Lofexidine for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal

Overseen By Kim New Senior Director, Clinical Research and Data Sciences

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 2

Sponsor: BioCorRx Pharmaceuticals Inc

Must not be taking: Morphine, Methadone, Buprenorphine, others

Disqualifiers: Seizures, Abnormal ECG, Congenital malformations, others

Prior Safety Data This treatment has passed at least one previous human trial

Approved in 2 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 7 days

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores a new method to help newborns experiencing withdrawal symptoms due to prenatal opioid exposure. Researchers are testing lofexidine, a drug that might ease these symptoms, alongside usual care methods such as non-drug approaches and morphine when necessary. The goal is to determine if lofexidine improves recovery outcomes for these babies. Eligible participants are less than a week old, born after 35 weeks of pregnancy, and show signs of opioid withdrawal due to maternal opioid use during pregnancy. As a Phase 2 trial, this research focuses on assessing the treatment's effectiveness in an initial, smaller group, contributing to important early findings.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if participants must stop taking their current medications. However, infants who have already received treatment for NOWS with certain medications like morphine, methadone, buprenorphine, clonidine, or phenobarbital before screening are excluded from the study.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that the FDA has approved lofexidine to help adults manage withdrawal symptoms when they stop using opioids. Studies have found that adults generally tolerate lofexidine well. Some people might experience side effects like low blood pressure, slow heart rate, or dizziness, but these are uncommon.

For newborns, less information is available. This study aims to learn more about the safety of lofexidine for newborns experiencing withdrawal due to maternal opioid use during pregnancy. Since this trial is in an early stage, while some safety information exists from other uses, more research is needed to confirm its safety in newborns. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why do researchers think this study treatment might be promising for NOWS?

Most treatments for neonatal opioid withdrawal primarily involve non-pharmacologic methods and medications like morphine. However, Lofexidine is unique because it targets the withdrawal symptoms directly without the use of opioids. It works by acting on the central nervous system to reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms. Researchers are excited about Lofexidine because it offers a non-opioid alternative that could potentially minimize the need for opioid-based treatments in newborns, thus reducing the risk of further dependency.

What evidence suggests that lofexidine might be an effective treatment for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome?

Research has shown that lofexidine helps manage symptoms of opioid withdrawal by calming the nervous system, reducing anxiety and restlessness during withdrawal. Studies have found that lofexidine is more effective than a placebo in lessening withdrawal symptoms. The FDA has already approved it for use in adults. This trial will evaluate different dosages of lofexidine to determine its effectiveness in treating neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) by easing symptoms in newborns exposed to opioids before birth. ^{2 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for newborns under 7 days old, born at or after 35 weeks of gestation, weighing at least 1.8 kg, who are experiencing opioid withdrawal due to their mother's opioid use during pregnancy. The baby must be able to take oral medication and show specific signs of withdrawal. Babies with certain health issues like low heart rate, seizures, low platelet count, or those already treated for withdrawal are excluded.

Inclusion Criteria

Positive maternal urine opiate screen during pregnancy or delivery

My mother used opiates during her pregnancy with me.

I have severe symptoms measured by a specific test or agreed by my care team.

Exclusion Criteria

Two consecutive blood pressure measurements greater than 15 minutes apart with a systolic blood pressure <55 mm Hg

I do not have any surgeries planned during or within 30 days after my NOWS treatment, except for circumcision.

Clinically significant abnormal ECG at Screening in the judgment of the Principal Investigator, including a QTc interval >480 msec on a Screening ECG. Note: if the QTc interval meets the above criteria, the value may be confirmed by repeating the measurement twice, with each ECG obtained approximately 30-60 minutes apart, and the QTc interval confirmed by a pediatric cardiologist. If the pediatric cardiologist confirms the QTc interval is >480 msec based on two of the three ECGs, the patient will be excluded from participation. If the pediatric cardiologist confirms the QTc interval is ≤480 msec based on two of the three ECGs, the patient may be considered for study entry at the discretion of the Investigator in consultation with the pediatric cardiologist. Patients with a confirmed QTc >480 msec at Screening will be monitored per local standard of care, at least once daily, until the QTc resolves to within normal range. Patients not enrolled in the study will receive additional evaluation and care as clinically indicated

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive standard of care and varying doses of Lofexidine for the treatment of opioid withdrawal symptoms

7 days

Daily monitoring

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

30 days

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Lofexidine

Trial Overview

The study is testing the safety and how the body processes a drug called Lofexidine in babies going through opioid withdrawal (NOWS). It compares standard care alone versus standard care plus Lofexidine to see if it helps reduce symptoms of NOWS more effectively.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Dose 3 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Drug: Lofexidine (LX2) All participants will receive standard of care and 16-24 µg/kg/day of Lofexidine, administered every 6 hours, with the final daily dose level to be decided based upon data collected in participants receiving Dose 2. Lofexidine will be tapered to discontinuation.

