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Phase 3 N=588 Randomized Double-blind Treatment

A Study of Seltorexant as Adjunctive Therapy to Antidepressants in Adult and Elderly Participants With Major Depressive Disorder With Insomnia Symptoms Who Have Responded Inadequately to Antidepressant and Long-term Safety Extension Treatment With Seltorexant

Depressive Disorder, Major

Enrolled (actual)
588
Serious AEs
1.9%
Results posted
May 2026
Primary outcome: Primary: Double Blind (DB) Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline to Day 43 in Montgomery- Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) Total Score- Estimand 1 — -10.5; -12.9 Units on a scale — p==0.007

Study Design & Population

Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 3
Interventions
Seltorexant (Drug); Placebo (Drug)
Age
Adult, Older Adult · 18+ yrs
Sex
All
Sponsor
Janssen Research & Development, LLC
Primary completion
Apr 2023

Outcome Measures

OutcomeResultp-value
PRIMARY
Double Blind (DB) Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline to Day 43 in Montgomery- Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) Total Score- Estimand 1
-10.5; -12.9 =0.007 sig
PRIMARY
Open Label (OL) Treatment Phase: Number of Participants With Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs)
167; 163
PRIMARY
OL Treatment Phase: Number of Participants With Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events of Special Interest (AESI)
10; 8
PRIMARY
OL Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline in Vital Signs: Blood Pressure
0.1; 0.9; 0.5; -0.5
PRIMARY
OL Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline: Body Mass Index (BMI)
0.44; 0.67
PRIMARY
OL Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline in Vital Signs: Temperature
-0.03; 0.01
PRIMARY
OL Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline in Vital Signs: Pulse Rate
0.1; 0.5
PRIMARY
OL Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline in Weight
1.26; 1.80
PRIMARY
OL Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline in Waist Circumference
0.5; 0.7
PRIMARY
OL Treatment Phase: Number of Participants With Shift From Baseline in Suicidal Ideation and Behavior Using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
204; 190; 18; 15; 4; 0
PRIMARY
OL Follow Up Phase: Physician Withdrawal Checklist (PWC-20) Total Scores at Start of OL Follow Up
7.8; 7.4
PRIMARY
OL Follow Up Phase: Physician Withdrawal Checklist (PWC-20) Total Scores at Follow up Visit 1
6.2; 5.5
PRIMARY
OL Follow Up Phase: Physician Withdrawal Checklist (PWC-20) Total Scores at Follow up Visit 2
6.3; 7.1
PRIMARY
OL Treatment Phase: Number of Participants With Electrocardiogram (ECG) Abnormalities
27; 26
PRIMARY
OL Treatment Phase: Number of Participants With Clinically Significant Laboratory Abnormalities
1; 2; 0; 1; 1; 0
PRIMARY
OL Treatment Phase: Number of Participants With Sexual Dysfunction as Determined by Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX) Score
124; 111
SECONDARY
DB Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline to Day 43 in the MADRS Without Sleep Item (MADRS-WOSI) Total Score- Estimand 1
-9.5; -11.4 =0.023 sig
SECONDARY
DB Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline to Day 43 in Sleep Disturbance Using the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System-Sleep Disturbance (PROMIS-SD) Short Form (8a) T-Score: Estimand 1
-7.2; -10.9 <0.001 sig
SECONDARY
DB Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline to Day 43 in the MADRS-6 Total Score: Estimand 1
-7.1; -8.4
SECONDARY
DB Treatment Phase: Percentage of Participants With Response on Depressive Symptoms Scale Based on MADRS at Day 43
22.9; 35.4
SECONDARY
DB Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline to Day 43 in Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9) Total Score
-5.6; -7.6
SECONDARY
OL Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline Over Time in MADRS Total Score
-6.2; -3.8; -7.7; -4.7; -8.4; -5.3
SECONDARY
OL Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline Over Time in the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) Score
-0.7; -0.4; -1.0; -0.6; -1.0; -0.7
SECONDARY
OL Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline Over Time in the MADRS-WOSI Total Score
-5.0; -3.3; -6.4; -4.2; -7.0; -4.7
SECONDARY
OL Treatment Phase: Change From Baseline Over Time in Sleep Disturbance Using the PROMIS-SD Short Form 8a T-Score
-6.9; -2.8; -7.0; -3.5; -7.9; -4.7

Summary

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of seltorexant compared with placebo as adjunctive therapy to an antidepressant in improving depressive symptoms in participants with major depressive disorder with insomnia symptoms (MDDIS) who have had an inadequate response to current antidepressant therapy with an selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) in double-blind treatment phase and to assess the long-term safety and tolerability of seltorexant as adjunctive therapy to an antidepressant in participants with major depressive disorder (MDD) in open-label treatment phase.

Eligibility Criteria

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 and confirmed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Axis I Disorders-Clinical Trials Version (SCID-CT) diagnosed with first depressive episode prior to age 60. The length of the current depressive episode must be less than or equal to ( ] 0%) in depressive symptom severity with residual symptoms beyond insomnia present, and overall good tolerability, as assessed by the Massachusetts General Hospital-Antidepressant Treatment Response Questionnaire (MGH-ATRQ)
  • Is receiving and tolerating well any one of the following selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) for depressive symptoms at screening, in any formulation and available in the participating country: citalopram, duloxetine, escitalopram, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, milnacipran, levomilnacipran, paroxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine, vilazodone, or vortioxetine at a stable dose (at therapeutic dose level) for at least 6 weeks, and for no greater than 18 months in the current episode
  • Body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 40 kilograms per meter square (kg/m^2), inclusive (BMI = weight/height^2)
  • Participant must be medically stable on the basis of the following performed at screening: physical examination (including a brief neurological examination), vital signs (including blood pressure), and 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) performed at screening and baseline

Exclusion Criteria

  • Has a recent (last 3 months) history of, or current signs and symptoms of, a) severe renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance [CrCl] <30 milliliter per minute [mL/min]); b) clinically significant or unstable cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurologic, hematologic, rheumatologic, immunologic or endocrine disorders; c) uncontrolled Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus
  • Has a current or recent history of homicidal ideation or serious suicidal ideation within the past 3 months, corresponding to a positive response on item 4 (active suicidal ideation with some intent to act, without specific plan) or item 5 (active suicidal ideation with specific plan and intent) for ideation on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), or a history of suicidal behavior within the past 6 months, as validated by the C-SSRS at screening or Day 1. Participants with prior suicidal behavior in the past year, or prior serious suicidal ideation/plan within the past 6 months, should be carefully screened. For current suicidal ideation, only participants with non serious items (1-3 of the suicidal ideation section of the C-SSRS) may be included at the discretion of the investigator
  • Has a history of treatment-resistant MDD, defined as a lack of response to 2 or more adequate antidepressant treatments in the current episode, as indicated by no or minimal (<25% improvement in symptoms) when treated with an antidepressant of adequate dose (per MGH-ATRQ) and duration (at least 6 weeks)
  • Has history or current diagnosis of a psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, borderline personality disorder, or somatoform disorders
  • Has any significant primary sleep disorder, including but not limited to obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or parasomnias. Participants with insomnia disorder are allowed
  • Has a history of moderate to severe substance use disorder including alcohol use disorder according to DSM-5 criteria within 6 months before screening
View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04533529). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.

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