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Pramipexole Versus Escitalopram to Treat Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Comorbid MDD With Mild Neurocognitive Disorder (MND) in Persons With HIV
NCT06705478 · National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
In plain English
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Official title
An Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial of Pramipexole Versus Escitalopram to Treat Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Comorbid MDD With Mild Neurocognitive Disorder (MND) in Persons With HIV
About this study
A phase II, randomized, open-label, two-arm clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of pramipexole extended release (ER) versus escitalopram for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and comorbid MDD with mild neurocognitive disorder (MND) in persons with HIV (PWH). Participants will be assessed comprehensively and briefly at intercurrent visits to monitor for toxicity, response to therapy, and to assess for dose changes.
An optional sub-study to evaluate treatment impact on the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) profile will be conducted in a subset of 36 participants.
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
* Documented HIV-1 infection.
* Diagnosis of MDD.
* On current ART regimen for at least 90 days prior to study entry with no interruption in treatment greater than 7 consecutive days.
* No plans to change ART while on study.
* Plasma HIV-1 RNA levels of less than 200 copies/mL obtained within 90 days prior to enrollment.
* Study candidates previously treated for depression are eligible provided the study candidate's last dose of antidepressant taken is at least 4 weeks prior to study entry, with the exception of fluoxetine, which the last dose taken must have been at least 8 weeks prior to study entry.
* Laboratory values obtained within 30 days prior to study entry that meet protocol criteria as determined by the site investigator of record.
* Study candidates of child-bearing potential must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test performed at screening and within 2 days prior to study entry.
* Study candidates of child-bearing potential who are participating in sexual activity that could lead to pregnancy must agree to use at least one highly effective method for contraception.
Exclusion Criteria:
* Active suicidality, and/or severe MDD, psychotic disorders, manic or hypomanic symptoms occurring in the context of bipolar disorder type I or II, or cyclothymic disorder, or another current Axis I diagnosis judged by the investigator to interfere with the trial.
* Study candidate self-report of depressive symptoms that have persisted for over 50 percent of waking hours and for over 50 percent of days over the 24 months prior to study entry.
* Severe, active alcohol or substance use disorder by DSM-5-TR criteria in the 6 months prior to study entry.
* Active alcohol or substance use judged by the investigator to interfere with the trial.
* Any acute infection within 14 days prior to study entry.
* Acute or serious illness requiring systemic treatment and/or hospitalization within 90 days prior to study entry.
* Active coronary artery disease (CAD) or myocardial infarction (MI) within 180 days prior to study entry.
* Presence of rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), dermatomyositis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, or other chronic inflammatory conditions.
* Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) or a history of IRIS within 180 days prior to study entry.
* Unstable or advanced liver disease.
* Receipt of medications judged by the site investigator to significantly influence depression or neurocognitive function within 30 days prior to study entry.
* Non-HIV-associated neurological disorder comorbidity.
* Diagnosis of epilepsy with antiepileptic drug treatment.
* Untreated HCV infection and HCV viremia.
* Current CNS malignant tumor or CNS opportunistic infection (OI).
* Current systemic malignant tumor or of a current systemic AIDS-defining OI.
* History of completed treatment of CNS or systemic malignant tumor within the 5 years prior to study entry.
* History of completed treatment of CNS OI within the 5 years prior to study entry.
* Documented history of completed treatment of systemic AIDS-defining OI, as well as Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection, within the 180 days prior to study entry.
* New diagnosis of syphilis or treatment for syphilis within the 180 days prior to study entry.
* History of neurosyphilis.
* Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
* Congestive heart failure (CHF).
* Use of systemic steroids daily (except testosterone).
* Diseases that cause a known bleeding diathesis.
* Immunostimulant therapies and trials of non-FDA-approved ARV medications within 30 days prior to study entry.
* Immunosuppressive medications if judged by the investigator to affect study outcomes.
* Currently pregnant, planning to become pregnant during the study period, or currently breastfeeding.
* Known allergy/sensitivity or any hypersensitivity to the study drugs or their formulations.
* Study candidates on prohibited medications at the time of screening will be excluded from study participation.
Inclusion Criteria for Participants at US Sites Who Consent to the Lumbar Puncture (LP) Procedure:
* Non-focal neurological examination. Study candidates with focal findings should have expert assessment for mass effect prior to the LP.
* Laboratory values that meet LP protocol criteria as determined by the site investigator.
