Recruiting

Nicotine Delivery Systems

Sponsor:

Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine

Code:

NCT06372899

Conditions

E-cigarette Use

Cigarette Smoking

Harm Reduction

Tobacco Use

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 21+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

E-cigarettes

Oral nicotine pouches

Study Details

Brief summary:

This between-subjects study aims to evaluate whether e-cigarettes (ECIGS) versus oral nicotine pouches (ONPS) more readily substitute for combustible cigarettes among 200 cigarette smokers. After measuring baseline cigarette smoking rate, participants will be randomized to ECIGS or ONPS and be instructed to switch (versus smoking cigarettes) over a 6-week period. Relative reductions in biomarkers of exposure will be measured. ECIG- and ONP-associated subjective reward and the reinforcing value of ECIGS and ONPS relative to combustible cigarettes will be assessed as mechanisms.

Conditions

E-cigarette Use

Cigarette Smoking

Harm Reduction

Tobacco Use

Study ID

NCT06372899

Start date

Oct 2, 2024

Status verified date

Mar, 2026

Completion date

Mar 31, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Nov, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 21+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Able to communicate fluently in English (i.e. speaking, writing, and reading)
2. Male and female smokers who are > 21 years of age and self-report smoking at least 5 cigarettes (menthol and/or non-menthol) per day for at least the last 6 months.
3. 5 or more failed quit attempts and the use of smoking cessation medication on at least one prior attempt.
4. Have a carbon monoxide (CO) greater than 10 ppm.
5. Not using any forms of nicotine regularly other than cigarettes
6. Be willing to switch to e-cigarettes or nicotine pouches for 6 weeks.
7. Plan to live in the area for the duration of the study.
8. Capable of giving written informed consent, which includes compliance with the requirements and restrictions listed in the combined consent and HIPAA form.

Exclusion Criteria:

Smoking Behavior

1. Regular use of nicotine-containing products other than cigarettes (e.g., chewing tobacco, snuff, snus, cigars, e-cigs, etc.). Regular e-cigarette and nicotine pouch use is defined as greater than 5 days/past 30 days.

a. Participants agreeing to abstain from using nicotine-containing products other than cigarettes for the duration of the study will be considered eligible.
2. Current enrollment or plans to enroll in a smoking cessation program over the duration of the study.
3. Current use of smoking cessation medication
4. Provide a CO breath test reading less than 10 ppm at Intake.

Alcohol and Drug

1. History of substance abuse (other than nicotine dependence) in the past 12 months.
2. Current alcohol consumption that exceeds 20 standard drinks/week.
3. Current use of recreational drugs (other than nicotine and cannabis)
4. Breath alcohol reading (BrAC) greater than .000 at Intake.

Medical

1. Women, including all individuals assigned as "female" at birth, who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning a pregnancy over the duration of the study period.
2. Serious or unstable disease within the past year (e.g. cancer, heart disease). Applicable conditions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the Principal Investigator.

Psychiatric

1\. Lifetime history of schizophrenia or psychosis.

General Exclusion

1. Past, current, anticipated, or pending enrollment in another research program over the study period that could potentially impact subject safety, study data, and/or the study design as determined by the Principal Investigator.
2. Any medical condition, illness, disorder, adverse event (AE), or concomitant medication that could compromise participant safety or significantly impact study performance as determined by the Principal Investigator. Subjects may be deemed ineligible for any of the aforementioned reasons at any point throughout the study, as well as during the initial telephone screen.
3. Significant non-compliance with protocol and/or study design as determined by the Principal Investigator. Subjects may be deemed ineligible at any point throughout the study.

Study Design

Enrollment

200 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: ECIGS

Participants randomized to ECIGS will be provided with an e-cigarette device and be instructed to switch from smoking combustible cigarettes to using only the study-provided e-cigarette device. Participants will be able to choose between Tobacco, Menthol, Watermelon, and Blueberry flavored nicotine pods. They will receive their supply of nicotine pods in 7-day increments, based on baseline smoking behavior.

experimental: ONPS

Participants randomized to ONPS will be provided with oral nicotine pouches and be instructed to switch from smoking combustible cigarettes to using only the study-provided nicotine pouches. Participants will be able to choose between Original, Mint, Berry, and Citrus flavored nicotine pouches. They will receive their supply of nicotine pouches in 7-day increments, based on baseline smoking behavior.

Interventions

E-cigarettes

Participants randomized to ECIGS are instructed to switch from smoking combustible cigarettes to using e-cigarettes for 6 weeks. They will be provided with an e-cigarette device and nicotine pods.

Oral nicotine pouches

Participants randomized to ONPS are instructed to switch from smoking combustible cigarettes to using nicotine pouches for 6 weeks. They will be provided with nicotine pouches.

Primary outcome measure

  • Cigarette Consumption [ Time Frame: 42 days (days 8 - 49) ]
  • Cigarette Smoking Across Follow-Up [ Time Frame: 19 Weeks (Day 50-6-Month Follow-Up) ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Janet Audrain-McGovern, Ph.D.

215-746-7145audrain@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Locations

University of Pennsylvania

Recruiting

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104

Contacts

Janet Audrain-McGovern, Ph.D.

215-746-7145audrain@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine

Last update posted

Mar 12, 2026

Last verified

Mar, 2026

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-08. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine on 2026-03-12.