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Evaluating Tetrahydrocannabinol as an Adjunct to Opioid Agonist Therapy (THC-MMT)

Primary Purpose

Opioid Use Disorder, Methadone, Cannabis

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phase
Phase 2
Locations
Canada
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Aurora 1:1 Drops (Indica)
Placebo
Sponsored by
BC Centre on Substance Use
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional treatment trial for Opioid Use Disorder focused on measuring addiction, Opioid Use Disorder, Cannabis, Harm Reduction, Opioid, Pain, Quality of Life, Cannabidiol

Eligibility Criteria

25 Years - undefined (Adult, Older Adult)All SexesDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria: Individuals of at least 25 years of age or older; Diagnosed with OUD as per DSM-5 criteria; Initiated or re-initiated methadone-based OAT within the past 30 days prior to study entry; Cannabis-use experienced, defined as having used any amount of cannabis in the six months prior to the screening visit; Willing to only use study-provided cannabis as directed by study protocol, including abstention from non-study cannabis and cannabinoids; Agree to keep all study medication stored in a secure location and not to share/distribute study medication to any other individual; If assigned female sex at birth: Be of non-childbearing potential, defined as (i) postmenopausal (12 months of spontaneous amenorrhea and over 45 years of age); or (ii) documented surgical sterilization (i.e., tubal ligation, hysterectomy, or bilateral oophorectomy); or If of childbearing potential, be willing to use an acceptable method of contraception throughout the study and have a negative pregnancy test at screening; Ability to understand and comply with study protocol procedures and to provide written informed consent. Inclusion criteria for Phase 2 In addition to meeting all eligibility criteria outlined in Phase 1, participants will be eligible for Phase 2 provided they meet ALL the following criteria at Week 12: Participants who have not experienced a study medication-related serious adverse event during Phase 1; Participants who have not been lost to follow-up during Phase 1. Exclusion Criteria: Any disabling, severe, or unstable medical or psychiatric condition that, in the opinion of the study physician, precludes safe participation in the study or the ability to provide fully informed consent, as assessed by medical and psychiatric history, physical examination, vital signs, and/or laboratory tests; Any severe or unstable co-morbid substance use disorder (e.g., delirium tremens, acute alcohol intoxication) that, in the opinion of the study physician, precludes safe participation in the study; Currently pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant; Known or suspected allergy or hypersensitivity to cannabinoids; History of respiratory disease, severe cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, renal or liver disease; Current or historic cannabis use disorder; Taking warfarin, clopidogrel, clobazam, theophylline, clozapine and olanzapine medications as they may interact with cannabinoids in a clinically significant manner if they cannot be switched to a different medication; Any personal or family history (first degree relative) of primary psychotic disorders (i.e., schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder) as per DSM-5 criteria; Unable to abstain from driving any vehicle or operating machinery for at least 10 hours after taking the study medication. In cases where impairment persists beyond the initial 10-hour period, participants must continue to adhere to these restrictions until the impairment resolves; Actively participating in other interventional clinical trial(s); Incarcerated, pending legal action or other reasons that might prevent completion of the study.

Sites / Locations

  • Rapid Access Addiction Clinic (RAAC), St. Paul's Hospital

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm Type

Experimental

Placebo Comparator

Arm Label

Aurora 1:1 Drops (Indica)

Placebo

Arm Description

Aurora 1:1 Drops (Indica) Balanced 1:1 ratio of THC and CBD packaged in a 30 mL bottle: THC: 16.8 mg/g (+/- 15%) CBD: 16.8 mg/g (+/- 15%) Induction and dosing will be ad libitum and sublingually self-administered. Initial dose will be 5 mg (equivalent to 0.25 mL)/day and participants will be able to titrate in increments of 2.5mg (0.125 mL)/day up to a maximum of 40 mg (2 mL)/day, in consultation with a study physician.

Formulated using the same medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil as Aurora 1:1 Drops (Indica) Induction and dosing will be ad libitum and sublingually self-administered. Initial dose will be 5 mg (equivalent to 0.25 mL)/day and participants will be able to titrate in increments of 2.5mg (0.125 mL)/day up to a maximum of 40 mg (2 mL)/day, in consultation with a study physician.

