Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of an Oral Aripiprazole/Escitalopram Combination Therapy in Participants With Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) focused on measuring Major Depressive Disorder, MDD, Depression
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Participants with a current diagnosis of a major depressive episode. The current depressive episode must be ≥8 weeks in duration
- Participants willing to discontinue all prohibited psychotropic medication starting from the time of signing the informed consent and during the study period
- Participants with a 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17) Total Score ≥18 at the Baseline for the Prospective Treatment Phase
Exclusion Criteria:
- Lack of prior treatment with an antidepressant during the current depressive episode
- Participants who report treatment with adjunctive or monotherapy antipsychotic treatment during the current depressive episode.
- Participants experiencing hallucinations, delusions or any psychotic symptomatology in the current depressive episode
- Participants with epilepsy or significant history of seizure disorders
- Participants with a clinically significant current diagnosis of borderline, antisocial, paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal or histrionic personality disorder
- Participants who have received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the last 10 years
Sites / Locations
- Study Site 1
- Study Site 2
- Study Site 1
- Study Site 2
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Arm 4
Arm 5
Experimental
Experimental
Experimental
Experimental
Experimental
Phase B: Single-blind Prospective Treatment Phase
Phase B+: Single-blind Phase B Responders
Phase C: Aripiprazole/Escitalopram Combination
Phase C: Escitalopram Monotherapy
Phase C: Aripiprazole Monotherapy
Escitalopram 10 mg capsule, orally, once daily increased to 20 mg/day at the Week 1 (end of Week 1) based upon tolerability profile, for 8 weeks. No dose reductions were allowed after Week 4 and no dose increments were allowed after Week 3. Participants with incomplete response at the end of the Phase B (Week 8) entered Phase C and the rest of the participants continued to Phase B+.
Participants with response (≥50% reduction in depressive symptom severity in HAM-D17 Total Score; or a HAM-D17 Total Score of <14 at Week 8 or a Clinical Global Impression of Improvement (CGI-I) Score of <3 at the Week 6 or 8) at the end of the Phase B (Week 8) continued treatment with the single-blind escitalopram monotherapy at the dose (10 or 20 mg/day) taken during the final week of Phase B, for an additional 6 weeks (Up to Week 14), in Phase B+.
Participants with incomplete response at Week 8 who were randomized to this arm group received aripiprazole 3, 6, or 12 mg capsule, orally, once daily in combination with the escitalopram 10 or 20 mg orally for 6 weeks (Up to Week 14), in Phase C. No dose adjustments were allowed for escitalopram during Phase C. Participants were titrated to the aripiprazole target dose of 12 mg/day at Week 9 if the initial 6 mg/day dose was tolerated.
Participants with incomplete response at Week 8 who were randomized to this arm group received escitalopram monotherapy 10 or 20 mg capsule, orally, once daily, whichever dose was taken during the final week of Phase B for 6 weeks (Up to Week 14), in Phase C. No dose adjustments were allowed for escitalopram monotherapy during Phase C.
Participants with incomplete response at Week 8 who were randomized to this arm group received aripiprazole 3, 6, or 12 mg capsule, orally, once daily for 6 weeks (Up to Week 14), in Phase C. Participants were titrated to the aripiprazole target dose of 12 mg/day at Week 9 if the initial 6 mg/day dose was tolerated. No dose increments were allowed after Week 12; however, doses may have been decreased at any visit, based upon tolerability.