Ketamine for Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue

Last updated: March 19, 2026
Sponsor: Johns Hopkins University
Overall Status: Active - Not Recruiting

Phase

2

Condition

Neurologic Disorders

Multiple Sclerosis

Pain (Pediatric)

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:
October 01, 2026

Connect with a study center

  • Johns Hopkins University

    Baltimore, Maryland 21287
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Johns Hopkins University

    Baltimore 4347778, Maryland 4361885 21287
    United States

    Site Not Available

Map preview placeholder

Not the study for you?

Let us help you find the best match. Sign up as a volunteer and receive email notifications when clinical trials are posted in the medical category of interest to you.