Periganglionic Resiniferatoxin for the Treatment of Intractable Pain Due to Cancer-induced Bone Pain (NCT02522611) | Clinical Trial Compass
Not Yet RecruitingPhase 1/2
Periganglionic Resiniferatoxin for the Treatment of Intractable Pain Due to Cancer-induced Bone Pain
United States30 participantsStarted 2026-06-27
Plain-language summary
Background:
Cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) is common in people with cancer. Bone cancer can also lead to anxiety, depression, and reduced mobility and quality of life. Researchers believe a research drug called resiniferatoxin (RTX) may be able to help.
Objective:
To learn whether RTX is safe and can reduce cancer induced bone pain.
Eligibility:
People ages 18 and older with CIBP that is not relieved by standard treatments
Design:
Participants will have up to 6 outpatient visits over about 7 months. These will include:
Medical history
Physical exam
Blood and urine tests.
Thermal testing: a disk placed on the skin to test ability to sense temperature in and around the area of pain
Chest x-ray
EKG: stickers are placed on the chest to measure heart signals
ECG: measures electrical activity of the heart
Participants will have 1 inpatient visit lasting 2-4 days. This will include:
Catheter inserted into a vein in the arm. They are given anesthesia, sedation, and x-ray contrast.
A needle is passed through the skin of the back to inject the RTX.
Participants will keep a log of the pain medications they take after surgery.
Participants will be called 1 week and 2, 3, and 4 months after the injection.
Participants will be mailed surveys and questionnaires to complete 2, 3, and 4 months after the injection.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 99 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. Male or female subjects must be at least 18 years of age or older.
. Must be diagnosed with histologically-confirmed cancer-induced bone pain producing intractable chronic pain in the target area (mid thoracic or chest level down to lower extremities) which was poorly responsive to conservative therapies based on patient report, such as analgesic medication management with potent opioids with or without prior radiotherapy, bisphosphonates, or radioisotope therapy. Additionally, pain that is non-responsive to non-opioid drugs in situations where opioids were not tolerated. Conservative therapies do not include invasive treatments, such as neurolytic procedure, including surgical neurolysis, percutaneous regional or neuraxial continuous infusions (whether opioid or local anesthetic), and peripheral neuromodulation or spinal cord stimulation, but may include temporary diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
. Not currently seeking or receiving potentially curative therapies for cancer (e.g., chemotherapy or immunotherapy). Curative cancer therapy may be sought after the Outpatient Follow Up visit 14 (D14). Palliative anti-tumor therapy is allowed as long as the subject was established on that therapy prior to enrollment.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
To investigate the safety and efficacy of RTX administered intrathecally in subjects with severe refractory pain associated with advanced cancer along with ED100, the MTD, or the maximum dose administered, whichever is achieved first during dose...
Timeframe: Day 7, Day 15, Day 68, Day 188
Trial details
NCT IDNCT02522611
SponsorNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
. Must have moderate to severe pain that is not relieved by standard treatments. Mean daily worst pain NRS score of greater than or equal to 6 for pain at or below the T6 dermatome (level of the chest) that is associated with a malignant disease. The mean score must be derived from recordings on at least 4 of 7 consecutive days within 3 weeks preceding treatment.
. The subject must agree to undergo a diagnostic periganglionic injection(s) with a long-acting local anesthetic (e.g., bupivacaine) under fluoroscopic guidance which resulted in at least a 30% temporary pain reduction in the targeted pain region lasting for the expected duration of the local anesthetic used.
. Must be healthy enough to tolerate study procedures in the judgment of the investigator.
. Subjects taking aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, or vitamin supplements that include vitamin E or any prophylactic anticoagulant (including but not limited to Coumadin, heparin, or Xarelto) will be counseled either to stop taking these at least 7 days before surgery or be given instructions on dosing changes if applicable. In addition, if patients are currently taking a Factor Xa inhibitor (such as Xarelto) a hematology consult will be obtained. Subjects must be willing to comply with this requirement, which is standard clinical practice when undergoing elective surgical procedures to avoid surgical and post-surgical bleeding complications.
. Formal review of the subject s medical records and written approval for his/her inclusion in the study by 3 separate persons:
Exclusion criteria
. Subject must not have primary pain source from anatomical regions at T5 dermatome or above.
. Subject must not have pain due to causes other than cancer or its treatment that is moderate to severe in intensity.
. Subjects must not be undergoing or have plans to undergo any active treatment for their cancer during the study until after the day 14 assessment timepoint, after the RTX injection.
. Subject must not be anticipating initiation of palliative anti-tumor therapy or significant changes to current palliative anti-tumor therapy before completion of the Day 14 visit.
. Subject must not have an ECG abnormality of which the baseline QTc interval exceeds 450 milliseconds.
. Subjects must not have an allergy or hypersensitivity to chili peppers, capsaicin or radiographic contrast agents.
. Subject must not have an anatomic abnormality or pathology of the spinal cord and/or PG space on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that could increase the risk of adverse effects of placement of the needle.
. Subject must not have a contraindication to MRI or MRI contrast..