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events [Safety and Tolerability]
The safety will be evaluated by monitoring and gathering information on physical exam, vital signs, pregnancy testing, adverse events (AE) and serious adverse events (SAE), from the screening visit up to the End of Treatment (EOT)/Early Termination visit. AEs and SAEs will be monitored and recorded throughout the study duration. The proportion of participants who experience AEs or SAEs will be assessed by study arm.
Risk of Treatment Contamination
The proportion of participants using non-study cannabis in the control arm, and proportion of days in Phase 1 where non-study cannabis was used. Self-report of non-study cannabis use will be collected using the Timeline Follow Back (TLFB).
Participants' adherence to treatment
The degree of compliance with the recommended treatment plan, including study drug dosage and administration. This measures how well participants are able to stick to the prescribed treatment regimen and whether or not they are able to complete the full course of treatment. This will be assessed through a self-reported measure, such as study drug diary or treatment logs.
Acceptability
Participant satisfaction with the assigned treatment will be assessed through administration of the Medical Safety Questionnaire (MSQ) every 4 weeks during treatment phase The MSQ is a participant-completed questionnaire that evaluates participant satisfaction with study treatment on a 7-point Likert scale.
Blinding effectiveness
The blinding success questionnaire will be used to evaluate the participants' awareness of their assigned treatment.
Adequacy of Dose
Patient satisfaction with dose level assessed through the adequacy of dose questionnaire and regular consultations

Secondary Outcome Measures

The number of potential participants referred to the study
The screening failure rates
The monthly enrolment rates
The proportion of eligible participants who are willing to be randomized, willing to initiate the intervention and willing to complete 12-week assessments by study arm
The proportion of scheduled study visits completed by study arm

Full Information

First Posted
July 26, 2023
Last Updated
August 28, 2023
Sponsor
BC Centre on Substance Use
Collaborators
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
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1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT05985850
Brief Title
Evaluating Tetrahydrocannabinol as an Adjunct to Opioid Agonist Therapy
Acronym
THC-MMT
Official Title
Evaluating Tetrahydrocannabinol as an Adjunct to Opioid Agonist Therapy for Individuals Living With Opioid Use Disorder: A Phase II, Placebo-controlled, Blinded, Pilot Study to Assess Safety and Feasibility (THC-MMT)
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
August 2023
Overall Recruitment Status
Not yet recruiting
Study Start Date
September 2023 (Anticipated)
Primary Completion Date
September 2025 (Anticipated)
Study Completion Date
September 2025 (Anticipated)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Principal Investigator
Name of the Sponsor
BC Centre on Substance Use
Collaborators
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

4. Oversight

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product
No
Data Monitoring Committee
No

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
This pilot study will evaluate the feasibility and safety of using 1:1 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC):Cannabidiol (CBD) cannabis oil as an adjunct therapy to methadone-based Opioid Agonist Therapy (OAT) for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) in a community setting.
Detailed Description
This is a single-site, two-phase pilot clinical trial evaluating the safety and feasibility of administering a balanced 1:1 ratio of THC:CBD cannabis oil alongside methadone-based opioid agonist therapy (OAT) in a community setting. Phase 1 is a 12-week, double-blind, randomized controlled study involving 24 eligible participants with opioid use disorder (OUD) who recently initiated or re-initiated methadone-based OAT. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either balanced THC:CBD cannabis oil or placebo oil. All participants will receive OUD clinical care, including OAT management, independent of research visits. After the 12-week blinded treatment period (Phase 1), eligible participants will be invited to Phase 2, a 12-week open-label treatment extension study with all participants receiving balanced THC:CBD cannabis oil. Follow-up research visits will occur every two weeks from the start of open-label treatment.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Opioid Use Disorder, Methadone, Cannabis, Fentanyl
Keywords
addiction, Opioid Use Disorder, Cannabis, Harm Reduction, Opioid, Pain, Quality of Life, Cannabidiol

