Ketamine for Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue

Last updated: January 8, 2025
Sponsor: Johns Hopkins University
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

2

Condition

Scar Tissue

Pain (Pediatric)

Multiple Sclerosis

Treatment

Ketamine

Midazolam

Clinical Study ID

NCT05378100
IRB00322473
  • Ages 18-65
  • All Genders

Study Summary

The proposed study is a single-center, phase II, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, active-placebo-controlled trial of intravenous low-dose ketamine in patients with MS fatigue.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Subject must be a man or woman, 18 to 65 years of age, inclusive.

  • Subject must be medically stable based on physical examination, medical history, andvital signs

  • Subject must meet McDonald 2017 diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis based onthe PI review of the medical records

  • Subject must complain from fatigue as one of their main symptoms and have ascreening MFIS score equal or higher than the cutoff based on gender, age, andeducation displayed in Table-226

  • Subject must be ambulatory (able to walk at least 20 feet using bilateralassistance)

  • Subject must have internet and email access and ability to use a computer or tabletor smartphone

  • Subjects that are currently taking medication for alleviating fatigue (such asamantadine, modafinil and armodafinil, and amphetamine-like psychostimulants) atScreening are eligible to participate unless the medication is one of the disallowedtherapies (Table 3). Subjects taking a fatigue medication at the Screening visitmust have been receiving a stable dose for at least four weeks before the Screeningvisit and be willing to continue the medication at the same dose for the duration ofthe study.

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • BDI-II score of more than 29 (indicating severe depression)

  • Having a known clear cause for secondary fatigue, such as untreated sleep apnea,untreated hypothyroidism, chronic liver disease, history of moderate to severeanemia (hemoglobin concentration of less than 9 gr/dl in men or less than 8 gr/dl inwomen).

  • Neurodegenerative disorders other than relapsing or progressive MS

  • Breastfeeding or pregnant

  • History of coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure

  • Uncontrolled hypertension at Screening (history of high blood pressure and screeningsystolic blood pressure >160 or diastolic blood pressure>100)

  • History of severe liver disease, including cirrhosis

  • Terminal medical conditions

  • Currently treated for active malignancy

  • Alcohol or substance abuse in the past year (except marijuana or other cannabinoids)

  • A history of intolerance or allergic or anaphylactic reaction to ketamine ormidazolam

  • Clinically unstable medical or psychiatric disorders that require acute treatment asdetermined by the PI

  • History of severe or untreated coronary artery disease or history of congestiveheart failure

  • History of prior ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke and cerebral vascular aneurysms.

  • History of recurrent seizures or epilepsy

  • Taking any disallowed therapy(ies), as noted in the protocol.

Study Design

Total Participants: 110
Treatment Group(s): 2
Primary Treatment: Ketamine
Phase: 2
Study Start date:
January 01, 2023
Estimated Completion Date:
March 01, 2026

Connect with a study center

  • Johns Hopkins University

    Baltimore, Maryland 21287
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

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