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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05262270

Extended-Release Naltrexone and Monthly Extended-Release Buprenorphine for Cocaine Use Disorder (CURB-2)

This is an 8-week, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial of the efficacy of a combination of extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) and extended-release buprenorphine (XR-BUP) compared to matched placebo injections (PBO-Inj) for the treatment of cocaine use disorder (CUD).

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Key information

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States

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About this study

The primary objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of XR-NTX plus XR-BUP as a combination pharmacotherapy for CUD. Approximately four hundred and twenty-six adults will be randomized into the study at 8-12 sites in the U.S. Eligibility will be determined during a maximum 21-day screening period. After screening/baseline is completed and eligibility is confirmed, participants will be randomized and begin the 1-week medication induction phase followed by the 8-week medication phase of the trial.

Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either 1) XR-NTX + XR-BUP arm and receive injections of extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX; as Vivitrol®) and extended-release buprenorphine (XR-BUP; as SublocadeTM), or to 2) PBO-Inj matching the timeline and delivery methods of injections for the XR-NTX + XR-BUP arm. XR-NTX or PBO-Inj injections will be provided on the day of randomization and in Weeks 3 and 6. XR-BUP or PBO-Inj injections will be provided on days 3-5 following randomization and in week 4. During the 1-week induction phase and the 8-week medication phase, participants will be asked to attend clinic twice weekly for collection of urine samples and to complete assessments as indicated on the schedule of assessments. Following the 8-week medication phase, participants will be asked to attend clinic weekly for the follow-up phase during Weeks 9-12.

Participants will be involved in the study for approximately 16 weeks, including a screening/baseline period of up to 3 weeks (i.e., 21 days), 1 week for randomization and medication induction, 8 weeks of medication, and 4 weeks of follow-up. The screening phase may differ by participant in the length of time needed to complete preliminary eligibility assessments. Randomization and medication induction visit may take approximately 2 hours. Twice-weekly visits during the medication phase will range from about 20 to 90 minutes in length depending on scheduled assessments. Medication administration visits may require an additional 2 hours. Visits in the follow-up phase will take place approximately 30-60 minutes to complete. An 8-week medication period was selected based on expected time for group differences to emerge and for pragmatic issues related to medication dosing.

Enrollment is expected to take place over a period of approximately 13 months, with an approximate total of 16 months of study visits.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Individuals must meet all of the inclusion criteria and no exclusion criteria in order to be eligible to participate in the study, including but not limited to:

Inclusion criteria

  • Be 18 to 65 years of age;
  • Be interested in reducing or stopping cocaine use.
  • Be willing to comply with all study procedures and medication instructions.

Exclusion criteria

  • Have any condition for which, in the opinion of the site investigator or designee, study participation would not be in their best interest or that could prevent, limit, or confound the protocol-specified assessments.

Treatment and study plan

Extended-Release Naltrexone

Drug

XR-NTX (Extended-Release Naltrexone) doses of 380mg (Weeks 0, 3 and 6) via intramuscular (IM) injections in the gluteus.

Other names: XR-NTX

Extended Release Buprenorphine

Drug

Extended-Release buprenorphine (XR-BUP) two doses of 300mg XR-BUP (Weeks 0, 4) via subcutaneous injections in the abdomen. Option for 100mg at Weeks 3 and 6 (if needed to alleviate side effects).

Other names: XR-BUP

Placebo (PLB) Injectable matched to XR-NTX

Drug

3 doses of intramuscular injections (Week 0, 3, 6)

Other names: Injectable matching (to XR-NTX) placebo

Placebo (PLB) Injectable matched to XR-BUP

Drug

2 doses of subcutaneous injections (Week 0, 4)

Other names: Injectable matching (to XR-BUP) placebo

Primary outcomes

  1. Proportion of Cocaine-negative UDS

    Time frame: Week 5 up to Week 8

    The primary outcome measure is the proportion of cocaine-negative UDS obtained during Weeks 5 through 8 of the medication phase as measured for the XR-NTX + XR-BUP and PBO-Inj conditions. The primary outcome (UDS) has been chosen because it is an objective measure of cocaine use and was the outcome showing significant improvement over placebo in the original CURB trial.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Number of participants who Self-report cocaine use

    Time frame: 8 Weeks

    Self-report elicited through Timeline Followback (TLFB) on days of cocaine use during Weeks 0-8;

  2. Mean self reported cocaine craving score

    Time frame: 8 Weeks

    Cocaine craving as measured by the Visual Analog Craving Scales (VAS) during Weeks 0-8.

    Possible scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating worse craving.

  3. Measures of safety (adverse events)

    Time frame: 8 weeks

    Number and severity of adverse events reported during Weeks 0-8; Number and outcomes (non-fatal and fatal) of overdose events during Weeks 0-8

  4. Mean self reported overall functioning

    Time frame: Week 8

    Self-report overall functioning as measured by the Treatment Effectiveness Assessment (TEA) at Week 8. Possible scores range from 1 to 10 for each of the 4 domains, with higher scores indicating better outcome.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Registry information

Official study title

Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Extended-Release Naltrexone and Monthly Extended-Release Buprenorphine for Cocaine Use Disorder (CURB-2)

Acronym: CURB-2

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Mar 2, 2022
Registry last updated
Oct 21, 2025

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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