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Treatment
Study Phase
Phase 2
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Model Description
Phase 1: 1:1 randomization Phase 2: Open-label
Masking
ParticipantCare ProviderInvestigatorOutcomes Assessor
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
24 (Anticipated)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
Aurora 1:1 Drops (Indica)
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
Aurora 1:1 Drops (Indica) Balanced 1:1 ratio of THC and CBD packaged in a 30 mL bottle: THC: 16.8 mg/g (+/- 15%) CBD: 16.8 mg/g (+/- 15%) Induction and dosing will be ad libitum and sublingually self-administered. Initial dose will be 5 mg (equivalent to 0.25 mL)/day and participants will be able to titrate in increments of 2.5mg (0.125 mL)/day up to a maximum of 40 mg (2 mL)/day, in consultation with a study physician.
Arm Title
Placebo
Arm Type
Placebo Comparator
Arm Description
Formulated using the same medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil as Aurora 1:1 Drops (Indica) Induction and dosing will be ad libitum and sublingually self-administered. Initial dose will be 5 mg (equivalent to 0.25 mL)/day and participants will be able to titrate in increments of 2.5mg (0.125 mL)/day up to a maximum of 40 mg (2 mL)/day, in consultation with a study physician.
Intervention Type
Drug
Intervention Name(s)
Aurora 1:1 Drops (Indica)
Intervention Description
Aurora 1:1 Drops (Indica) is created by extracting cannabinoids and terpenes and the concentrated extract is then diluted in medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil for optimal use.
Intervention Type
Drug
Intervention Name(s)
Placebo
Intervention Description
Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil with the same appearance, color, and taste as the Aurora 1:1 Drops (Indica).
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events [Safety and Tolerability]
Description
The safety will be evaluated by monitoring and gathering information on physical exam, vital signs, pregnancy testing, adverse events (AE) and serious adverse events (SAE), from the screening visit up to the End of Treatment (EOT)/Early Termination visit. AEs and SAEs will be monitored and recorded throughout the study duration. The proportion of participants who experience AEs or SAEs will be assessed by study arm.
Time Frame
28 weeks
Title
Risk of Treatment Contamination
Description
The proportion of participants using non-study cannabis in the control arm, and proportion of days in Phase 1 where non-study cannabis was used. Self-report of non-study cannabis use will be collected using the Timeline Follow Back (TLFB).
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
Participants' adherence to treatment
Description
The degree of compliance with the recommended treatment plan, including study drug dosage and administration. This measures how well participants are able to stick to the prescribed treatment regimen and whether or not they are able to complete the full course of treatment. This will be assessed through a self-reported measure, such as study drug diary or treatment logs.
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
Acceptability
Description
Participant satisfaction with the assigned treatment will be assessed through administration of the Medical Safety Questionnaire (MSQ) every 4 weeks during treatment phase The MSQ is a participant-completed questionnaire that evaluates participant satisfaction with study treatment on a 7-point Likert scale.
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
Blinding effectiveness
Description
The blinding success questionnaire will be used to evaluate the participants' awareness of their assigned treatment.
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
Adequacy of Dose
Description
Patient satisfaction with dose level assessed through the adequacy of dose questionnaire and regular consultations
Time Frame
24 weeks
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
The number of potential participants referred to the study
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
The screening failure rates
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
The monthly enrolment rates
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
The proportion of eligible participants who are willing to be randomized, willing to initiate the intervention and willing to complete 12-week assessments by study arm
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
The proportion of scheduled study visits completed by study arm
Time Frame
24 weeks
Other Pre-specified Outcome Measures:
Title
Retention in OAT
Description
Retention in OAT will be measured by the proportion of participants on OAT at W12 and at W24, defined as having both a) an active OAT prescription at week 12/24, and b) a positive UDT result for the prescribed OAT at week 12/24.
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
Illicit opioid use
Description
Suppression of illicit opioid use will be measured as the percentage of opioid-free weeks during W1-12, using a combination of Urine Drug Test (UDT) results and self-reported illicit opioid use assessed by the TLFB.
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
Pain Intensity
Description
The severity of pain will be assessed by the validated scale within the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) 29+2 Profile v2.1 (PROPr): the PROMIS Pain Intensity item.
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
Pain Interference
Description
The impact of pain on its impact on functioning will be assessed the validated scale within the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) 29+2 Profile v2.1 (PROPr): PROMIS SF v1.0 - Pain Interference 4a scale.
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
Anxiety
Description
Anxiety symptoms will be assessed by the validated short scale within the PROMIS 29+2 Profile v2.1 (PROPr): the PROMIS SF v1.0 - Anxiety 4a
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
Depression
Description
Depressive symptoms will be assessed by the validated short scale within the PROMIS 29+2 Profile v2.1 (PROPr): the PROMIS SF v1.0 - Depression 4a.
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
Changes in health-related quality of life
Description
Changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between screening and the end of treatment will be measured by the PROMIS 29+2 Profile v2.1 (PROPr).
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
Changes in substance-use related problems
Description
The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) Self-Report form will be used to assess changes in substance-use related problems between Baseline (W0) prior to the start of treatment administration, Treatment Visit at W12 and EOT (W24)/Early Termination.
Time Frame
24 weeks
Title
Opioid Craving
Description
Opioid craving over time will be measured using a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS), with 11 lines labeled from left to right with the numbers "0" to "10", and word anchors at each end representing the extremes, where "0=no craving" and "100 mm=most intense craving".
Time Frame
24 weeks

