Neurotropin to Treat Fibromyalgia
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00366535 |
Recruitment Status
:
Completed
First Posted
: August 21, 2006
Last Update Posted
: September 1, 2016
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This study will examine the safety and effectiveness of the experimental drug, neurotropin, for preventing or easing pain associated with fibromyalgia. A disorder that primarily affects women, fibromyalgia causes widespread aching and stiffness in muscles. Neurotropin has been used in Japan for many years to treat various chronic painful conditions, including fibromyalgia.
Women with fibromyalgia who have been treated unsuccessfully with standard therapy may be eligible for this study. Patients must have a history of widespread pain for more than half of the days in each of the three months before they enter the study. Candidates are screened with a medical history, physical examination, blood and urine tests, questionnaires and an electrocardiogram (EKG).
Participants take their usual medications for fibromyalgia in addition to either neurotropin or a placebo (look-alike medicine with no active ingredient). At 6 weeks and 12 weeks into the study, they return to the NIH Clinical Center for evaluation of their sensitivity to pain and level of physical capability. After 12 weeks, study subjects "cross-over" their medication; that is, patients who took neurotropin for the first 12 weeks of the study take placebo for the next 12 weeks, and vice-versa. Again, after 6 and 12 weeks, patients return for evaluation.
Participants have blood and urine tests six times during the study and complete questionnaires each week about their pain, symptoms, and activities.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Fibromyalgia | Drug: Neurotropin | Phase 2 |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 55 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Crossover Assignment |
Masking: | Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Neurotropin Treatment of Fibromyalgia |
Study Start Date : | August 2006 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | December 2015 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | December 2015 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Placebo Comparator: 1
Receive placebo for 12 weeks and then the active medication for 12 weeks, in random order.
|
Drug: Neurotropin |
Active Comparator: 2
Patients will receive the active medication for 12 weeks and then the placebo for 12 weeks, in random order.
|
Drug: Neurotropin |
- Relief of pain and improvement in functional capacity. [ Time Frame: 25 weeks ]
- Pain thresholds at specific tender points. [ Time Frame: 25 weeks. ]

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Senior) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | Female |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
- INCLUSION CRITERIA:
Subjects will be drawn from a cohort of well-characterized female fibromyalgia patients who were under the care of Dr. Daniel. J. Clauw when he was at Georgetown University. All patients must continue to meet the criteria established by the ACR for diagnosis of fibromyalgia, and must have been treated unsuccessfully with a current standard therapeutic regimen. The criteria are (A) a history of widespread pain (in all quadrants and back) for more than half of the days in each of the prior three months and (B) the required number,11, of tender points of 18 test sites (indicated in Figure 1), which will be determined during the initial physical examination (see below). They must give informed consent to participate in this study. It is anticipated that almost all patients will be residents of Washington, D.C. area and that they will be able to travel to NIH for necessary preliminary studies and subsequent required evaluations. To be admitted to this study, patients must be willing to continue using only their present medications (including antidepressants) or other forms of care related to the control of fibromyalgia symptoms during the course of the study. The average score on the FIQ for patients seen in tertiary care settings is about 50 (with 100 being the maximum, a higher score indicating a greater impairment of health) and we will include only those patients in whom the FIQ score is greater than 30 at the initial evaluation.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
Pregnant and lactating women are excluded because of the bodily changes that would occur during the study. As indicated above, a pregnancy test will be performed in women of childbearing age
(up to age 55). The combination of widespread musculoskeletal pain, high tender point count, and non-restorative sleep are usually sufficient criteria for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia and the patients referred for this study will have been well characterized in the Fibromyalgia Clinic at Georgetown University or by the referring physician. We will, however, by history, physical examination, screening laboratory studies and examination of the patient s medical records confirm the absence of any evidence for peripheral neuropathies, entrapment syndromes, neurologic disorders or metabolic/endocrine disorders, such as untreated hypothyroidism, as well as the rheumatoid disorders that might be confused with fibromyalgia and confound the study. Patients who have abnormal screening test results or who have traumatic or non-traumatic disorders to which pain may be attributed. Also, patients who have a positive HIV result will be excluded. Subjects with obviously impaired mental capacity that precludes informed consent and ability to provide adequate self-ratings are to be excluded.

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00366535
United States, Maryland | |
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike | |
Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892 |
Principal Investigator: | Leorey N Saligan, C.R.N.P. | National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) |
Additional Information:
Publications:
Responsible Party: | National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00366535 History of Changes |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
060229 06-NR-0229 |
First Posted: | August 21, 2006 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | September 1, 2016 |
Last Verified: | January 2016 |
Keywords provided by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) ( National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) ):
Muscle Pain Fibrositis Allodynia Stiffness Tender Points Fibromyalgia |
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Fibromyalgia Myofascial Pain Syndromes Muscular Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Rheumatic Diseases Neuromuscular Diseases Nervous System Diseases Neurotropin |
Adjuvants, Immunologic Immunologic Factors Physiological Effects of Drugs Analgesics Sensory System Agents Peripheral Nervous System Agents Anticonvulsants |