Narcolepsy Clinical Trials in Miami, FL
PharmaDev Clinical Research Institute is enrolling adults with narcolepsy in clinical research studies at our office in Miami. The studies here cover both narcolepsy type 1, which includes cataplexy, and narcolepsy type 2, which does not — among them several investigating orexin-targeting compounds, a class built around the wake-promoting signal that is disrupted in narcolepsy.
Every study is reviewed by an Institutional Review Board and conducted under the direct supervision of Edward Mezerhane, MD, triple board certified in internal medicine, sleep medicine and obesity medicine. Study-related care is provided at no cost, you do not need health insurance, and taking part is voluntary at every stage.
Studies open now · 8 studies
Each study below is running at our Miami office. Open one to see what taking part involves, who may be able to join, and to apply.
Does any of this sound familiar?
- Falling asleep during the day without meaning to — at a desk, in meetings, at traffic lights
- Overwhelming sleepiness that a full night of sleep does not fix
- Sudden muscle weakness when you laugh, are startled or get upset
- Being unable to move or speak for a few moments as you fall asleep or wake up
- Vivid, dreamlike images as you drift off that feel real while they happen
- Broken, restless sleep at night despite being exhausted all day
These are things people with this condition often describe — they are not a diagnosis. Whether a study is a fit is confirmed at a screening visit with our physician, provided at no cost to you.
About this condition
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder in which the brain cannot reliably hold the boundary between sleep and wakefulness. Its central symptom is excessive daytime sleepiness that is not explained by lack of sleep. Nighttime sleep is often broken, and people may have sleep paralysis or vivid dreamlike images as they fall asleep.
It has two forms. Type 1 includes cataplexy — brief muscle weakness triggered by emotion — and follows the loss of hypocretin-producing neurons in the brain. Type 2 brings the same sleepiness without cataplexy. Both are diagnosed with an overnight sleep study followed the next day by a multiple sleep latency test.
Common questions
Do I need a confirmed narcolepsy diagnosis to take part?
Most narcolepsy studies require a diagnosis confirmed by sleep testing — an overnight sleep study followed the next day by a multiple sleep latency test. If you were diagnosed elsewhere, those reports are usually enough, and our coordinators can help you request them. If you have symptoms but have never been tested, call us anyway and we will explain what testing involves.
Will I have to stop my current narcolepsy medication?
It depends on the protocol. Some studies require a washout period before the first dose and others let you continue what you are taking. Any washout is planned and monitored by the study physician — it is never something to start on your own.
Does it matter whether I have type 1 or type 2?
Yes. Several studies enroll one type only, so the type recorded in your sleep-study report determines which ones you can be considered for. Type 1 includes cataplexy, brief muscle weakness triggered by strong emotion; type 2 brings the same daytime sleepiness without it. We check this during the pre-screening call.
How long does a narcolepsy study last?
It varies by protocol. The narcolepsy studies listed here run from about three months to roughly a year, with clinic visits typically every two to four weeks. Each listing states its own duration and visit count before you apply.
Where would my visits take place?
At 11120 SW 88 Street, Suite 101. Any overnight sleep study a protocol requires is done in our own sleep laboratory rather than sent to an outside facility.
Further reading
Almost everyone is tired sometimes. Sleepiness that does not lift is a different thing, and it is usually explainable.
Clinical trials are more structured and more supervised than most people expect. Here is the whole sequence.
The placebo question is the one most people ask first. The honest answer is that it depends on the study — and you will be told before you decide.
Other conditions we study
See if you may be able to take part
Complete the form and a research coordinator will contact you within 24 hours. Se habla español.
Study visits take place at our office in the Kendall area of Miami, with parking on site.
Participants may be compensated for their time and travel. Compensation varies by study and is explained in full before you decide to take part.
Prefer to talk? Call (305) 420-5636 — Se habla español.