Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Synthetic Nicotine and Nicotine Analogues

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorInsel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern

About this trial

Electronic cigarettes are battery-operated devices that can produce an aerosol by heating a liquid which commonly contains nicotine. In recent years, products containing synthetically produced nicotine and nicotine analogues have entered the market. However, it remains unclear whether these types of nicotine have the same effects as conventional nicotine derived from the tobacco plant. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of these nicotine types and to gain a better understanding of their respective mechanisms of action.

Eligibility criteria

This trial accepts healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Men or women, age 18 or older at screening who have used EC with nicotine during at least 10 of the past 30 days

Saliva cotinine concentration of > 30 ng/mL at screening

Ability to communicate well with the investigator and to understand and comply with the requirements of the study

Women of child-bearing age engaging in sexual activities which can lead to pregnancy: willingness of using a reliable/hormonal contraception method during the study (hormonal, e.g. pill, intrauterine devices, or mechanical method, e.g. condom, diaphragm)

Disqualifiers

Known hypersensitivity/allergy to a content of the e-liquids

Smoking of more than 5 cigarettes per day in the past 30 days

Pregnant or lactating women

Intention to become pregnant during the course of the study

Trial design

Design model

Crossover

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Vaping of synthetic S-nicotine

    Other intervention

    Vaping of e-liquids containing synthetic S-nicotine

  • Vaping of racemic nicotine (S-/R-nicotine)

    Other intervention

    Vaping of e-liquids containing synthetic racemic nicotine (S-/R-nicotine)

  • Vaping of 6-methylnicotine

    Other intervention

    Vaping of e-liquids containing the nicotine analogue 6-methylnicotine (6MN)

Treatment groups

24 Participants
are divided into 3 treatment groups
Group A: Synthetic S-NicotineOther 1 intervention
Group B: Racemic nicotine (S-/R-nicotine)Other 1 intervention
Group C: 6-methylnicotineOther 1 intervention

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Maximum total nicotine concentrations (Cmax)

Comparison of the maximum total nicotine (i.e. sum of both enantiomers) in blood concentrations (Cmax) between groups

Time frame
15 minutes before vaping and 2, 5, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after the last puff

Secondary outcomes

1

Maximum concentration (Cmax) of 6-methylnicotine

Maximum concentration of 6-methylnicotine in blood

Time frame
15 minutes before vaping and 2, 5, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after the last puff
2

Maximum concentration (Cmax) of 6-methylnicotine's metabolites

Maximum concentration of 6-methylnicotine's metabolites in blood

Time frame
15 minutes before vaping and 2, 5, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after the last puff
3

AUC (area under the concentration-time curve) nicotine enantiomers

Area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of nicotine enantiomers in blood

Time frame
15 minutes before vaping and 2, 5, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after the last puff
4

AUC (area under the concentration-time curve) 6-methylnicotine

Area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of 6-methylnicotine in blood

Time frame
15 minutes before vaping and 2, 5, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after the last puff

Other outcomes

1

Reported adverse events

Classification and severity grading scale in accordance with the "Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events CTCAE Version 5.0" terminology.

Time frame
Throughout study completion, an average of 2.5-6.5 weeks

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern

Lead sponsor

Swiss Tobacco Prevention Funds

Collaborator