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NCT Number: NCT07573176

A Study of Seltorexant as Monotherapy in Adults and Elderly Participants With Major Depressive Disorder

The main purpose of this study is to assess how well the study drug (JNJ-42847922) works (efficacy) compared with placebo in improving depressive symptoms in participants with major depressive disorder ([MDD], a common mood disorder that causes a lasting feeling of sadness and a loss of interest in everyday activities) in double-blind treatment phase. Further, to evaluate long-term safety and tolerability of JNJ-42847922 in participants with MDD in the open label treatment phase.

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Key information

Age range

18 year–74 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 3

Primary location

CI Trials, Bellflower, California, United States

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Meet diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-5th edition (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD), without psychotic features based upon clinical assessment
  • Experienced at least one MDD episode prior to their current episode
  • Current episode of MDD must be a minimum of 2 weeks in duration
  • Must meet one of the following criteria regarding current medication status.
  • Can be presenting for a new episode of MDD on no antidepressant treatment; however, must have been treated with an antidepressant medication in a prior episode for a minimum of 6 weeks at a stable dose at or above the minimum therapeutic level (medical record/source document).

OR

  • Have taken up to two antidepressant treatments started in the current episode that were stopped (withdrawn), or will be withdrawn (washed out) due to inadequate response or intolerance.
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 40 kilograms per square meter (kg/m^2)
  • Must be medically stable on the basis of the following performed at screening and double-blind (DB) baseline: physical examination (including a brief neurological examination), vital signs (including blood pressure), and 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG)

Exclusion criteria

  • Use of ketamine/esketamine in the current depressive episode (up to 2 doses are allowed prior to screening)
  • Has treatment-resistant depression (TRD)
  • Has a primary DSM-5 diagnosis of panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, or specific phobia which has been the primary focus of psychiatric treatment within the past 2 years
  • Current active DSM-5 diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or fibromyalgia
  • Has a history or current diagnosis of a psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorder, borderline personality disorder, or somatoform disorders
  • Has dementia, any dementing disease, intellectual disability, or neurocognitive disorder
  • Has a current or recent history of homicidal ideation or serious suicidal ideation within the past 3 months or a history of suicidal behavior within the past 6 months
  • Has a history of moderate-to-severe substance use disorder including alcohol use disorder according to DSM-5 criteria within 6 months
  • Has any significant sleep disorder, including but not limited to untreated/uncontrolled conditions
  • Has known allergies, hypersensitivity, intolerance, or any contraindication to seltorexant or its excipients

Treatment and study plan

Seltorexant

Drug

Seltorexant tablet will be administered orally.

Other names: JNJ-42847922

Placebo

Drug

Placebo tablet will be administered orally.

Primary outcomes

  1. Double Blind (DB) Treatment Phase: Change from Baseline in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) Total Score in Participants with Major Depressive Disorder with Moderate-to-Severe Insomnia Symptoms (MDDIS)

    Time frame: Baseline up to Day 43

    The MADRS is a clinician-administered scale designed to measure depression severity and detects changes due to antidepressant treatment. The scale consists of 10 items, each of which is scored from 0 (item not present or normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of the symptoms), for a total possible score of 60. Higher scores represent a more severe condition.

  2. Open-Label (OL) Treatment Phase: Number of Participants with Adverse Events Including Adverse Event of Special Interests (AESIs)

    Time frame: OL Baseline (Day 43) Up to 6 months

    An AE is any untoward medical occurrence in a clinical study participant administered with a pharmaceutical (investigational or non investigational) product. An AE does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the intervention. The following AESIs are considered in this study: Suicidal thoughts, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behavior; Cataplexy; Sleep paralysis; Complex, sleep-related behaviors/parasomnias; Fall and Motor vehicle accident.

  3. OL Treatment Phase: Number of Participants with Vital Signs Abnormalities

    Time frame: OL Baseline (Day 43) Up to 6 months

    Number of participants with vital signs (blood pressure and pulse/heart rate measurements) abnormalities will be reported.

  4. OL Treatment Phase: Number of Participants with Suicidality Assessment using Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)

    Time frame: OL Baseline (Day 43) Up to 6 months

    The C-SSRS is a low-burden measure of the spectrum of suicidal ideation and behavior that was developed to assess severity and track suicidal events through any treatment. The C-SSRS scale consists of 28 items in 4 sections: suicide behavior, actual attempts, suicidal ideation, and intensity of ideation. Suicidal ideation consists of 5 'yes/no' items: wish to be dead, non-specific active suicidal thoughts, active suicidal ideation with any methods (not plan) without intention to act, active suicidal ideation with some intent to act without specific plan, active suicidal ideation with specific plan and intent.

