Sign in

NCT06538285CompletedPhase 2

Ketamine-Assisted Recovery for Methamphetamine Use Disorder & HIV

Pilot Clinical Trial of Ketamine-assisted Psychotherapy for Methamphetamine Use Disorder and HIV Risk Reduction

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 12 Aug 2026

Brief summary (registry, in English)

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether it is possible to use intramuscular (IM) ketamine in combination with psychotherapy to treat moderate-to-severe methamphetamine use disorder (MeUD) in publicly insured patients with or at-risk for HIV disease. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Do publicly insured patients find ketamine-assisted psychotherapy feasible and acceptable as a potential treatment for MeUD? * Is IM ketamine safe and tolerable among patients with MeUD? Participants will: * Receive 3 monitored doses of IM ketamine * Have 3 preparation and 4 integration psychotherapy visits * Report their daily amounts of methamphetamine used prior to, during, and up to 3 months following the intervention

Status (registry)
Completed
Phase (registry)
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
17 (actual)
First submitted
31 Jul 2024
Start date
4 Mar 2025
Primary completion date
5 May 2026
Lead sponsor
Nicky Mehtani, MD, MPH
Diseases
HIV
NCT number
NCT06538285

What you commit to

  • Study type: Interventional · Phase 2
  • Participants enrolled: 17
  • From 4 Mar 2025 to the primary completion date, 5 May 2026
  • 1 site in 1 country
  • Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them

Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.

Who cannot take part

Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.

Prior treatment

  • Significant prior use of ketamine for non-anesthetic purposes, as determined by the investigators
  • Taking any prohibited medications
  • If receiving any medication that may cause blunting of responses or diminished affect, such as antipsychotics, exclusion will be as per the evaluation of the PI and study staff
  • Taken another investigational drug in the past 30 days

Other illness

  • Cognitive impairment sufficient to impede the ability to complete study tasks
  • Lifetime history of intracranial hemorrhage
  • Had a stroke in the past 12 months
  • Had a seizure in the past 6 months
  • Has current psychosis or any lifetime history of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
  • Baseline hypertension (≥150 SBP or ≥90 DBP) after repeated measurements
  • History of aneurysmal vascular disease, dissection or arteriovenous malformation
  • Had a cardiac arrest or myocardial infarction in the past 12 months
  • Has a clinically significant arrhythmia
  • Has any physical or mental health condition which, per the clinical judgment of the investigators, interferes with safe study participation or adherence to study procedures

Lab values

  • QTc \>450 msec on 12-lead EKG (Bazett's formula)
  • Meets any of the following laboratory parameters: ALT ≥3x ULN, AST ≥3x ULN, total bilirubin ≥1.5x ULN, eGFR \<30mL/min by CKD-EPI or currently on dialysis

Other

  • Has an intracranial mass
  • Engaged in a contingency management program during study
  • Active suicidal ideation with intent
  • Pregnant, breastfeeding, or unwilling to use birth control during the study
  • Pending legal proceedings with a high risk for incarceration during the study

Who the study is looking for

  • Age 18-69
  • Moderate or severe methamphetamine use disorder
  • Interest in reducing or stopping methamphetamine use
  • Insured by MediCal, MediCare, or Healthy San Francisco
  • Used methamphetamine ≥7 out of the 30 days prior to screening OR enrolled in a residential drug treatment program
  • Have a diagnosis of HIV OR taken PrEP over the last 90 days OR engaged in ≥1 risk behavior for HIV acquisition/transmission over the last 90 days (i.e., anal sex under the influence of methamphetamine, condomless sex with a partner of serodiscordant or unknown HIV status, or any shared use of injection drug supplies)
  • English speaking
  • Permanently housed for ≥30 days OR enrolled in residential drug treatment for ≥5 days
  • Have a text-capable cell phone or access to email (if not enrolled in residential treatment)
  • Able and willing to provide informed consent and adhere to visit schedule
  • If necessary, willing to be contacted on a daily basis by one of the therapists for 7 days after each ketamine session
  • Prior to scheduled ketamine sessions, agree: (a) abstain from using methamphetamine and cocaine for ≥48 hours, (b) abstain from using non-prescribed opioids, cannabis products, benzodiazepines, or alcohol for ≥24 hours, (c) consume no more than a modest quantity (e.g., 1 cup) of caffeine (e.g., coffee or tea) in the morning; (d) continue usual regimen of routinely prescribed opioid-based medications throughout trial; and (e) continue any routine behavioral or pharmacologic mental health interventions as usual outside of the trial
  • Female-born participants of child-bearing potential with male-born partners and male-born participants with female-born partners of child-bearing potential must agree to use highly effective contraception for at least 1 month prior to and 2 months after ketamine administration

Age in the registry: 18 years to 69 years · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers

Full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov

Sites (1)

Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.

SiteCityCountrySite status
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
San FrancicsoUnited StatesUnknown status

This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.