Painful Diabetic Peripheral NeuropathyPhase 1/2NCT01002235
Gene Therapy for Painful Diabetic Neuropathy
A Phase 1/2 study testing VM202 in people with Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy, run by Helixmith Co., Ltd. at 2 sites in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this open label, Phase I/II, dose-escalation, 3-cohort, multicenter, 12-month study, is to assess the safety and tolerability of injecting Engensis (VM202) in the leg muscle in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 75 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
- What is being tested?
- VM202
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 12 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- Feb 2010to Apr 2012
- Phase
- Phase 1/2
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 75 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age ≥ 18 years to 75 years
- Documented history of Type I or II diabetes with current treatment control (glycosylated hemoglobin A1c of ≤ 10.0%)
- Diagnosis of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy in both lower extremities
- The physical examination component of the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument Score (MNSI) is ≥ 3 at Screening
- Visual analog scale (VAS) score of ≥ 4 cm at Screening (0 cm = no pain - 10 cm worst imaginable pain)
- Stable treatment of diabetes for at least 3 months with no anticipated changes in medication regimen, and no new symptoms associated with diabetes
- Lower extremity pain for at least 6 months
- If female of childbearing potential, negative pregnancy test at screening and using acceptable method of birth control during the study.
Who cannot join
- Peripheral neuropathy caused by condition other than diabetes;
- Other pain more severe than neuropathic pain;
- Progressive or degenerative neurological disorder;
- Myopathy;
- Inflammatory disorder of the blood vessels (inflammatory angiopathy, such as Buerger's disease);
- Active infection;
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- Chronic inflammatory disease (e.g. Crohn's, Rheumatoid Arthritis)
- Positive HIV or HTLV at Screening
- Positive Hepatitis B or C as determined by Hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAB), antibody to Hepatitis B antigen (IgG and IgM; HbsAB), Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and Hepatitis C antibodies (Anti-HCV), at Screening or known immunosuppression or on chronic treatment with immunosuppressive drugs, chemotherapy or radiation therapy
- Stroke or myocardial infarction within last 6 months;
- Ophthalmologic conditions pertinent to proliferative retinopathy or conditions that preclude standard ophthalmologic examination:
- Cataract surgery within 6 months of trial;
- Vascular lesions of the anterior segment of the eye (infection or ulceration of the cornea, rubeotic glaucoma, etc);
- Vascular lesions of the posterior segment of the eye or proliferative retinopathy, macular edema, s/p photocoagulation for macular edema or proliferative retinopathy; sickle cell retinopathy, ischemic retinopathy due to retinal venous stasis or carotid artery disease;
- Choroidal angiogenesis; and
- Large elevated choroidal nevi, choroidal vascular tumors (choroidal hemangioma), or melanomas.
- Specific laboratory values at Screening including: Hemoglobin < 9.0 g/dL, WBC < 3,000 cells per microliter, platelet count <75,000/mm3, Creatinine > 2.0 mg/dL; GFR < 50, AST and/or ALT > 2 times the upper limit of normal or any other clinically significant lab abnormality which in the opinion of the investigator should be exclusionary;
- Use of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), alpha lipoic acid or any other high dose dietary antioxidant supplement for symptomatic relief of DPN;
- Uncontrolled hypertension as defined as sustained systolic blood pressure (SBP) > 200 mmHg or diastolic BP (DBP) > 110 mmHg at baseline/screening evaluation;
- Patients with history of or new screening finding of malignant neoplasm except basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (if excised and no evidence of recurrence);
- Malignant tumors or abnormal screening test suspicious for cancer, or patients in whom screening exams indicate possible occult malignancy unless malignancy has been ruled out. Patients with family history of colon cancer in any first degree relative unless they have undergone a colonoscopy in the last 12 months with negative findings;
- Elevated PSA unless prostate cancer has been excluded;
- Subjects requiring > 81 mg daily of acetylsalicylic acid; If > 81 mg are taken at screening, subjects may be enrolled if willing/able to switch to another medication;
- Major psychiatric disorder in past 6 months;
- History of drug or alcohol abuse / dependence in the past 2 years;
- History of recent tobacco abuse (within past 5 years);
- BMI > 38 kg/m2;
- Use of an investigational drug or treatment in past 12 months; and
- Unable or unwilling to give informed consent.
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country.
