Objective:

The Motion Syros study was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tradipitant for motion sickness. 

Background:

Motion sickness is a common disorder affecting approximately 30% of travelers under usual circumstances. The sensory mismatch theory postulates that motion sickness is induced by a discordance between the visual, vestibular, and kinesthetic systems, leading to a constellation of symptoms including nausea and vomiting. Substance P activates NK1 receptors in the nucleus tractus solitarius inducing a cascade of symptoms. Tradipitant is a novel NK1 receptor antagonist being studied for the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness. 

Design/Methods:

The Motion Syros study was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study where 365 participants embarked on boat trips under varied sea conditions and received tradipitant 170 mg, tradipitant 85 mg, or placebo. Participants evaluated their symptoms at thirty-minute intervals during the expedition.

Results:

Participants on tradipitant 170 mg or 85 mg had a significantly lower incidence of vomiting as compared to those on placebo across all boat trips (tradipitant 170 mg = 18.3%, tradipitant 85mg = 19.5%, placebo = 44.3%, p < .0001 for both dose comparisons against placebo, n = 365). A range of wave heights was represented across the various boat trips, eliciting variable degrees of severity of motion sickness and differing responses to tradipitant. 

Conclusions:

Tradipitant has been confirmed to be effective in the reduction of vomiting associated with motion sickness across varied sea conditions with a range of wave heights. Motion sickness remains a significant unmet medical need, given existing treatments’ limitations in alleviating symptoms and their frequent adverse effects.