Status
Completed
Phase
Phase 1 / Phase 2
Enrollment
3
Locations
1
Results
Posted
Publications
1
Study summary
The purpose of this study is to collect information about whether exenatide (Bydureon) may be safe and helpful as a medication treatment for individuals who want to stop using cocaine. Although exenatide (Bydureon) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, it has not been approved by the FDA to treat cocaine use; therefore, it is called an investigational drug.
Cocaine use continues to be a significant public health problem with limited treatment options and no approved pharmacotherapies. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptors are located in brain areas important for reward and, as such, appear to play a significant role in modulating addictive-like behaviors and drug use (Eren-Yazicioglu et al. 2020). Extended-release exenatide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist approved by the FDA for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In preclinical studies, exenatide reduces cocaine-seeking and cocaine-taking behavior (Brunchmann et al. 2019). The effect of extended-release exenatide on cocaine use in patients with a cocaine use disorder (CUD) has not yet been investigated. A series of four case studies are being proposed to collect preliminary data on the feasibility, safety, and clinical effects of exenatide in treatment-seeking patients with CUD. The U.S. is facing a re-emergence of cocaine as an epidemic drug, indicated by increases in availability, use, and overdose deaths following a previous period of decline (Maxwell 2020). Although significant strides have been made in medication development for the treatment of cocaine use disorder (CUD), no FDA-approved pharmacotherapies are currently available. NIDA's current strategic plan prioritizes efforts to accelerate CUD medication development by rigorously testing novel molecular targets based on a translational research approach. Emerging evidence supports the potential clinical utility of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor stimulation for the treatment of substance use disorders, including CUD. GLP-1 is an incretin hormone that promotes insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. Current evidence shows that GLP-1 receptors are widely expressed in areas of the mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway where they regulate the rewarding value of food and drugs of abuse, including cocaine. Preclinical literature suggests that activation of GLP-1 receptors reduces the rewarding effects of cocaine and cocaine self-administration (e.g., Hernandez et al. 2018; Hernandez et al. 2019). In the human laboratory, acute cocaine administration decreases GLP-1 concentrations, with changes associated with subjective reinforcing responses to cocaine ("feeling high, anxious") (Bouhlal et al. 2017). Thus, there is compelling evidence to hypothesize that exenatide treatment will decrease cocaine use in individuals with CUD. In preparation for conducting a full-scale efficacy trial, the goal of the current proposal is to collect preliminary feasibility, safety, and clinical data on the effects of exenatide in series of four case studies.
Interventions
DRUG
Exenatide will be purchased commercially as Bydureon® for subcutaneous (SC) injection and administered at a dose of 2 mg once a week for a total of 6 weeks. Each single-dose, dual-chamber pen contains 0.65 mg of diluent and 2 mg of exenatide, which remains isolated until mixed.
BEHAVIORAL
Once weekly drug counseling sessions for cocaine use with trained masters-level therapists.
Timeline
First posted
Jun 28, 2021
Study start
Jun 24, 2021
Primary completion
Nov 17, 2021
Study completion
Nov 17, 2021
Results posted
Jun 27, 2022
Registry updated
Jun 27, 2022
Outcomes
Feasibility as Assessed by Number of Participants Who Completed Treatment
Time frame · Week 6
Treatment completion will be assessed by attendance at the end-of-treatment timepoint.
Drug Safety as Assessed by Total Number of Adverse Events Reported During Treatment
Time frame · From Week 1 to Week 6
Adverse events (AEs) will be reported to study nurse during the course of treatment.
Clinical Effect of Exenatide as Assessed by Cocaine Use During Treatment as Indicated by Number of Participants With Cocaine-positive Urine Drug Screen Results
Time frame · From Week 1 to Week 6
Urine drug screens were performed weekly. For a cocaine-negative urine drug screen result, benzoylecgonine levels must be under 300 ng/mL.
Feasibility as Assessed by Number of Participants Enrolled
Time frame · Week 0
Enrollment will be assessed by the number of participants signing the informed consent.
Feasibility as Assessed by Number of Study Visits Attended
Time frame · From Week 1 to Week 6
There were 6 study visits planned.
Feasibility as Assessed by Retention as Indicated by Total Number of Completed Study Visits
Time frame · From Week 1 to Week 6
Retention will be assessed by the total number of completed study visits. A completed study visit is a visit in which the participant attended and received the study treatment.
Feasibility as Indicated by Overall Acceptability as Reported on the Satisfaction Survey
Time frame · Week 6
The Satisfaction Survey includes a 9-point likert scale that ranges from 1 to 9, with a higher score indicating greater acceptability.
