← Back to Clinical Trials
Recruiting Phase 3 NCT06383273

NCT06383273 A Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of MELT-300 for Procedural Sedation in Subjects Undergoing Cataract Extraction With Lens Replacement (CELR)

◆ AI Clinical Summary
Plain-language summary for patients
Clinical Trial Summary
NCT ID NCT06383273
Status Recruiting
Phase Phase 3
Sponsor Melt Pharmaceuticals
Condition Cataract
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment 528 participants
Start Date 2024-05-01
Primary Completion 2024-12

Eligibility & Interventions

Sex All sexes
Min Age 18 Years
Max Age 65 Years
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Interventions
MELT-300 sublingual tabletMidalozam sublingual tabletPlacebo sublingual tablet

Eligibility Fast-Check

Enter your details for a quick preliminary check. This does not replace medical advice.

What to Expect as a Participant

You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.

Phase 3 trials are large pivotal studies comparing the treatment to current standard of care or placebo. Your participation directly contributes to the evidence needed for regulatory approval.

This trial targets 528 participants in total. It began in 2024-05-01 with a primary completion date of 2024-12.

⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if MELT-300 works on procedural sedation in adult participants undergoing cataract extraction with lens replacement (CELR). It will also learn about the safety of MELT-300. Researchers will compare MELT-300 to a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no drug) to see if MELT-300 works on procedural sedation in adult participants undergoing CELR. Researchers will also include a comparator SL midazolam to confirm the benefit of inclusion of ketamine in the combined drug product. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does MELT-300 is effective in comparison to placebo on procedural sedation for cataract surgery? 2. To determine the effectiveness of MELT-300 compared with midazolam on procedural sedation (to determine the contribution of ketamine component and inform the risk of ketamine in MELT-300) 3. To determine the time to achieve preoperative target sedation level with MELT-300 4. What medical problems do participants have when taking MELT-300 vs placebo Eligible participants will admitted to the study unit on Day 1. Participants will be randomized prior to surgery 4:1:1 to 1. MELT-300 (i.e. 1 MELT-300 sublingual tablet which contains 3 mg midazolam and 50 mg of ketamine) 2. Midazolam (i.e. 1 matching midazolam sublingual tablet which contains 3 mg midazolam) 3. Placebo (i.e. 1 matching placebo sublingual tablet) Participants will receive study medication 30 (± 5) minutes, without food or water, before planned surgery start (defined as instillation of topical ocular anesthetic gel \[i.e.. 3 drops of chloroprocaine hydrochloride ophthalmic gel)\]. The effectiveness of MELT-300 will be performed after study medication is administered before surgery, in the course of surgery, and postoperative on Day 1 (end of surgery defined as just prior to drape removal). The safety of MELT-300 will be performed at baseline, in the course of surgery, postoperatively on Day 1, and on Day 3 ± 1 day post dose of study medication.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: Participants must meet all of the following in order to be enrolled into the study: 1. Males and females ≥ 18 years of age 2. Are to undergo unilateral primary CELR under topical anesthesia, with a phacoemulsification device and insertion of an intraocular lens (no restrictions on lens type) 3. For women of childbearing potential (WOCBP), have a negative urine pregnancy test, and abstain from sexual activity or use a double barrier method (e.g. condom and diaphragm) of birth control from Day 1 and up to 2 days after study drug administration. 4. Willing to refrain from alcohol consumption within 24 hours of randomization 5. Are competent to provide informed consent 6. Voluntarily provide informed consent in accordance with governing International Review Board (IRB) requirements and provide Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) authorization, prior to any procedures or evaluations performed specifically for the sole purpose of the study 7. Indicate they understand and are able, willing, and likely to fully comply with study procedures and restrictions Exclusion Criteria: 1. Subjects scheduled for simultaneous bilateral or 2nd-eye cataract surgery (subjects scheduled for a future 2nd eye cataract surgery are eligible for the study) 2. Known sensitivity to benzodiazepines or ketamine 3. Known sensitivity to -caines (including proparacaine, ester-type local anesthetics), benzalkonium chloride (BAK) 4. Intraocular pressure (IOP) \> 30 mmHg in the study eye or fellow eye at screening. 5. History of iritis, or any ocular trauma with iris damage in the study eye 6. Presence of active corneal pathology other than dry eye per slit lamp and external eye exam at screening in either eye 7. Presence of extraocular/intraocular inflammation in either eye 8. Presence of active bacterial and/or viral infection in either eye 9. History of intraocular non-laser surgery in the study eye within the 3 months prior to day of surgery, or intraocular laser surgery in the study eye within 30 days prior to the day of surgery 10. Requiring or planning other additional ocular surgery during the cataract surgery (e.g. glaucoma surgery (\[minimally invasive or traditional\], limbal relaxing incisions, etc.) or performing laser-assisted CELR 11. Presence of active infection, mucositis, cold sores, canker sores, vesicles, viral lesions, local irritation/inflammation, or periodontal disease of the oral cavity. In addition, evidence of piercings of the tongue or anywhere in the oral cavity, history of oral cavity piercings, history of significant dental disease, or history of dysphagia. 12. Women who are nursing a child or plan to nurse a child during the study 13. Have a history or clinical manifestations (e.g., signs, symptoms, laboratory values, diagnostic imaging, etc.) of significant gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, hematological, endocrine, neurological, psychiatric, respiratory, or other medical condition that in the opinion of the investigator might confound the study results or pose additional risk in administering the study procedures 14. Use of disallowed medications including the following: 1. Antihypertensive agent or diabetic regimen at a dose that has not been stable for at least 30 days prior to Day 1, or which is not expected to remain stable throughout the study 2. Central nervous system (CNS) active drugs such as benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that have not been stable for at least 30 days prior to Day 1, or which is not expected to remain stable throughout the study 3. Initiating the use of, switching to a different, or increasing the dose of a sleep medication (e.g. lorazepam, zolpidem, etc) within 3 days of randomization 15. Illicit drug use or alcohol abuse based on medical history, or currently engaged in illicit drug use or alcohol abuse. 1. Alcohol abuse is defined as 5 or more drinks in one sitting or 15 or more drinks in a week for men and 4 or more drinks in one sitting or 8 or more drinks in a week for women. A drink is considered a 1.5 oz shot, 12 oz of beer, or 5 oz of wine. 2. However, patients with a medical history of illicit drug use or alcohol abuse ≥ 5 years prior to the time of screening and who have recovered and have been drug/alcohol free for at least that period of time (i.e., 5 years) can be enrolled C. Patients with a medical history of medical or recreational marijuana (including THC and /or CBD) use ≥ 1 year prior to the time of screening and have been marijuana free for at least that period of time (i.e. 1 year) can be enrolled 16. Creatinine clearance rate \< 60 mL/min estimated using the CKD-EPI 2021cr (NKD) equation 17. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), or alkaline phosphatase (ALP) \> 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN), or total bilirubin \> 1.5 x ULN. In cases of documented Gilbert syndrome, subjects with elevated bilirubin levels will be permitted to enroll in the study if other liver function tests are within the specified limits 18. Any other abnormal laboratory results or presence of any condition that the Investigator believes would put the subject at risk or confound the interpretation of results