United States2 sites
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Chicago, Illinois, 60611
Diablo Clinical Research Hospital
Walnut Creek, California, 94598
About this study
Official title: A Phase I/II, Open Label, Dose-Escalation Study to Assess the Safety and Tolerability of Engensis (VM202) in Patients With Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
The purpose of this open label, Phase I/II, dose-escalation, 3-cohort, multicenter, 12-month study, is to assess the safety and tolerability of injecting Engensis (VM202) in the leg muscle in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). The study will also assess the potential of VM202 to reduce the pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Read the detailed description
Peripheral neuropathy is a serious complication of diabetes. This form of neuropathy carries a high risk of pain, trophic changes and autonomic dysfunction.
Currently, there are no approved drugs or interventional strategies known to halt or reverse the progression of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Treatments target pain reduction, physical function improvement, reduction of psychological distress, and quality of life improvements.
There is currently no effective treatment for diabetic neuropathy, and good glycemic control is the only way to minimize the risk of occurrence. Clearly, it would be desirable to prevent, impede, or reverse the disrupting and often life-threatening manifestations of peripheral neuropathy by stimulating growth or regeneration of peripheral nerve axons.
The purpose of this open label, dose-escalation, 3-cohort study is to assess the safety and tolerability of injecting Engensis (VM202) in the leg muscle in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The study will also assess the potential of VM202 to reduce the pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
- Conditions
- Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
- Being tested
- VM202
- Keywords
- Diabetic, Neuropathy, Peripheral, diabetes
- Medical subject headings
- Diabetes Mellitus
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
VM202Biological
Intramuscular injections in the calf on Day 0 and Day 14.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Cohort 1 | Experimental | Two divided doses of VM202 injected into the calf muscle on Day 0 and Day 14 for a total dose of 4 mg. Receives: Biological: VM202 |
| Cohort 2 | Experimental | Two divided doses of VM202 injected into the calf muscle on Day 0 and Day 14 for a total dose of 8mg. Receives: Biological: VM202 |
| Cohort 3 | Experimental | Two divided doses of VM202 injected into the calf muscle on Day 0 and Day 14 for a total dose of 16mg. Receives: Biological: VM202 |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Treatment-emergent Adverse Events for Participants Who Received Engensis 4 mg, 8 mg, or 16 mg
Treatment-emergent adverse events are any adverse events that occurred after the first dose of Engensis (VM202).
This is a dose escalation study. Cohorts of increasing dose will be enrolled sequentially. Dose escalation decisions (permission to treat at higher doses) will be made by the Data Safety Monitoring Board based on review of adverse events and on the occurrence of dose limiting toxicities in each cohort. The decision to proceed to the next higher dose cohort will be made according to the scheme described in the protocol.
Measured: Day 0 to Day 365
Secondary outcomes (1)
Percent Change From Baseline in Visual Analog Scale Pain Scores
Percent change in median Visual Analog Scale Pain Scores from baseline (Day 0). The Visual Analog Scale Pain scoring instrument is a 10-cm line, oriented horizontally, with the left end (0 cm, is 0 Percent) indicating "no pain" and the right end (10 cm, is 100 percent) representing "pain as bad as it can be".
The Change from Baseline of the Visual Analog Scale Pain Score is the difference between the Day 0 and the Days 90, 180 and 365 scores.
A negative difference in the Change from Baseline of the Visual Analog Scale Pain Scores, indicates an improvement (reduction of pain severity) of the treated groups Visual Analog Score.
Measured: Days 0, 90, 180, and 365
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 Oct 2009 (estimated)
- Study startFeb 2010
- Primary completionApr 2011
- Study completionApr 2012
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Painful Diabetic Peripheral NeuropathyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 1/2
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Model description
- Dose Ranging
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 12 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Helixmith Co., Ltd.
- Sponsor type
- Industry (pharma, biotech, devices)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- John Kessler, M.D., Principal investigator, Northwestern Memorial Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01002235
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- VMDN-001/G
- Status last verified
- Aug 2025
- First submitted
- 24 Oct 2009
- Last updated
- 6 Oct 2025
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
Publications
Ajroud-Driss S, Christiansen M, Allen JA, Kessler JA. Phase 1/2 open-label dose-escalation study of plasmid DNA expressing two isoforms of hepatocyte growth factor in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Mol Ther. 2013 Jun;21(6):1279-86. doi: 10.1038/mt.2013.69. Epub 2013 Apr 23.
PubMed 23609019