* No history of a positive syphilis testing per local testing algorithms or clinical documentation of prior syphilis treatment.
Exclusion Criteria for Participants at US Sites who Consent to the LP Procedure:
* Current use of anti-coagulants.
* Known presence of intracerebral mass or lesion that is judged to affect the safety of an LP.
* Known presence of an active CNS infection that could alter CNS/CSF inflammatory measures.
* Known allergy to lidocaine.
* Individuals who are unable to safely tolerate an LP due to physical limitation or condition.
* Body mass index (BMI) greater than 40 kg/m\^2.
Study design
Enrollment target: 186 participants
Allocation: randomized
Masking: none
Age groups: adult, older_adult
Timeline
Starts: 2026-04-30
Estimated completion: 2026-12-02
Last updated: 2026-03-31
Interventions
Drug: Pramipexole ERDrug: Escitalopram
Primary outcomes
- • Change in Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II/BDI-2) total score defined as the sum of all symptom scores (Baseline, Week 24)
- • Occurrence of Grade ≥3 Adverse Events (AEs) or Grade ≥2 neuropsychiatric AEs related to study treatment (From study treatment administration through Week 24)
- • Occurrence of Grade ≥2 neuropsychiatric AEs related to study treatment (From study treatment administration through Week 24)
Sponsor
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) · nih
With: Cipla Ltd.
Contacts & investigators
InvestigatorWilliam R Short, MD · study_chair, University of Pennsylvania
InvestigatorScott Letendre, MD · study_chair, University of California, San Diego
All locations (40)
Alabama CRSRecruiting
Birmingham, Alabama, United States
University of California, Los Angeles CARE Center CRSRecruiting
Los Angeles, California, United States
UCSD Antiviral Research Center CRSRecruiting
San Diego, California, United States
University of California, San Francisco HIV/AIDS CRSRecruiting
San Francisco, California, United States
Harbor University of California, Los Angeles Center CRSRecruiting
Torrance, California, United States
University of Colorado Hospital CRSRecruiting
Aurora, Colorado, United States
Whitman-Walker Institute, Inc. CRSRecruiting
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States
The Ponce de Leon Center CRSRecruiting
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Northwestern University CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Massachusetts General Hospital CRS (MGH CRS)Recruiting
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Washington University Therapeutics (WT) CRSRecruiting
St Louis, Missouri, United States
New Jersey Medical School Clinical Research Center CRS (Site ID 31786)Recruiting
Newark, New Jersey, United States
Weill Cornell Chelsea CRSNot Yet Recruiting
New York, New York, United States
Columbia Physicians & Surgeons (P&S) CRSNot Yet Recruiting
New York, New York, United States
Weill Cornell Uptown CRSNot Yet Recruiting
New York, New York, United States
University of Rochester Adult HIV Therapeutic Strategies Network CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Rochester, New York, United States
Chapel Hill CRSRecruiting
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Greensboro CRSRecruiting
Greensboro, North Carolina, United States
Cincinnati CRSRecruiting
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Case CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Ohio State University CRSRecruiting
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Penn Therapeutics CRSRecruiting
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
University of Pittsburgh CRSRecruiting
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Vanderbilt Therapeutics (VT) CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Houston Advancing Research Team CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Houston, Texas, United States
Gaborone CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Gaborone, Botswana
Instituto de Pesquisa Clinica Evandro Chagas (IPEC) CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College (BJMC) CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Pune, Maharashtra, India
Moi University Clinical Research Center (MUCRC) CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Eldoret, Rift Valley, Kenya
Kenya Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Project Clinical Research Center (KEMRI/WRP) CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Kericho, Rift Valley, Kenya
Blantyre CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Blantyre, Malawi
Nutrición-Mexico CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Mexico City, Tlalpan, Mexico
Barranco CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Lima, Peru
De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute - Angelo King Medical Research Center (DLSMHSI-AKMRC)Not Yet Recruiting
Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines
Durban International CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Mount Edgecombe, South Africa
Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre (TRC-ARC) CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Pathum Wan, Bangkok, Thailand
Chiang Mai University HIV Treatment (CMU HIV Treatment) CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC)/Kampala CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Kampala, Uganda
Hanoi Medical University (HMU)Not Yet Recruiting
Hanoi, Vietnam
Milton Park CRSNot Yet Recruiting
Milton Park, Harare, Zimbabwe