Contact & Investigator

Central Contact

Giovanni DeCastro

✉ gdecastro@meltpharma.com

📞 6157670074

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can join the NCT06383273 clinical trial?

This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, up to 65 Years, studying Cataract. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.

What phase is the NCT06383273 trial and what does that mean for participants?

Phase 3 trials are large-scale studies comparing the new treatment to existing standards of care or a placebo. They provide the evidence needed for regulatory approval. This trial targets 528 participants.

Is NCT06383273 currently recruiting?

Yes, NCT06383273 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at gdecastro@meltpharma.com for enrollment information.

Where is the NCT06383273 trial being conducted?

This trial is being conducted at Chico, United States, Grand Junction, United States, Jacksonville, United States, Hagerstown, United States and 8 additional locations.

Who is sponsoring the NCT06383273 clinical trial?

NCT06383273 is sponsored by Melt Pharmaceuticals. The trial plans to enroll 528 participants.

Related Trials

ClinicalMetric — Independent clinical trial intelligence platform. Not affiliated with NIH, ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. FDA, or any pharmaceutical company, hospital, or clinical research organization. Trial data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not make any treatment, enrollment, or health decisions based solely on information found here — always consult a qualified healthcare professional. Full Disclaimer  ·  Last Reviewed: April 2026  ·  Data Methodology