Take a new medication combination for bipolar depression that hasn't responded to initial treatment

Recruiting

What is this trial?

This trial is testing whether people with bipolar depression who didn't improve on their first medication benefit from switching to a more intensive combination of treatments. You would receive either an intensified regimen—which could include , , , or combined with , , or —or a standard combination of with or . The study lasts six weeks and aims to help doctors figure out the best way to treat bipolar depression when the first try doesn't work.

Bipolar depression is often the most difficult and longest-lasting part of bipolar disorder, and many patients don't respond well to their first medication. There's no clear agreement among doctors about when to add extra medications or what combination works best, so this trial is testing whether a more intensive approach earlier in treatment could help more people feel better.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are at least 18 years old
you have been diagnosed with bipolar depression (type I or II) and are currently in a depressive episode
you have taken a first-line bipolar medication for at least four weeks at an effective dose but it has not helped enough
you have moderate to severe depression symptoms and your depression is affecting your ability to function in daily life
you are willing to change your current medication and can provide informed consent

You likely don't qualify if…

you are pregnant or breastfeeding
you are allergic to quetiapine or all of the other medication options being tested
you have medical contraindications to any of the medications in the study
you are having active suicidal thoughts with a plan to harm yourself
you have a serious medical condition that would make participation unsafe

What participation looks like

You would visit the research clinic multiple times over six weeks for assessments of your mood and how well you're functioning. You would be randomly assigned to either the intensified medication combination or the standard combination, and you would take these new medications as directed. The research team would monitor your symptoms, side effects, and overall progress throughout the study to see which approach works better for people like you.

Testing a stronger medication combination for bipolar depression

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(13 sites)