Could a Marijuana-Derived drug help treat sleep apnea?
NCT ID NCT06477952
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Aug 12, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This early-phase trial is testing whether dronabinol, a synthetic form of THC, can reduce the severity of obstructive sleep apnea. 120 adults with moderate to severe sleep apnea will take the drug for two weeks. Sleep studies before and after treatment will measure changes in breathing interruptions and oxygen levels.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Dronabinol (Marinol)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new medication option for people with obstructive sleep apnea who cannot use standard treatments like CPAP.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase open-label trial with no placebo group, so results may be biased. Dronabinol can cause side effects like dizziness or drowsiness, and it is not yet proven to be safe or effective for sleep apnea.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
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About 120 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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A government agency
The lead sponsor is a US federal agency other than the NIH.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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Up to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1\. AHI 15-50 per hour on pre-treatment polysomnography Exclusion Criteria: 1. Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) treatment of OSA: use \> 4 hours per day for 30% of days within 3 months of enrollment. PAP use will be determined from device download data 2. Hypoglossal nerve stimulator (HNS) or oral appliance device treatment with use \> 4 hours per day for 30% of days within 3 months of enrollment. HNS use will be determined by device download and oral appliance use by self-report 3. History of upper airway surgery for OSA (except adenotonsillectomy) 4. Central or mixed apneas \>25% of respiratory events on diagnostic polysomnography 5. Arterial oxygen saturation \< 75% for \> 5% sleep time on pretreatment polysomnography 6. Body mass index \> 45 kg/m2 7. If post-bariatric surgery, weight must be stable ±5% (per electronic medical records) for at least 6 months before the first dose of the study drug 8. Active enrollment in a weight loss program 9. Shiftwork within 3 months of enrollment 10. High-risk occupation: commercial driver and pilot 11. Motor vehicle accident or near-miss incident within 1 year of enrollment 12. Current drug or habitual alcohol use or positive urine drug screen 13. Comorbid medical and psychiatric disorders: 1. Primary sleep disorders: e.g., narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome 2. Uncontrolled mood disorder or a diagnosis of schizophrenia 3. Initiation of new antidepressant or antipsychotic medication within 3 months 4. Identified as high-risk for suicide in electronic health records 5. Uncontrolled medical disorders (coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic hypoxemic or hypercapnic respiratory failure, stroke within 6 months of enrollment, chronic liver or kidney disease, autoimmune disorders) 14. Use of sedative-hypnotic medications within 30 days of enrollment 15. Complete blood count or liver function test values more than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal 16. Pregnancy 17. Allergy to cannabinoids or sesame oil 18. Average weekly alcohol consumption of more than 10 servings 19. Participation in other investigational protocols within 30 days of enrollment
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL
RECRUITINGChicago, Illinois, 60612, United States
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