An Exploratory, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Medical Food Vayarin in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

• Medical Food : Vayarin_005 (Other)
• Placebo (Other), also known as Cellulose

Primary outcomes

• Aberrant Behavior Checklist will be used to asses Autism spectrum symptoms [over 14 weeks]: A significant reduction from baseline to endpoint on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) compared to patients administered placebo

Secondary outcomes

• Clinical Global Impression of Severity assesment [over 14 weeks]
• Clinical Global Impression of Improvement assesment [over 14 weeks]
• Conners Rating Scale questionnaire [over 14 weeks]
• Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive function [over 14 weeks]
• Child Health Questionnaire [over 14 weeks]
• Caregiver Strain Questionnaire [over 14 weeks]
• Adverse events monitoring [over 14 weeks]

Sex: All, ages: 6 Years to 17 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Males or females, ages 6-17 inclusive
2. Must have a valid diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder via a clinical review of the DSM-IV, confirmed by Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)
3. Clinical Global Impression Scale of Severity of Illness for Pervasive Developmental Disorders (CGI-S-PDD) rating of 4 or higher (moderately ill or worse)
4. IQ >50 evaluated by KBIT-2 or Stanford Binet Fifth Edition
5. Able, and likely to fully comply with the study procedures and instructions
6. Subjects with mood, anxiety, or disruptive behavior disorders will be allowed to participate in the study provided they do not meet any exclusionary criteria.
7. Have normal physical examination and laboratory test results at screening. If abnormal, the finding(s) must be deemed clinically insignificant by the study Clinician.
8. Parents or legal guardian must be able to read, write and speak English
9. Parents or legal guardian have given written informed consent to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

1. The subject is significantly underweight under the 5th percentile or obese above the 95th percentile
2. Clinically significant systemic illness including hepatic, renal, gastroenterological, metabolic, respiratory, cardiovascular (including ischemic heart disease), endocrinologic, neurologic, immunologic, or hematologic disease, as determined by the study clinician.
3. Patients with any primary psychiatric diagnosis other than autism at screening or a known genetic syndrome(s) that cause autism.
4. Suspected or established CNS injury
5. Change in dosage of psychiatric pharmacotherapy or other medications that have central nervous system effects or that affect performance 4 weeks before study initiation and throughout the study phase
6. Use of alpha-agonists, or ADHD medications 4 weeks prior to study initiation and throughout the study
7. Use of dietary supplements, 60 days before study initiation and throughout the study
8. Change in educational/behavioral interventions within one month prior to participation or during the study
9. A known comorbid psychiatric diagnoses of bipolar I disorder, suicidality, or substantial psychotic disorder.
10. Subject who has participated in another clinical trial within 30 days of screening for this trial and/or any experimental treatment for this population
11. Current history of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
12. History of alcohol or substance abuse as defined by DSM-IV criteria
13. Consumption of >250 mg/day of caffeine
14. History of allergic reactions or sensitivity to marine products and soy
15. Has any illness which may jeopardize the participants' health or limit their successful trial completion.
16. Any other reason that, in the opinion of the investigator, prevents the subject from participating in the study or compromise the patient safety

• Eric Hollander, M.D., Principal investigator, Spectrum Neuroscience and Treatment Institute