Efficacy and Safety Study of Levomilnacipran Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules in Major Depressive Disorder

NCT ID: NCT07253207

Last Updated: 2025-11-28

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

392 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-10-17

Study Completion Date

2025-07-22

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is using Duloxetine Hydrochloride Enteric Capsules as the positive control, to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Levomilnacipran Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Investigators

Study Groups

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Duloxetine Hydrochloride Enteric Capsules

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Duloxetine Hydrochloride Enteric Capsules

Intervention Type DRUG

Treatment period: Duloxetine Hydrochloride Enteric Capsules 60mg/day is to be given orally, once daily, for 8 weeks.

Reduction period: Duloxetine Hydrochloride Enteric Capsules 60mg/day is to be given orally, once daily, for 2 weeks.

Levomilnacipran Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Levomilnacipran Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules

Intervention Type DRUG

Treatment period:

1. Levomilnacipran Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules 20mg/day is to be given orally, once daily, for 1-2 days in the first week of treatment.
2. Levomilnacipran Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules 40mg/day is to be given orally, once daily, for 3-7 days in the first week of treatment.
3. Levomilnacipran Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules 80mg/day is to be given orally, once daily, for the second week of treatment.
4. Levomilnacipran Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules 40, 80 or 120mg/day (the dosage based on the participant's clinical response and tolerance) is to be given orally, once daily, for the weeks 3 to 8 of treatment.

Reduction period: Dosage of 20-80mg/day based on the tolerable dose during the 8th week of treatment.

Interventions

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Levomilnacipran Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules

Treatment period:

1. Levomilnacipran Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules 20mg/day is to be given orally, once daily, for 1-2 days in the first week of treatment.
2. Levomilnacipran Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules 40mg/day is to be given orally, once daily, for 3-7 days in the first week of treatment.
3. Levomilnacipran Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules 80mg/day is to be given orally, once daily, for the second week of treatment.
4. Levomilnacipran Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules 40, 80 or 120mg/day (the dosage based on the participant's clinical response and tolerance) is to be given orally, once daily, for the weeks 3 to 8 of treatment.

Reduction period: Dosage of 20-80mg/day based on the tolerable dose during the 8th week of treatment.

Intervention Type DRUG

Duloxetine Hydrochloride Enteric Capsules

Treatment period: Duloxetine Hydrochloride Enteric Capsules 60mg/day is to be given orally, once daily, for 8 weeks.

Reduction period: Duloxetine Hydrochloride Enteric Capsules 60mg/day is to be given orally, once daily, for 2 weeks.