  5. OL Treatment Phase: Number of Participants with Withdrawal Symptoms Assessment Using Physician Withdrawal Checklist (PWC-20)

    Time frame: End of Treatment/Early withdrawal to end of the Follow-up visit (up to 14 days)

    Potential withdrawal effects will be assessed by the PWC-20. The PWC-20 is a simple and accurate method used to assess potential withdrawal symptoms following cessation of treatment. The PWC-20 is a reliable and sensitive instrument for the assessment of discontinuation symptoms.

  6. OL Treatment Phase: Number of Participants with Abnormalities in Electrocardiogram (ECG)

    Time frame: OL Baseline (Day 43) up to 6 months

    Number of participants with abnormalities in ECG will be reported.

  7. OL Treatment Phase: Number of Participants Reporting Sexual Functioning using Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX)

    Time frame: Up to 6 months

    The ASEX is a patient-reported 5-item rating scale that quantifies sex drive, arousal, vaginal lubrication/penile erection, ability to reach orgasm, and satisfaction from orgasm. Possible total scores range from 5 to 30, with the higher scores indicating more sexual dysfunction. The scale has shown satisfactory reliability and validity.

  8. OL Treatment Phase: Change from Baseline in the Body Weight

    Time frame: OL Baseline (Day 43) up to 6 months

    Change from baseline in body weight will be reported.

  9. OL Treatment Phase: Change from Baseline in the Body Mass Index (BMI)

    Time frame: OL Baseline (Day 43) up to 6 months

    Change from baseline in BMI will be reported.

  10. OL Treatment Phase: Change from Baseline in the Waist Circumference

    Time frame: OL Baseline (Day 43) up to 6 months

    Change from baseline in waist circumference will be reported.

  11. OL Treatment Phase: Number of Participants with Abnormalities in Clinical Laboratory Parameters

    Time frame: OL Baseline (Day 43) up to 6 months

    Number of participants with laboratory abnormalities related to hematology, serum chemistry will be reported.

Secondary outcomes

  1. DB Treatment Phase: Change from Baseline in MADRS-Without Sleep Item (WOSI) Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline up to Day 43

    MADRS-WOSI considered 9 of the 10 MADRS items, excluding "reduced sleep" item. The total score ranged from 0 to 54, with higher scores corresponding to greater symptom severity.

  2. DB Treatment Phase: Change from Baseline in Sleep Disturbance using Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System-Sleep Disturbance (PROMIS-SD) Short Form 10a(8a + 2a ) T-score

    Time frame: Baseline up to Day 43

    The PROMIS-SD is used to assess self-reported perceptions of sleep quality, sleep depth and restoration associated with sleep. The full PROMIS-SD includes 27 items with each item based on a 7-day recall period and assessed on a 5 level Likert-type scale. The 10-item short form will be used, in which responses are scored 1 to 5 for each item. T-score for the PROMIS-SD scales represent the value obtained after using a conversion table to convert the total raw score. To find the total raw score for a short form with all questions answered, sum the values of the response to each question. For example, for the adult 10-item form, the lowest possible raw score is 10; the highest possible raw score is 50. Higher overall score indicates more sleep disturbance.

  3. DB Treatment phase: Change from Baseline in MADRS-6 Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline up to Day 43

    The MADRS-6 scale is a clinician-administered questionnaire used to measure the severity of major depressive disorder (MDD) symptoms. The MADRS-6 scale is a subset of the MADRS -10 scale, comprised of the following individual questionnaire items: apparent sadness, reported sadness, inner tension, lassitude, inability to feel, and pessimistic thoughts. Scores range from 0 (no apparent symptoms) to 36 (most severe symptoms).

  4. DB Treatment Phase: Proportion of Participants with Response on Depressive Symptoms Scale

    Time frame: Baseline up to Day 43

    Responders are defined as proportion of participants with greater than or equal to (>=) 50 percent (%) improvement in the MADRS total score from baseline to Day 43.

  5. DB Treatment Phase: Change from Baseline in Sleep Disturbance using PROMIS-SD Short Form 8a T-Score

    Time frame: Baseline up to Day 43

    The PROMIS-SD is used to assess self-reported perceptions of sleep quality, sleep depth and restoration associated with sleep. The full PROMIS-SD includes 27 items with each item based on a 7-day recall period and assessed on a 5 level Likert-type scale. The 8-item short form will be used in this study, in which responses are scored 1 to 5 for each item. T-score for the PROMIS-SD scales represent the value obtained after using a conversion table to convert the total raw score. To find the total raw score for a short form with all questions answered, sum the values of the response to each question. For example, for the adult 8-item form, the lowest possible raw score is 8; the highest possible raw score is 40. Higher overall score indicates more sleep disturbance.

