Effect of Asimadoline, a Member of a New Medication Class, on Acute Attacks of Pain in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Clinical Trial

Official title: A Randomized, Double Blind, Parallel Group, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Effect of On-demand Treatment With Asimadoline in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome Over 4 Weeks

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The treatment of acute pain in patients with irritable bowel symptoms is suboptimal. This is a placebo controlled study of the on demand treatment of pain experienced over a 4 week period in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Patients will record the severity of pain when they take the study medication and two hours later.

Clinical Trial Description

Background:

Asimadoline reduces visceral sensitivity in experimental animal models and has been tested for its effects on gastric sensorimotor function in healthy individuals. It reduces pain sensation in response to distensions that correspond to pressures frequently encountered in the human colon. However, the effects on improvement of pain and gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are unclear.

Hypothesis:

The kappa opioid agonist, Asimadoline, reduces pain and discomfort and decreases gastrointestinal symptoms in participants with IBS.

Aim The aim is to compare the effects of Asimadoline (0.5 mg p.r.n, up to 1mg q.i.d.) and placebo on pain and discomfort and other gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with IBS.

Methods:

This is a phase IIB, single center, randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled study of the treatment of pain and discomfort associated with IBS in which study medication or placebo will be administered as required for the relief of these symptoms up to 2 tablets, 4 times per day. After a 2-week run-in period to characterize the nature, frequency and severity of pain to ensure eligibility for the study, participants will treat these pain episodes as the need arises but with strict recommendations on how to self-administer the medication (number, time interval etc?) over a period of 4 weeks. No other pain medications will be permitted during these first 6 weeks (2 weeks run-in, 4 weeks of randomized treatment). During the study, patients will collect daily data which will characterize their pain and other symptoms of IBS, and adequate relief of pain/discomfort. The participants will also keep track of their symptoms and any medications used during a two week observation period after the last dose of medication. A blood sample will be taken and DNA extracted to assess whether IBS patients have single nucleotide polymorphisms in the gene for the kappa receptor.

Anticipated Results and Future Directions:

We anticipate demonstrating that exacerbations of pain in IBS can be effectively reduced by intermittent treatment with the medication, asimadoline. This study will provide preliminary data that will then be used to estimate the sample size required for a phase III program of trials in several centers. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double-Blind, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Syndrome

• NCT number: NCT00955994
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Mayo Clinic
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: January 2005
• Completion date: March 2007