NYU Langone Health
New York, 10016, United States
NCT Number: NCT03900923
This is a 6-week open trial to identify the optimal dosing of cannabidiol (CBD) in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to identify primary and secondary outcomes for future controlled studies. This study evaluates change in symptoms commonly associated with ASD, as evidence suggests that CBD may be effective in addressing difficulties such as irritability and anxiety, while maintaining a benign adverse effect (AE) profile in children and adolescents.
30 male and female participants with ASD between the ages of 7 and 17 years old are being recruited. Participants have fluent speech and an estimated IQ greater than or equal to 80. Study intervention is 98% pure CBD. The CBD is Greenwich Biosciences, Inc.'s 100mg/mL oral solution, brand name EPIDIOLEX. First, a Bayesian optimal interval (BOIN) design was used, such that participants were assigned to cohorts of size 3 receiving doses of 3, 6, or 9 mg/kg/day, depending on the treatment response of participants in prior cohorts.
The BOIN design ended after the fifth cohort of participants, and the two lower doses, 3 and 6 mg/kg/day, were eliminated. The highest dose, 9 mg/kg/day, was not tested. Therefore, in subsequent cohorts, we will be examining 9 mg/kg/day exclusively in up to 15 additional participants with co-occurring ASD and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses, as this clinical profile appears to most closely resemble youth classified as responders within the BOIN design.
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Notify Me7 year–17 year
All sexes
Interventional
Phase 2
New York, 10016, United States
Healthy volunteers accepted: No
Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.
Inclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria
A Bayesian optimal interval (BOIN) design was used, such that participants were assigned to cohorts of size 3 receiving doses of 3, 6, or 9 mg/kg/day, depending on the treatment response of participants in prior cohorts. The BOIN design has ended, and two doses have been tested and eliminated (3 and 6 mg/kg/day). We are now examining 9 mg/kg/day exclusively.
Time frame: Week 6
The physician-rated CGI-I comprises one question asking how much a participant's condition has changed since baseline. The item is answered using a 7-point Likert scale, where 1 = very much improved; 2 = much improved; 3 = minimally improved; 4 = no change; 5 = minimally worse; 6 = much worse; and 7 = very much worse. The total score is the item response; lower scores indicate greater improvement.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
The RBS-R is a 43-item self report used to measure the breadth of repetitive behavior in children. For each item, behaviors are rated on a 4-point scale: 0-Behavior does not occur, 1-Behavior occurs and is a mild problem, 2-Behavior occurs and is a moderate problem, 3-Behavior occurs and is a severe problem. On the last question, participants are asked to "lump together" all of the behaviors described in the questionnaire, and provide a rating for how much of a problem these repetitive behaviors are overall, on a scale from 1-100: 1-Not a problem at all, to 100-As bad as you can imagine. A decrease in scores indicates the repetitive behaviors became less of a problem overall.
The total score is the sum of all items and ranges from 0 to 229.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
The SRS-2 is a 65-item questionnaire assessing Social Awareness, Social Cognition, Social Communication, Social Motivation, and Restricted Interests and Repetitive Behavior. Items are scored on a 4-point scale (ranging from 1=not true to 4=almost always true). The raw score is the sum of responses and is converted to a T-score; the final T-score has a mean of 50 points with a standard deviation of 10 points, where lower scores indicate greater social responsiveness:
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
The ABC Irritability subscale comprises 15 items rated on a 4-point scale (ranging from 0=no problem at all to 3 = problem is severe in degree). The total score is the sum of responses and ranges from 0 to 45; higher scores indicate greater presences of irritability related behavior.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
The SCARED, Parent Version is a 41-item parent-report measure developed to measure child anxiety symptoms. Subscales include Somatic Symptoms/Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Separation Anxiety, Social Phobia, and School Phobia. Items are rated on a 3-point scale ranging from 0=not true or hardly ever true to 2=very true or often true. The total score is the sum of responses and ranges from 0 to 82; lower scores indicate lesser child anxiety symptoms.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
The SDSC is a 26-item parent-completed assessment of their child's sleep-wake rhythm. The questionnaire measures Disorders of Initiating and Maintaining Sleep, Sleep Breathing Disorders, Disorders of Arousal, Sleep Wake Transition Disorders, Disorders of Excessive Somnolence, and Sleep Hyperhydrosis. Items are rated on 5-point scale where 1=never and 5=always (daily). The total score is the sum of responses and ranges from 26 to 130; lower scores indicate healthier sleep-wake rhythms.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
Used to measure adaptive functioning across three core domains (Communication, Daily Living Skills, and Socialization), and two optional domains (Motor Skills and Maladaptive Behavior); items are rated on a 3-point scale (0=never; 1=sometimes; 2=usually or often). The core domains sum to a total Adaptive Behavior Composite. The range of possible composite scores ranges from 20-140, with a higher score indicating higher levels of adaptive functioning.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
1-item assessment of clinicians impression of severity of illness. Illness severity is rated on a 7-point scale ranging from 1=not at all to 7=among the most extremely ill.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
Parent/Caregiver form used to measure impact of autism interventions on family experience and quality of life. Items are rated on a 5-point scale where 1=always and 5=never. The total score is the sum of responses and ranges from 48 - 240; lower scores indicate better outcomes.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
24-item Parent/Caregiver-completed form developed to detect symptoms of anxiety in youth with ASD. Items are rated on a 4-point scale (0=never and 3=always). The total score is the sum of responses and ranges from 0 to 72; lower scores indicate lesser symptoms of anxiety.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
24-item Child-completed form developed to detect symptoms of anxiety in youth with ASD. Items are rated on a 4-point scale (0=never and 3=always). The total score is the sum of responses and ranges from 0 to 72; lower scores indicate lesser symptoms of anxiety.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
Reflects clinicians impression of severity of illness on a 7-point scale ranging from 1=not present to 7="classic" autism.
Time frame: Week 6
Reflects clinicians impression of improvement on a 7-point scale ranging from 1=very much improved to 7=very much worse.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
38-item Parent/Caregiver-completed measure designed to assess rigid patterns of behavior commonly associated with ASD. Items are rated on a 6-point Likert scale where 0=Not at all a problem and 5=Very severe or extreme problem. The total score is the sum of responses and ranges from 0 to 228; higher scores indicate greater behavioral inflexibility.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
24-item Parent/Caregiver-completed questionnaire measuring behavioral noncompliance in everyday settings over the past four weeks. Severity of non-compliance is rated on a 9-point Likert scale (where 1 = no interruption, and 9 = frequent/consistent interruption). The total score is the sum of responses and ranges from 24 to 216; higher scores indicate greater behavioral noncompliance.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6
SWAN is an 18-item Parent/Caregiver-completed measure designed to assess symptoms of ADHD in children and adolescents. Items are rated on a 7-point Likert scale, where Far Below Average = 3, Below Average = 2, Somewhat Below Average = 1, Average = 0, Somewhat Above Average = -1, Above Average = -2, and Far Above Average = -3. The total score is the sum of responses and ranges from -54 to 54; the lower the score, the higher the severity of ADHD symptoms.
NYU Langone Health
Other
A Phase 2 Study of Cannabidiol as a New Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children and Adolescents
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