Group II: Dose 2 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Drug: Lofexidine (LX2) All participants will receive standard of care and 20 µg/kg/day of Lofexidine, administered as 5 µg/kg/day every 3 hours. Lofexidine will be tapered to discontinuation.

Group III: Dose 1 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Drug: Lofexidine (LX2) All participants will receive standard of care and 32 µg/kg/day of Lofexidine, administered as 4 µg/kg/day every 3 hours. Lofexidine will be tapered to discontinuation.

Group IV: Control Placebo Group 1 Intervention

All participants will receive non pharmacologic interventions per the local standard of care (i.e. non-pharmacologic measures and morphine when indicated).

Lofexidine is already approved in United States, United Kingdom for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Lucemyra for:

• Mitigation of opioid withdrawal symptoms to facilitate abrupt opioid discontinuation in adults

Approved in United Kingdom as BritLofex for:

• Management of opioid withdrawal symptoms

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

BioCorRx Pharmaceuticals Inc

Lead Sponsor

USWM, LLC (dba US WorldMeds)

Lead Sponsor

Trials

24

Recruited

1,800+

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Collaborator

Trials

2,658

Recruited

3,409,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Lofexidine hydrochloride (Lucemyra) is effective in managing opioid withdrawal symptoms, providing a non-opioid treatment option for individuals undergoing detoxification.

Erenumab-aooe (Aimovig) has been shown to significantly reduce the frequency of migraine attacks, offering a targeted approach to migraine prevention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pharmaceutical Approval Update. Choy, M.[2020]

Lofexidine, at doses of 2.16 mg and 2.88 mg per day, significantly reduced opioid withdrawal symptoms compared to placebo in a study involving 603 participants over 7 days, demonstrating its efficacy as a nonopioid treatment for opioid withdrawal syndrome.

The study also found that lofexidine improved completion rates of the withdrawal program by 14% and 12% compared to placebo, indicating it not only helps manage symptoms but also encourages patients to complete the treatment process.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety and Efficacy of Lofexidine for Medically Managed Opioid Withdrawal: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Fishman, M., Tirado, C., Alam, D., et al.[2020]

In a review of 11 studies on neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS), methadone was found to be more effective than morphine for primary treatment outcomes, showing no significant difference in treatment duration or hospitalization time between the two.

Buprenorphine demonstrated the shortest treatment and hospitalization durations compared to both morphine and methadone, suggesting it may be a more efficient option for managing NOWS.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparative effectiveness of opioid replacement agents for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lee, JJ., Chen, J., Eisler, L., et al.[2022]

Lofexidine, a non-opioid treatment for opioid withdrawal, was studied in 681 participants, showing small, temporary increases in QTcF (a measure of heart rhythm) during the first 24 hours, which resolved by Day 4.

By Day 7, QTcF levels decreased from baseline in all groups, suggesting that while lofexidine can cause transient changes in heart rhythm, it may ultimately have a stabilizing effect, likely due to its sympatholytic actions that alter autonomic tone.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of lofexidine on cardiac repolarization during treatment of opioid withdrawal. Darpö, B., Pirner, M., Longstreth, J., et al.[2020]

Lofexidine is an effective option for managing symptoms of opiate withdrawal by reducing sympathetic outflow, but it remains largely experimental in the US and Canada despite its approval in other regions since the 1980s.

The development of lofexidine has faced challenges due to market factors and regulatory considerations, but recent clinical trials are starting to rectify past oversights by exploring improved formulations and specific enantiomers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The preclinical discovery of lofexidine for the treatment of opiate addiction. Vartak, AP.[2014]

Lofexidine has been recently FDA approved for treating opioid withdrawal symptoms in adults and has shown effectiveness in randomized controlled trials compared to placebo.

The safety profile of lofexidine is favorable, and its efficacy is comparable to other first- and second-line treatments for opioid withdrawal, although its higher cost may limit its accessibility in clinical practice.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Lofexidine: A Newly FDA-Approved, Nonopioid Treatment for Opioid Withdrawal. Doughty, B., Morgenson, D., Brooks, T.[2020]

Lofexidine is an effective and safe treatment for managing opioid withdrawal symptoms, as it reduces sympathetic outflow without reinforcing opioid dependence, making it a valuable option for patients with opioid use disorder.

Clinical trials have shown that lofexidine can help alleviate withdrawal symptoms, but it may cause side effects like QT prolongation and hypotension, so careful dosing and monitoring are essential, especially during the peak withdrawal period around 5-7 days after stopping opioids.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Role of Lofexidine in Management of Opioid Withdrawal. Pergolizzi, JV., Annabi, H., Gharibo, C., et al.[2023]

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