NCT05644587

Brief Summary

Microdosing induction is a novel method of starting buprenorphine/naloxone without patients experiencing the opioid withdrawal that is a part of traditional induction. Patients take small doses of buprenorphine/naloxone that increase slowly over a week. Although microdosing induction has been supported anecdotally, its effectiveness is not known. The proposed study will compare the effectiveness and safety of two induction strategies for transitioning patients from opioids to buprenorphine/naloxone. All inductions will occur in an outpatient telehealth opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment setting. The study will compare patients who receive traditional induction versus microdosing induction. Primary outcomes include effectiveness and safety. Secondary outcomes include treatment retention, self-reported use of opioids during induction, return to opioid use, opioid appearance in drug screens, craving/withdrawal symptoms, and patient satisfaction.

Trial Health

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Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
33

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for phase_4

Timeline
Completed

Started Feb 2023

Shorter than P25 for phase_4

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
terminated

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

November 21, 2022

Completed
18 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

December 9, 2022

Completed
2 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

February 6, 2023

Completed
10 months until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

November 30, 2023

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

November 30, 2023

Completed
Last Updated

August 20, 2024

Status Verified

August 1, 2024

Enrollment Period

10 months

First QC Date

November 21, 2022

Last Update Submit

August 18, 2024

Conditions

Keywords

opioidopioid use disorderbuprenorphinemicrodosing

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

  • Number of participants who complete induction with no/mild withdrawal

    Completion of induction with no/mild withdrawal

    10 days

  • Modified-Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (M-COWS) scores

    Average/median and Maximum M-COWS scores for each participant. Scores range from 0-48, with higher scores indicating more withdrawal symptoms.

    10 days

  • Subjective Opiate Withdrawal Scale (SOWS) scores

    Average/median SOWS scores for each participant. Score range from 0-64, with higher scores indicating more withdrawal symptoms.

    10 days

  • Adverse outcomes

    Any untoward medial occurrence

    10 days

Secondary Outcomes (5)

  • Treatment retention

    30 days

  • Opioid use

    30 days

  • Toxicology screens

    30 days

  • Cravings

    30 days

  • Patient satisfaction

    30 days

Study Arms (2)

Traditional Induction Arm

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

In this arm, study participants will wait until they have significant opioid withdrawal (SOWS score \>=17) prior to starting buprenorphine. Participants will then started with 2 mg sublingual and escalate to a maximum of 12 mg on the first day depending on withdrawal symptoms. On day 2, the participant will take same dose as the total dose taken on day 1, and continue that dose daily until reevaluation.

Drug: buprenorphine/naloxone

Microdosing Induction Arm

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

In this arm, study participants will not wait until they have significant opioid withdrawal. They will take 0.5 mg buprenorphine on day 1, 2 mg on day 2, 4 mg on day 3, 6 mg on day 4, 8 mg on day 5 and 12 mg starting on day 6.

Drug: buprenorphine/naloxone

Interventions

Buprenorphine/naloxone will be used to begin each patient's treatment for opioid use disorder.

Microdosing Induction ArmTraditional Induction Arm

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Enrollment with Bicycle Health services
  • Aged 18 years old or older
  • Diagnosis of opioid use disorder confirmed by DSM-5 criteria
  • In no/mild withdrawal at the time of intake
  • Need to undergo induction to buprenorphine from a full opioid agonist
  • Use of full opioid agonists not directly from a pharmacy within the last 24 hours
  • Pharmacy stock check of 2 mg film/tablet done before visit
  • Willingness and ability to follow study protocols, and the ability to provide informed consent

You may not qualify if:

  • Known allergy or sensitivity to buprenorphine/naloxone
  • Any circumstance that precludes the need for induction
  • In moderate to severe withdrawal at the time of intake
  • Severe or complex medical/psychiatric comorbidity that requires a customized induction schedule or surveillance
  • Any element that would exclude an individual from Bicycle Health services in general (e.g., homelessness, severe untreated mental illness)
  • Patients requesting specific induction technique
  • Patients who are pregnant or lactating

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Bicycle Health

Boston, Massachusetts, 02111, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Hammig R, Kemter A, Strasser J, von Bardeleben U, Gugger B, Walter M, Dursteler KM, Vogel M. Use of microdoses for induction of buprenorphine treatment with overlapping full opioid agonist use: the Bernese method. Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2016 Jul 20;7:99-105. doi: 10.2147/SAR.S109919. eCollection 2016.

    PMID: 27499655BACKGROUND

Related Links

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Opioid-Related Disorders

Interventions

Buprenorphine, Naloxone Drug Combination

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Narcotic-Related DisordersSubstance-Related DisordersChemically-Induced DisordersMental Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

BuprenorphineMorphinansOpiate AlkaloidsAlkaloidsHeterocyclic CompoundsNaloxoneHeterocyclic Compounds, Bridged-RingHeterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More RingsHeterocyclic Compounds, Fused-RingPhenanthrenesPolycyclic Aromatic HydrocarbonsPolycyclic CompoundsDrug CombinationsPharmaceutical Preparations

Study Officials

  • Scott Weiner, MD, MPH

    Bicycle Health

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 4
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
INDUSTRY
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

November 21, 2022

First Posted

December 9, 2022

Study Start

February 6, 2023

Primary Completion

November 30, 2023

Study Completion

November 30, 2023

Last Updated

August 20, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-08

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations