Study to Evaluate the Safety and Preliminary Efficacy of IDCT, a Treatment for Symptomatic Lumbar Disc Degeneration
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The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Know the risks and potential benefits of clinical studies and talk to your health care provider before participating. Read our disclaimer for details. |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03955315 |
Recruitment Status :
Recruiting
First Posted : May 20, 2019
Last Update Posted : August 8, 2019
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Degenerative Disc Disease | Biological: IDCT Procedure: Sham | Phase 1 Phase 2 |
This is a Phase I/II, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, parallel-group, multi-center study in subjects with single-level, symptomatic lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (>6 months) and unresponsive to conservative therapy for at least 3 months. The study will compare single intradiscal injections of high and low dose IDCT with one sham control group.
6 study visits will be completed by all subjects; screening, day 1 (injection day), week 4, week 12, week 26 and week 52. The subject will be assessed for safety and efficacy utilizing VAS, ODI and JOABPEQ questionnaires alongside radiographic evaluations. The study will have a 6 month follow-up and a 6 month extension period (total 1 year).
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 38 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | A Randomized, Double Blind, Sham-controlled, Multi-center Phase I / II Clinical Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of IDCT in Patients With Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease |
Actual Study Start Date : | May 23, 2019 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | February 1, 2021 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | August 2021 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: High Dose IDCT
Single intradiscal injection with High Dose IDCT (9M cells)
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Biological: IDCT
Discogenic Cells + Sodium Hyaluronate Vehicle
Other Name: Injectable Disc Cell Therapy |
Experimental: Low Dose IDCT
Single intradiscal injection with Low Dose IDCT (3M cells).
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Biological: IDCT
Discogenic Cells + Sodium Hyaluronate Vehicle
Other Name: Injectable Disc Cell Therapy |
Sham Comparator: Sham
Sham needle puncture (outside disc)
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Procedure: Sham
Needle puncture under the muscular layer in front of the intervertebral disc |
- Safety as measured by number of Adverse Events [ Time Frame: 1 year ]To evaluate the safety and tolerability of a single injection of IDCT in subjects with single-level, symptomatic early to moderate lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration as measured by the incidence of AEs and SAEs observed from Day 1 to week 52
- Efficacy (Pain): Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) [ Time Frame: 6 months ]Evaluate the effect of IDCT on pain as measured by a 0-100mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). 0: no pain, 100: worst pain imaginable
- Disability [ Time Frame: 1 year ]Evaluate the effect of IDCT on disability as measured by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Score of 0%: no disability, score of 100%: severely disabled
- Efficacy (Pain): JOABPEQ [ Time Frame: 1 year ]Evaluate the effect of IDCT on pain as measured by JOABPEQ. The range of the score for each domain is from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating a better condition.
- Radiographic Assessments [ Time Frame: 1 year ]To evaluate morphologic changes of treated intervertebral discs using MRI & X-Ray assessments.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 75 Years (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of early to moderate degenerative disc disease (DDD), Modified Pfirrmann Grade 3-7.
- Chronic low-back pain for at least 6 months prior to screening; unresponsive to at least 3 months of conservative care.
- Low-back pain of 40 to 90 mm on the VAS
- ODI score of 30 to 90.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Symptomatic involvement of more than one lumbar disc.
- Other persistent pain/nerve issues including, for example, radiculopathy, leg pain, Cauda Equine syndrome, etc.
- Fracture of the spine, previous lumbar spine surgery or previous treatment of the target disc.
- Evidence of dynamic instability on lumbar flexion-extension radiographs.
- Grade 2 or higher spondylolisthesis at the target disc, lumbar spondylitis or other undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy, or Type III Modic changes around the target disc.
- Clinical suspicion of a full thickness annular tear at the target disc or other abnormal disc morphology.
- Subjects who test positive for communicable disease, have significant systemic disease, or are prone to infection.
- Patients who are deemed unsuitable for clinical study participation by the investigator.

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): NCT03955315
Contact: Katie Simpson | 8016644176 | katie@discgenics.com |
Japan | |
Chiba University Hospital | Not yet recruiting |
Chuo-ku, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, 260-8670 | |
Contact: Seiji Ohtori, M.D.,Ph.D. | |
Tokai University Hospital | Recruiting |
Isehara, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, 259-1193 | |
Contact: Daisuke Sakai, M.D, Ph.D. +81-463-93-1121 daisakai@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp | |
Mie University Hospital | Recruiting |
Tsu city, Mie, Japan, 514-8507 | |
Contact: Koji Akeda,, M.D.,Ph.D. +81-59-232-1111 k_akeda@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp | |
Nagoya university hospital | Recruiting |
Showa-ku, Nagoya, Japan, 466-8550 | |
Contact: Shiro Imagama, M.D, Ph.D +81-52-741-2111 imagama@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp | |
Osaka University Hospital | Recruiting |
Suita, Osaka, Japan, 565-0871 | |
Contact: Takashi Kaito, M.D, Ph.D +81-6-6879-5111 takashikaito@ort.med.osaka-u.ac.jp | |
University of Yamanashi Hospital | Recruiting |
Chuo, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, 409-3898 | |
Contact: Hirotaka Haro, M.D., Ph.D +81-55-273-1111 haro@yamanashi.ac.jp |
Responsible Party: | DiscGenics, Inc. |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT03955315 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
DGX-J01 |
First Posted: | May 20, 2019 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | August 8, 2019 |
Last Verified: | August 2019 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | Yes |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Spinal Diseases Bone Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases |