A Study Evaluating Pain Relief and Safety of Orally Administered CR845 in Patients With Osteoarthritis of Hip or Knee

This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, titration-to-effect study of orally administered CR845 in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee.

The study schedule consists of a Screening Period (up to 14 days), a blinded 4- week Titration-to-Effect Period with weekly visits, a blinded 4-week Maintenance Treatment Period at the optimal dose level determined for each patient, and a 1-week Follow-up Period.

Eligible patients will be randomized to receive either CR845 or placebo in a 2:1 ratio. Randomization will be stratified based on a patient's primary OA joint (knee vs. hip). Every patient will be started on a 1-mg dose of CR845 or matching placebo. During the post-randomization Titration-to-Effect period, the dose of study drug may be increased to 2.5 mg or 5 mg in a double-blind fashion.

Patients may know their dose is being changed but will not know whether they were randomized to active study drug or placebo. Approximately 330 patients will be enrolled in this study.

During the Screening, Titration-to-Effect and Follow-up Period, pain intensity scores will be obtained at specified time points. Blood sampling and safety assessments will be conducted during this period as well.

The use of rescue medication for the treatment of any pain (including but not limited to headache, menstrual cramps, or non-target joint pain) during the study will be discussed with the patients at the Screening Visit. Acetaminophen is the only allowable rescue medication for pain beginning from Day -5 until the end of the Maintenance Treatment Period. Starting at the Screening Visit Acetaminophen will be provided as 325-mg tablets and its use (number of tablets taken in the previous 24 hours) will be reported each evening in the patient diary.

Inclusion criteria

• Voluntarily provides written informed consent to participate in the study prior to any study procedures.
• Is able to speak, read, and communicate clearly in English or Spanish; is able to understand the study procedures.
• Male or female ≥ 25 years of age.
• Body mass index (BMI) ≤ 40 kg/m2.
• Has OA of the hip or knee according to American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria.
• Reports an average pain intensity level ≥ 5 in the index joint at Screening on a 0-10 NRS scale.
• Is either opioid-naïve (defined as taking < 10 mg a day of morphine equivalent 14 days prior to screening) or opioid-experienced. If receiving opioid analgesic medication for OA, patients must be on a stable dose ≤ 40 mg of morphine equivalents for 14 days prior to screening.
• Willing to discontinue currently used pain medications beginning 5 days prior to the Baseline Visit and throughout the study. Acetaminophen use is allowed. (Section 8.8)
• If female:

• Of childbearing potential - the patient must be willing to practice an acceptable form of birth control (defined as the use of an intrauterine device, a barrier method with spermicide, condoms, any form of hormonal contraceptives, or abstinence from sexual intercourse) for the duration of treatment and for at least 3 days following the last dose of study drug.
• Of non-childbearing potential - the patient must be surgically or biologically sterile (hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, bilateral tubal ligation, or postmenopausal for at least 1 year).
• If male, the patient must be surgically or biologically sterile. If not sterile, the patient must agree to use an acceptable form of birth control with a heterosexual partner (as described in inclusion criterion #9) or abstain from sexual relations during the treatment period and for 3 days following the last dose of study drug.
• Is free of other physical, mental, or medical conditions that, in the opinion of the Investigator, would make study participation inadvisable.
• Reports a daily pain intensity score in the index joint ≥ 5 (on a 0-10 NRS scale) during 4 or more of the last 7 days prior to randomization, with 2 consecutive days ≥ 5 occurring just prior to randomization

Exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria

A patient will be eligible for enrollment if the following criteria are met:

• Voluntarily provides written informed consent to participate in the study prior to any study procedures.
• Is able to speak, read, and communicate clearly in English or Spanish; is able to understand the study procedures.
• Male or female ≥ 25 years of age.
• Body mass index (BMI) ≤ 40 kg/m2.
• Has OA of the hip or knee according to American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria.
• Reports an average pain intensity level ≥ 5 in the index joint at Screening on a 0-10 NRS scale.
• Is either opioid-naïve (defined as taking < 10 mg a day of morphine equivalent 14 days prior to screening) or opioid-experienced. If receiving opioid analgesic medication for OA, patients must be on a stable dose ≤ 40 mg of morphine equivalents for 14 days prior to screening.
• Willing to discontinue currently used pain medications beginning 5 days prior to the Baseline Visit and throughout the study. Acetaminophen use is allowed. (Section 8.8)
• If female:

• Of childbearing potential - the patient must be willing to practice an acceptable form of birth control (defined as the use of an intrauterine device, a barrier method with spermicide, condoms, any form of hormonal contraceptives, or abstinence from sexual intercourse) for the duration of treatment and for at least 3 days following the last dose of study drug.
• Of non-childbearing potential - the patient must be surgically or biologically sterile (hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, bilateral tubal ligation, or postmenopausal for at least 1 year).
• If male, the patient must be surgically or biologically sterile. If not sterile, the patient must agree to use an acceptable form of birth control with a heterosexual partner (as described in inclusion criterion #9) or abstain from sexual relations during the treatment period and for 3 days following the last dose of study drug.
• Is free of other physical, mental, or medical conditions that, in the opinion of the Investigator, would make study participation inadvisable.
• Reports a daily pain intensity score in the index joint ≥ 5 (on a 0-10 NRS scale) during 4 or more of the last 7 days prior to randomization, with 2 consecutive days ≥ 5 occurring just prior to randomization

Exclusion criteria

• Has had a joint replacement in the index joint.
• Has received an intra-articular injection of corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid in the index joint within 3 months prior to the Screening Visit.
• Has started a new medication for chronic illness within 30 days prior to the Screening Visit.
• Is receiving opioid analgesic treatment for OA of the hip or knee at a dose > 40 mg of morphine equivalent.
• Uses antipsychotics, antiepileptics, sedatives, hypnotics, or antianxiety agents, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants with a dose change <30 days prior to day 1 of the study.
• Has a history or current diagnosis of substance dependence (except caffeine or nicotine) or alcohol abuse, according to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).
• Has a positive urine drug screen for drugs of abuse at Screening.
• Has been diagnosed with a condition of hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) or primary hypodipsia (a reduced sense of thirst).
• Has a history (within 6 months) of clinically meaningful orthostatic changes in vital signs OR, at Screening, has a decrease in systolic blood pressure by > 20 mm Hg or a decrease in diastolic blood pressure by 10 mm Hg together with an increase in heart rate of > 30 beats per minute when transitioning from supine to standing measurements.
• Has a medical condition (e.g., a cardiovascular, pulmonary, hepatic, renal, hematologic, gastrointestinal, endocrine [adrenal hyperplasia], immunologic, dermatologic, neurologic, oncologic, or psychiatric) or a significant laboratory abnormality that, in the Investigator's opinion, would jeopardize the safety of the patient or is likely to confound the study measurements.
• Has had any gastric bypass surgery (for weight loss).
• Has a corrected QT interval of >450 msec in males, >470 msec in females, or clinically significant abnormality on screening ECG.
• Has a serum sodium level > 143 mmol/L at Screening.
• Has impaired renal function indicated by serum creatinine > 2 × the reference upper limit of normal (ULN).
• Has a serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) > 2.5 × the reference ULN, or total bilirubin > 2 × the ULN at Screening.
• Has, in the opinion of the Investigator, any clinical signs of dehydration or hypovolemia (e.g., symptomatic hypotension) or associated laboratory abnormalities (e.g., elevated hematocrit or elevated blood urea nitrogen [BUN] > 1.5 × the reference ULN) at Screening.
• Has taken opioid or non-opioid pain medication (e.g., nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs] such as naproxen or cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors) within 5 days prior to study drug administration. Acetaminophen use is allowed. (Section 8.8)
• Has received another investigational drug within 30 days prior to Baseline or has planned to participate in another clinical trial while enrolled in this study.