  6. DB Treatment Phase: Change from Baseline in Patient Health Questionnaire 9-Item (PHQ-9) Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline up to Day 43

    The PHQ-9 is a 9-item, participant reported outcome measure to assess depressive symptoms. The scale scores each of the 9 symptom domains of the DSM-5 MDD criteria. Each item is rated on a 4 point scale (0=not at all, 1=several days, 2=more than half the days, and 3=nearly every day). The participant's item responses are summed to provide a total score (range of 0 to 27), with higher scores indicating greater severity of depressive symptoms.

  7. DB Period: Change from Baseline in Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire, Depression (WPAI-D) Scores

    Time frame: Baseline up to Day 43

    The WPAI-D questionnaire is a patient-reported instrument to measure impairments in both paid work and unpaid work. It measures absenteeism, presenteeism as well as the impairments in unpaid activity because of health problems during the past 7 days. The WPAI yields four types of scores: (a) Absenteeism (work time missed); (b) Presenteeism (impairment at work / reduced on-the-job effectiveness); (c) Work productivity loss (overall work impairment / absenteeism plus presenteeism); (d) Activity Impairment. The first three scores are derived only for respondents who were working (should be missing for non-working), but the last score is applicable for all respondents. Each score ranges from 0 to 100 with higher scores indicating greater impairment and less productivity. Negative changes in score indicates less impairment and greater productivity.

  8. OL Treatment Phase: Change from Baseline Over Time in MADRS Total Score

    Time frame: OL Baseline (Day 43) up to 6 months

    The MADRS is a clinician-administered scale designed to measure depression severity and detects changes due to antidepressant treatment. The scale consists of 10 items, each of which is scored from 0 (item not present or normal) to 6 (severe or continuous presence of the symptoms), for a total possible score of 60. Higher scores represent a more severe condition.

  9. OL Treatment Phase: Change from Baseline Over Time in Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) Score

    Time frame: OL Baseline (Day 43) up to 6 months

    The CGI-S provides an overall clinician-determined summary measure of the severity of the participant's illness that takes into account all available information, including knowledge of the participant's history, psychosocial circumstances, symptoms, behavior, and the impact of the symptoms on the participant's ability to function. The CGI-S evaluates the severity of psychopathology on a scale of 1 to 7. Considering total clinical experience with the depression population, a participant is assessed on severity of illness at the time of rating according to the following criteria: 1=normal (not at all ill); 2=borderline ill; 3=mildly ill; 4=moderately ill; 5=markedly ill; 6=severely ill; 7=among the most extremely ill patients.

  10. OL Treatment Phase: Change from Baseline Over Time in MADRS-WOSI Total Score

    Time frame: OL Baseline (Day 43) up to 6 months

    MADRS-WOSI considered 9 of the 10 MADRS items, excluding "reduced sleep" item. The total score ranged from 0 to 54, with higher scores corresponding to greater symptom severity.

  11. OL Treatment Phase: Change from Baseline Over Time in Sleep Disturbance using PROMIS-SD Short Form 10a(8a+2a) T-score

    Time frame: OL Baseline (Day 43) up to 6 months

    The PROMIS-SD 10a(8a+2a) is used to assess self-reported perceptions of sleep quality, sleep depth and restoration associated with sleep. The full PROMIS-SD includes 27 items with each item based on a 7-day recall period and assessed on a 5 level Likert-type scale. The 10-item short form will be used, in which responses are scored 1 to 5 for each item. T-score for the PROMIS-SD 10a(8a+2a) scales represent the value obtained after using a conversion table to convert the total raw score. To find the total raw score for a short form with all questions answered, sum the values of the response to each question. For example, for the adult 10-item form, the lowest possible raw score is 10; the highest possible raw score is 50. Higher overall score indicates more sleep disturbance.

  12. OL Treatment Phase: Change from Baseline in Work Productivity and Activity Impairment-Questionnaire Depression (WPAI-D) Score

    Time frame: OL Baseline (Day 43) up to 6 months

    The WPAI-D questionnaire is a validated short instrument that assesses impairment in work and other regular activities over the past 7 days. The WPAI yields four types of scores: (a) Absenteeism (work time missed); (b) Presenteeism (impairment at work / reduced on-the-job effectiveness); (c) Work productivity loss (overall work impairment / absenteeism plus presenteeism); (d) Activity Impairment. The first three scores are derived only for respondents who were working (should be missing for non-working), but the last score is applicable for all respondents. Each score ranges from 0 to 100 with higher scores indicating greater impairment and less productivity. Negative changes in score indicates less impairment and greater productivity.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Study Contact

CONTACT

[email protected]

844-434-4210

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Janssen Research & Development, LLC

Industry

Registry information

Official study title

A Multicenter, Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Seltorexant as Monotherapy in Adult and Elderly Participants With Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and an Open-label Long-term Extension Treatment With Seltorexant

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2029
First posted
May 7, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 6, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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