Surgical WoundsPhase 2NCT07583862
The Effects of Timolol On Healing and Cosmesis of Mohs Scalp Wounds: An Open Label Trial
A Phase 2 study testing Topical Timolol and Normal Saline in people with Surgical Wounds and Mohs Surgery, run by Geisinger Clinic at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this study clinical trial is to learn if topical timolol can accelerate healing and improve the cosmetic appearance of surgical wounds on the scalp following Mohs surgery. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Surgical Wounds, Mohs Surgery
- What is being tested?
- Topical Timolol and Normal Saline
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 45 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Dec 2026to 1 Mar 2029
- Phase
- Phase 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 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age: Adults aged 18 years and older. Condition: Patients who have undergone Mohs surgery on the scalp. Consent: Ability to provide informed consent. Willingness to Participate: Willingness to comply with study procedures and attend follow-up visits.
- Healing by Secondary Intention: Wounds intended to heal by secondary intention.
Who cannot join
- Known allergy or sensitivity to timolol or any components of the study medication.
- Bronchial asthma or history of bronchial asthma
- Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Sinus bradycardia
- Second or third-degree atrioventricular block
- Overt heart failure
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- Cardiogenic shock
- Under the influence of opioids or benzodiazepines at time of enrollment
- History of scarring alopecia in area of Mohs wound
- History of radiation treatment
- Patients being treated for recurrent tumors
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site
Geisinger Dermatology Woodbine
Danville, Pennsylvania, 17821
Michael Woodfin, MD, 570-271-8050, mwwoodfin1@geisinger.edu
Amrit Greene, MD, 570-271-8050, agreene2@geisinger.edu
About this study
The goal of this study clinical trial is to learn if topical timolol can accelerate healing and improve the cosmetic appearance of surgical wounds on the scalp following Mohs surgery. It will include Geisinger patients 18 year or older who undergo Mohs surgery of the scalp with planned wound healing by secondary intent. The main questions in aim to answer are:
- Compare wound healing speed between patients treated with topical timolol and those receiving standard wound care only.
- Compare cosmetic outcomes using topical timolol and standard wound care.
- Evaluate the impact of topical timolol on the number of unplanned follow-up visits and calls related to delayed wound healing.
Participants will be asked use either topical timolol or use standard wound care to treat their Mohs surgery scalp wound. They will follow-up around 4, 8 and 12 weeks.
Read the detailed description
Mohs surgical wounds of the scalp and anterior lower leg share several characteristics. They both involve convex surfaces with high tissue tension, and both are often allowed to heal by secondary intent. Secondary intent healing on the scalp is a slow process, with studies noting a mean time for re-epithelialization ranging from 7 to 26 weeks, depending on if the periosteum is intact.
Recently, topical timolol has garnered attention for its effectiveness in promoting healing of open wounds on the lower extremity. Studies have shown improved healing in patients with comorbidities, an impressive safety profile, and improved cosmesis in wounds healing by secondary intent.5 To our knowledge, no study to date has sought to evaluate the effect of topical timolol on surgical wounds of the scalp.
The study population will be patients at our institution who have undergone Mohs surgery and for whom secondary intent healing ("granulation") is deemed an appropriate treatment.
Endpoints will include time to re-epithelialization, percentage change in wound area, and cosmesis (measured using VAS) at pre-determined follow up intervals.
The potential contribution of this research is to provide evidence on the efficacy and safety of topical timolol in accelerating healing and improving the cosmetic appearance of surgical wounds on the scalp.
We anticipate that timolol will speed wound healing and improve cosmesis of scalp wounds, just as it has in other surgical and non-surgical granulating wounds. The benefits of faster healing and improved cosmesis to individual patients are obvious.
This study may also positively impact health care providers and the health care system, as we anticipate those with faster healing wounds will need fewer follow-up visits and make fewer calls for non-healing wounds.
The affordability of topical timolol could make effective wound care more accessible to a broader range of patients, potentially reducing overall healthcare costs associated with prolonged wound healing and complications. In the future, timolol may be used instead of expensive surgical procedures, allografts, xenografts, and other expensive grafting materials. This cost reduction is also anticipated to benefit health systems.
We anticipate that other institutions will adopt the use of topical timolol for Mohs wounds of the scalp, and that eventually this may become the new standard of care.
- Conditions
- Surgical Wounds, Mohs Surgery
- Being tested
- Topical Timolol, Normal Saline
- Keywords
- Mohs surgery, wound healing, wound granulation, timolol, scar cosmesis, scars
- Medical subject headings
- Surgical Wound, Cicatrix
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Topical TimololDrug
Topical timolol is the active drug that will be compared to placebo in the trial.
Normal SalineDrug
Normal saline is the placebo that will be compared to topical timolol in the trial.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Timolol Arm | Active comparator | This arm will have their wounds treated with topical timolol. Receives: Drug: Topical Timolol |
| Standard of Care Arm | Placebo comparator | This arm will have their wounds treated with normal saline/standard of care. Receives: Drug: Normal Saline |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Healing At 12 Weeks
Percentage of patients achieving complete re-epithelialization at 12 weeks
Measured: From treatment start to follow up 12 weeks later
Scar Cosmesis
Scar cosmesis calculated using visual analog scale (VAS)
Measured: Calculated at 4, 8, and 12 week follow up after treatment start.
Secondary outcomes (5)
Healing At 8 Weeks
Percentage of patients achieving complete re-epithelialization at 8 weeks
Measured: From treatment start to follow up 8 weeks later
Healing At 4 Weeks
Percentage of patients achieving complete re-epithelialization at 4 weeks
Measured: From treatment start to follow up 4 weeks later
Change In Wound Area at Follow Up
Percentage change in overall wound area at specified follow up windows.
Measured: Calculated at 4, 8, and 12 week follow up after treatment start.
Calls for Non-healing Wounds
The number of calls made to our clinic for non-healing wounds or other wound related concerns.
Measured: From treatment start to 12 weeks.
Visits for Non-healing Wounds
The number of visits (other than planned follow up) made to our clinic for non-healing wounds or other wound related concerns.
Measured: From treatment start to 12 weeks.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted13 May 2026
- Study start1 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Jul 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Mar 2029 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Surgical WoundsStudies 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 2
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 45 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Geisinger Clinic
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ami Greene, Geisinger Clinic
- Investigators
- Amrit Greene, MD, Principal investigator, Geisinger Clinic
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07583862
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Effects of Timolol Mohs Scalp
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 7 May 2026
- Last updated
- 14 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Although we feel that re-identification of anonymized participants using IPD would be very low risk, we prefer to not add any additional risk of patient identification. Furthermore, funding for this study is limited, and preparing data for sharing, including anonymizing it and creating documentation may not be possible due to budget and time constraints.