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Outpatient patients aged 18 to 65 years (inclusive of 18 but exclusive of 65), regardless of gender;
2. Meet the diagnostic criteria for depression as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), with a duration of at least 3 months for first-episode cases (30 days per month);
3. Current depressive episode confirmed using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) version 7.0.0 or higher;
4. Total HAMD17 score ≥18 at screening and baseline visits;
5. CGI-S score ≥4 at screening and baseline visits;
6. Agree to use effective contraception during the trial and for 30 days after the last dose (women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test before dosing and not be breastfeeding), and men and women must have no plans to donate sperm or eggs, respectively;
7. Voluntarily participate in the trial and sign the informed consent form.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Meet DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for other mental disorders (including but not limited to schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, bipolar and related disorders, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, somatic symptom and related disorders);
2. Previous failure to respond to adequate dose and duration (maximum recommended dose for MDD as per label for at least 4 weeks) of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (including but not limited to milnacipran, levomilnacipran, duloxetine, venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine), or failure to respond to adequate dose and duration of at least two antidepressant drugs;
3. Allergic to milnacipran, levomilnacipran, duloxetine, or excipients of the trial drug, or have an allergic constitution;
4. History of suicide attempt within 1 year prior to screening; suicidal or self-harming behavior during screening; HAMD17 item 3 (suicide) score ≥3; currently at high suicide risk;
5. Depression secondary to other diseases;
6. History of epileptic seizures (except for febrile convulsions in childhood);
7. Received systematic electroconvulsive therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, systematic psychotherapy, or other treatments with antidepressant effects within 3 months prior to screening; received electroconvulsive therapy within 1 month prior to screening;
8. Discontinuation of psychotropic drugs or their active metabolites less than 5 half-lives, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors less than 2 weeks, before randomization;
9. Required to use drugs with clinically significant interactions with the trial drug during the trial (including but not limited to monoamine oxidase inhibitors, other serotonergic drugs, drugs affecting coagulation, strong CYP3A4/CYP1A2/CYP2D6 inhibitors or inducers, alcohol, linezolid, and intravenous methylene blue);
10. Conditions affecting drug swallowing or absorption, as judged by the investigator;
11. Risk factors for angle-closure glaucoma, as judged by the investigator;
12. Abnormal and clinically significant results from physical examinations or laboratory tests at screening or baseline, as judged by the investigator, including but not limited to ALT, AST, total bilirubin, or serum creatinine \>1.5 times the upper limit of normal, or thyroid-stimulating hormone outside the normal range;
13. Current or past medical history of diseases or dysfunctions affecting the trial, as judged by the investigator, including but not limited to chronic or acute diseases of the nervous, motor, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, urinary, endocrine, reproductive, or immune systems;
14. Clinically significant cardiovascular diseases, as judged by the investigator, including but not limited to atrial fibrillation, second- or third-degree atrioventricular block, myocardial infarction within 12 months, or NYHA heart function class III or above;
15. ECG QTcF interval ≥450 ms (males) or ≥470 ms (females), or other factors increasing the risk of QTcF prolongation or arrhythmic events (including but not limited to heart failure, hypokalemia, family history of long QT syndrome), or ECG heart rate \<50 bpm or \>120 bpm (Note: QTcF = QT/(RR\^0.33));
16. Resting seated systolic blood pressure \<90 mmHg or \>140 mmHg, or diastolic blood pressure \<50 mmHg or \>90 mmHg;
17. Diagnosed with end-stage renal disease at screening or previously, as judged by the investigator;
18. History of malignant tumors, as judged by the investigator at screening or previously;
19. Positive virological screening for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis C antibody (HCVAb), syphilis antibody, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody during screening;
20. History of drug or alcohol abuse;
21. Weekly alcohol consumption exceeding 14 units in the 6 months prior to screening (1 unit = 360 mL beer, 45 mL 40% liquor, or 150 mL wine);
22. Inability to comply with medication instructions, as judged by the investigator;
23. Physiological or psychological conditions that may increase trial risks, affect protocol compliance, or prevent trial completion, as judged by the investigator;
24. Participation in any clinical trial (received investigational drugs or medical devices) within 30 days before signing the informed consent form;
25. Concomitant diseases that may interfere with trial procedures or assessments, or other conditions deemed unsuitable for trial participation by the investigator.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Locations

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Hefei Fourth People's Hospital

Hefei, Anhui, China

Site Status

Wuhu Hospital of Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University

Wuhu, Anhui, China

Site Status

Beijing Anding Hospital Capital Medical University

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China

Site Status

Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China

Site Status

Chongqing Mental Health Center

Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality, China

Site Status

Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Site Status

Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center

Baoding, Hebei, China

Site Status

The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University

Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China

Site Status

Hunan Provincial Second People's Hospital

Changsha, Hunan, China

Site Status

Nantong Mental Health Center

Nantong, Jiangsu, China

Site Status

Suzhou Guangji Hospital

Suzhou, Jiangsu, China

Site Status

Wuxi Mental Health Center

Wuxi, Jiangsu, China

Site Status

Zhenjiang Mental Health Center

Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China

Site Status

The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University

Nanchang, Jiangxi, China

Site Status

Jiangxi Provincial Psychiatric Hospital

Nanchang, Jiangxi, China

Site Status

Jilin Provincial Neuropsychiatric Hospital

Siping, Jilin, China

Site Status

The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi 'an Jiaotong University

Xi'an, Shaanxi, China

Site Status

Xi 'an Mental Health Center

Xi'an, Shaanxi, China

Site Status

Shandong Provincial Mental Health Center

Jinan, Shandong, China

Site Status

Shanghai Pudong New Area Mental Health Center

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China

Site Status

Linfen Central Hospital

Linfen, Shanxi, China

Site Status

The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University

Taiyuan, Shanxi, China

Site Status

Chengdu Fourth People's Hospital

Chengdu, Sichuan, China

Site Status

Tianjin Fourth Central Hospital

Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality, China

Site Status

The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University

Kunming, Yunnan, China

Site Status

Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Site Status

Huzhou Third People's Hospital

Huzhou, Zhejiang, China

Site Status

Ningbo University Affiliated Kangning Hospital

Ningbo, Zhejiang, China

Site Status

Countries

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China

Other Identifiers

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HH-ZMNPL-2024

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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