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You can play an active role in
bringing new therapies to the community by participating in clinical trial
studies. Clinical trials are studies in which researchers test new drugs are for
safety and effectiveness. Participating in clinical studies gives you a chance to
advance and accelerate research, access emerging therapies that are being
studied, and help bring new therapies to the community. Talk to your doctor to learn more about clinical trials.
When a pharmaceutical company develops a new drug, it sponsors a clinical trial
to test the drug in people with the disease for which it was intended. The
process is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA’s
approval is required before a drug is allowed to be used. Natural products such
as vitamins or food supplements, which are commonly sold in health food stores
as alternative medicines, are not regulated by the FDA, and are not required to
undergo clinical trials.
Listed below are some neuropathy
clinical trials that are currently looking for participants. For a more
comprehensive list of neuropathy clinical trials and to locate clinical trials
in your vicinity, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov
and search using the words “neuropathy” and the name of the city you live in (e.g., neuropathy, New York City).
Acupuncture Study for the Prevention of Taxane Induced Myalgias and Neuropathy
This clinical study seeks to
determine if 12 weeks of weekly electroacupuncture will prevent or decrease
neuropathic pain in breast cancer patients receiving 12 weekly treatments of
taxane treatment. Chemotherapy has been
one of the cornerstones in fighting and winning, to some extent, the battle
against cancer. Despite its usefulness, chemotherapy frequently has long-term
health effects--also referred as “the price of survival”--that require medical
attention. Neuropathy caused by chemotherapeutic agents (e.g., paclitaxel,
cisplatin, oxaliplatin, and ixabepilone) is one of the classic examples of
these lasting effects. Read more…
Lipoic Acid to Treat Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (or CIDP) is a chronic autoimmune neuropathy that targets the peripheral nerves’ myelin sheath (or the insulating sheath surrounding nerve cells). Although corticosteroids, plasma exchange, and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) reduce impairment caused by CIDP at least temporarily and can be used as first-line treatments, they are not ideal for long-term treatment because of serious side effects and costs. Alpha lipoic acid is an antioxidant that also possesses anti-immune activity. This study assesses the effectiveness of alpha lipoic acid as a treatment for CIDP. Read more...
Prevention of Treatment-Induced Neuropathy in Multiple Myeloma
The goal of this clinical research study being conducted at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is to see if Minocin® (minocycline) can help to control nerve damage that causes numbness and tingling in the hands and feet in multiple myeloma patients receiving treatment with thalidomide and/or bortezomib. Both thalidomide and bortezomib are the cornerstone treatments for people with multiple myeloma, but with a common and, potentially, debilitating neurological side-effect: peripheral neuropathy. Read more...
Evaluating the
Efficacy and Safety of Extended Release Hydromorphone (Exalgo) in Patients With
Neuropathic Pain
The purpose of this research study is to evaluate the
efficacy and safety of extended release hydromorphone (Exalgo) in patients with
neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain is usually resistant to most analgesic
regimens, and requires combinations therapy for symptomatic relief. Current
treatment options for neuropathic pain include both oral and topical
medications. Most commonly prescribed oral treatments include antidepressants
(e.g., amitriptyline, desipramine, and duloxetine), antiepileptics (e.g.,
gabapentin, pregabalin) and opiates such as tramadol and morphine. Current
topical treatments include lidocaine patch and capsaicin patch. Many patients
have inadequate pain relief in spite of these treatment options. Read more...
Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy for Diabetic Neuropathic Pain
The purpose of this interventional clinical research
study being conducted at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System is to evaluate
the efficacy of a brief psychological intervention, cognitive-behavior therapy,
for the management of persistent pain associated with diabetic peripheral
neuropathic pain. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the leading cause of
neuropathy in the U.S. It is also one of the most common complications of
diabetes affecting approximately 60 to 70 percent of all diabetics. Read
more...
Use of Topical Lidocaine to Reduce Pain in
Patients With Diabetic Neuropathy
The purpose of this study is to see if an
investigational drug known as the lidocaine 5% patch is safe and effective in
reducing the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. The trial will also examine
how topical lidocaine affects the nerve endings, and to determine whether
treatment with the lidocaine patch can prevent the potential progression to
chronic diabetic neuropathy pain in subjects who did not report pain at the
start of the study. Read more...
Evaluation of Exenatide in Patients
With Diabetic Neuropathy
This study will look at the
effects of the medication exenatide on peripheral neuropathy in people with
type 2 diabetes. Exenatide (trade name, BYETTA®) is an injectable medication
used by people with type 2 diabetes to control blood sugar. Peripheral
neuropathy is a complication of diabetes that can cause symptoms such as
numbness, tingling or burning sensations in the feet and hands. Controlling
blood sugars levels in type 2 diabetes is thought to prevent, delay or improve
the damage to the nerve fibers that causes peripheral neuropathy. There is also
some evidence that exenatide may have additional beneficial effects on the
peripheral nerves, beyond the benefits of blood sugar control alone. Read more...
Milnacipran
for the Treatment of Idiopathic Neuropathy Pain
Many clinical trials for neuropathic pain are done in patients with diabetic
neuropathy. Idiopathic neuropathy, however, is a common diagnosis and accounts
for 25% of all neuropathies, and over 50% of small fiber neuropathies. The
information in the clinical research study on milnacipran—an experimental
medication that helps serotonin and noradrenaline work more effectively on the
central nervous system—being conducted at Columbia University in New York—will
provide information on whether the drug provides benefit as a medication for
idiopathic neuropathic pain. Read
more...
Improving
Neuropathy and Mobility In Early Diabetes
Neuropathy is the most common complication of
diabetes mellitus. Impaired glucose regulation (IGR) is associated with
development of peripheral neuropathy coupled with gait and mobility impairment
that may be disabling for the patient.. Investigators at the VA Maryland Health
Care System and University of Maryland (Dr. James Russell), and Ann Arbor VAMC
and University of Michigan (Drs. Neil Alexander and Kim Gretebeck) are
conducting a study on patients with impaired glucose tolerance or who have
recently been diagnosed with type II diabetes and also have peripheral
neuropathy. The purpose of this study is to determine if an individually
tailored diet and physical enhancement program can improve mobility, physical
activity, and neuropathy in people with early diabetes. Read more...
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