final study completion for safety follow-up visit, including 12 weeks of on-treatment time.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Nabiximols is is a yellow-brown oromucosal spray solution containing 27 mg/mL of THC and 25 mg/mL of CBD.
The placebo is a matching oromucosal spray that is identical to the investigational study product in terms of packaging, labelling, schedule of administration, dosing instructions, and appearance.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Change in mean Numeric Rating Scale - Spasticity (NRS-S) scores from pre-treatment to post-treatment
Numeric Rating Scale - Spasticity (NRS-S) score is a 0-10 point, patient-reported scale indicating spasticity severity.
Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Proportion of participants with NRS-S response corresponding to a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) (>18% difference) from pre-treatment to post-treatment
Numeric Rating Scale - Spasticity (NRS-S) score is a 0-10 point, patient-reported, single item scale indicating spasticity severity.
Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Proportion of participants with NRS-S response corresponding to a clinically important difference (CID) (>30% difference) from pre-treatment to post-treatment
Numeric Rating Scale - Spasticity (NRS-S) score is a 0-10 point, patient-reported scale indicating spasticity severity.
Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Change in Penn Spasm Frequency Scale (PSFS) score from pre-treatment to post-treatment
The Penn Spasm Frequency Scale (PSFS) is a 2-item patient-reported scale indicating spasm frequency and severity
Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Change in mean PROMIS NRS v1.0 - Pain Intensity 3a scores from pre-treatment to post-treatment
The PROMIS NRS v1.0 - Pain Intensity 3a form is a 3-item patient-reported scale indicating worst pain, average pain, and current pain in the prior week
Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Change in mean PROMIS SF v1.1 - Pain Interference 8a scores from pre-treatment to post-treatment
The PROMIS SF v1.1-Pain Interference 8a form is an 8-item scale indicating the degree to which pain interferes with functioning
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Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Change in mean Multiple Sclerosis Spasticity Scale - 88 (MSSS-88) sub-scale 2 (pain and discomfort) scores from pre-treatment to post-treatment
The Multiple Sclerosis Spasticity Scale - 88 (MSSS-88) form sub-scale 2 (pain and discomfort) is a 9-item patient-reported scale indicating the impact of spasticity on pain and discomfort
Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Change in Floodlight-5 U-Turn Test (5-UTT) from pre-treatment to post-treatment
The Floodlight-5 U-Turn Test (5-UTT) is a smartphone application-based test that evaluates ambulation, and specifically turn speed in seconds
Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Change in Floodlight-2 Minute Walk Test (2MWT) from pre-treatment to post-treatment
The Floodlight-2 Minute Walk Test (2MWT) is is a smartphone application-based test that evaluates ambulation speed in seconds
Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Change in mean Multiple Sclerosis Spasticity Scale - 88 (MSSS-88) sub-scale 5 (walking) scores from pre-treatment to post-treatment
The Multiple Sclerosis Spasticity Scale - 88 (MSSS-88) form sub-scale 2 (pain and discomfort) is a 10-item patient-reported scale indicating the impact of spasticity on walking
Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Change in PROMIS SF v1.0 - Sleep Disturbance 4A from pre-treatment to post-treatment
The PROMIS SF v1.0 - Sleep Disruption 4A is a 4-item patient-reported scale indicating sleep quality
Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Change in Numeric Rating Scale-Sleep Disruption (NRS-SD) from pre-treatment to post-treatment
The Numeric Rating Scale-Sleep Disruption (NRS-SD) is a single-item 0-10 scale where participants can indicate the degree to which spasticity impacts sleep
Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Proportion of participants reporting 'very much improved,' 'much improved,' and 'slightly improved' symptoms in the Global Impression of Change (GIC) by subject (SGIC) scores from pre-treatment to post-treatment
The Global Impression of Change (GIC) by subject (SGIC) is a 7-point, single-item scale indicating the direction and degree of change that participants experience
Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Change in Visual Analogue Scale - Quality of Life (VAS-QL) from pre-treatment to post-treatment
The Visual Analogue Scale - Quality of Life (VAS-QL) is a 100mm visual analog scale ranging from 0 (very low) to 100 (very high) on which respondents record their perception of quality of life
Time frame: Baseline; Up to week 18
Proportion of participants who are tolerant of treatment
Tolerance is defined as not discontinuing study drug and at least 50% compliance
Time frame: Screening; Up to week 18
Proportion of participants who are tolerant of treatment
Tolerance is defined as not discontinuing study drug and at least 50% compliance
Time frame: Screening; Up to week 20
Number of participants with treatment-emergent adverse events while on each treatment
Treatment-emergent adverse events will be tabulated for each arm during each study period and compared between treatment and placebo
Time frame: Screening; Up to week 20
Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Score at Screening and at each subsequent time-point with reference to the last assessment
The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale is assessment tool that evaluates suicidal ideation and behavior
Time frame: Screening; Up to week 20