Clinical Effect of Exenatide as Assessed by Number of Participants Who Self-reported Cocaine Use on 50% or More Days of the Week
Time frame · From Week 1 to Week 6
Timeline Followback (TLFB) administered once weekly.
Clinical Effect of Exenatide as Indicated by Number of Participants Who Reported a Reduction in Craving by Week 6 as Indicated by Cocaine Craving on the Brief Substance Craving Scale
Time frame · From Week 0 to Week 6
The brief substance craving scale (BSCS) is a 16-item, self-report instrument that assesses craving for cocaine and other substances of abuse over a 24 hour period. The domains of intensity, frequency, and duration are recorded on a five-point Likert scale. The range of scores for each domain is 0 to 4, and the total score is the sum of all three domains. The total score range is 0 to 12, and higher scores indicate higher craving (worse outcome.)
Clinical Effect of Exenatide as Assessed by Number of Participants Who Had a Decrease in Drug Demand by Week 6
Time frame · From Week 0 to Week 6
Drug demand will be measured by the computerized Cocaine Purchasing Task (CPT). The CPT asks participants how much cocaine they would purchase at the beginning of a hypothetical day as the cost of cocaine increases from $0 to $1,000. The CPT simulates changes in price and consumption of drug in order to assess demand curves associated with drug consumption. The CPT will assess both cocaine reward value as well as motivation to consume cocaine.
Clinical Effect of Exenatide as Assessed by Number of Participants Who Were Below the Clinical Range for Depression by Week 6 as Indicated by the Beck Depression Inventory
Time frame · Week 6
The Beck Depression Inventory score ranges from 0 to 63, with a higher score indicating greater depressive symptoms. The scores from each timepoint will be plotted as a trend line.
Clinical Effect of Exenatide as Indicated by Number of Participants Who Had an Increase in Positive Affect Symptoms by Week 6 as Indicated on the Positive/Negative Affect Schedule
Time frame · From Week 0 to Week 6
The Positive/Negative Affect Schedule is a 20-item questionnaire divided into 10 positive affect items and 10 negative affect items. The score for the positive affect items ranges from 10 to 50, with a higher score indicating higher levels of positive affect. The scores from each timepoint will be plotted as a trend line.
Clinical Effect of Exenatide as Indicated by Number of Participants Who Had a Decrease in Negative Affect Symptoms Indicated on the Positive/Negative Affect Schedule
Time frame · From Week 0 to Week 6
The Positive/Negative Affect Schedule is a 20-item questionnaire divided into 10 positive affect items and 10 negative affect items. The score for the negative affect items ranges from 10 to 50, with a lower score indicating lower levels of negative affect. The scores from each timepoint will be plotted as a trend line.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria: * between 18 and 60 years of age. * meet DSM-5 criteria for current cocaine use disorder as measured by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID). * have at least 1 cocaine-positive urine specimen (≥ 150 ng/mL) during intake. * be in acceptable health on the basis of interview, medical history and physical exam. * have hematology and chemistry laboratory tests that are within reference limits (±10%), with the following exception: pancreatic tests (lipase and amylase) must be within normal limits. * consent to use an acceptable method of birth control during study participation and for one month after discontinuation of the study medication. Non-hormonal methods of contraception are recommended, including barrier contraceptives (e.g., diaphragm, cervical cap, male condom) or intrauterine device (IUD). Steroid contraceptives if used with non-hormonal methods are acceptable. * be able to understand the consent form and provide written informed consent. * be able to provide the names of at least 2 persons who can generally locate their whereabouts. Exclusion Criteria: * current DSM-5 diagnosis for substance use disorder (of at least moderate severity) other than cocaine, marijuana, alcohol, or nicotine. * current alcohol use that meets for physiological dependence requiring detoxification or makes participation medically unsafe as determined by the medical director. * have a DSM-5 axis I psychiatric disorder, or anorexia nervosa, or neurological disease or disorder requiring ongoing treatment and/or making study participation unsafe (e.g., psychosis, dementia). * significant current suicidal or homicidal ideation. * Type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus (previously diagnosed or indicated by HbA1C level of ≥6.5%). * have medical conditions contraindicating exenatide pharmacotherapy (e.g., personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, severe gastrointestinal disease (severe gastroparesis), previous history of pancreatitis or risk of pancreatitis, creatinine clearance \<45 or end stage renal disease, previous medically adverse reaction to exenatide or other GLP-1 receptor agonists). * taking medications that could adversely interact with exenatide (e.g., oral or injectable blood glucose lowering medications). * having conditions of probation or parole requiring reports of drug use to officers of the court. * impending incarceration. * pregnant or nursing for female patients.
Study locations
United States. Showing up to 24 locations stored in the fast local snapshot.
UTHealth Behavioral and Biomedical Sciences Building
Houston, Texas, United States
Publications
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