10. Eligibility

Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
25 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Individuals of at least 25 years of age or older; Diagnosed with OUD as per DSM-5 criteria; Initiated or re-initiated methadone-based OAT within the past 30 days prior to study entry; Cannabis-use experienced, defined as having used any amount of cannabis in the six months prior to the screening visit; Willing to only use study-provided cannabis as directed by study protocol, including abstention from non-study cannabis and cannabinoids; Agree to keep all study medication stored in a secure location and not to share/distribute study medication to any other individual; If assigned female sex at birth: Be of non-childbearing potential, defined as (i) postmenopausal (12 months of spontaneous amenorrhea and over 45 years of age); or (ii) documented surgical sterilization (i.e., tubal ligation, hysterectomy, or bilateral oophorectomy); or If of childbearing potential, be willing to use an acceptable method of contraception throughout the study and have a negative pregnancy test at screening; Ability to understand and comply with study protocol procedures and to provide written informed consent. Inclusion criteria for Phase 2 In addition to meeting all eligibility criteria outlined in Phase 1, participants will be eligible for Phase 2 provided they meet ALL the following criteria at Week 12: Participants who have not experienced a study medication-related serious adverse event during Phase 1; Participants who have not been lost to follow-up during Phase 1. Exclusion Criteria: Any disabling, severe, or unstable medical or psychiatric condition that, in the opinion of the study physician, precludes safe participation in the study or the ability to provide fully informed consent, as assessed by medical and psychiatric history, physical examination, vital signs, and/or laboratory tests; Any severe or unstable co-morbid substance use disorder (e.g., delirium tremens, acute alcohol intoxication) that, in the opinion of the study physician, precludes safe participation in the study; Currently pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant; Known or suspected allergy or hypersensitivity to cannabinoids; History of respiratory disease, severe cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, renal or liver disease; Current or historic cannabis use disorder; Taking warfarin, clopidogrel, clobazam, theophylline, clozapine and olanzapine medications as they may interact with cannabinoids in a clinically significant manner if they cannot be switched to a different medication; Any personal or family history (first degree relative) of primary psychotic disorders (i.e., schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder) as per DSM-5 criteria; Unable to abstain from driving any vehicle or operating machinery for at least 10 hours after taking the study medication. In cases where impairment persists beyond the initial 10-hour period, participants must continue to adhere to these restrictions until the impairment resolves; Actively participating in other interventional clinical trial(s); Incarcerated, pending legal action or other reasons that might prevent completion of the study.
Central Contact Person:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
Josie Kanu, BSc
Phone
6045001102
Email
josie.kanu@bccsu.ubc.ca
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
M Eugenia Socias, MD, MSc.
Organizational Affiliation
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
Rapid Access Addiction Clinic (RAAC), St. Paul's Hospital
City
Vancouver
State/Province
British Columbia
ZIP/Postal Code
V6Z 1Y6
Country
Canada
Facility Contact:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Josie Kanu, BSc
Phone
6045001102
Email
josie.kanu@bccsu.ubc.ca
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
M. Eugenia Socias, MD, MSc
Email
eugenia.socias@bccsu.ubc.ca
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Sukhpreet Klaire, MD CCFP (AM)

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Plan to Share IPD
No

Learn more about this trial

Evaluating Tetrahydrocannabinol as an Adjunct to Opioid Agonist Therapy

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