Project description:Background/purposeNGX-4010 (QUTENZA(™); NeurogesX Inc, San Mateo, CA), a capsaicin 8% dermal patch, is licensed in the European Union for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP) in nondiabetic adults and in the United States for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). While NGX-4010 treatment is associated with a low risk of systemic adverse events, patch application-related pain is common and may be managed with local cooling and/or oral analgesics. This article characterizes the tolerability of NGX-4010 and will help to guide any pain management.MethodsThis integrated analysis of tolerability data collected from the NGX-4010 clinical study program included 1696 patients with PNP. Patch application-related pain on the treatment day was captured as Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) "pain now" scores while "average pain for the past 24 hours" NPRS scores were analyzed for 7 days following treatment. Other tolerability assessments included the percentage of patients completing ≥90% of the intended treatment duration and patients using medication for patch application-related pain.ResultsThe mean maximum change in "pain now" NPRS scores from pretreatment levels during and after patch application was 2.6 for all patients. This pain was transient and resolved following patch removal. Mean "average pain for the past 24 hours" NPRS scores returned to baseline by the evening of the treatment day for patients with PHN, and the evening of day 2 for patients with human immunodeficiency virus-associated distal sensory polyneuropathy or painful diabetic neuropathy. Repeated NGX-4010 applications did not affect the intensity of patch application-related pain. Almost all patients (≥98%) completed ≥90% of the full treatment duration, regardless of the number of treatments received.ConclusionTransient patch application-related pain with NGX-4010 can be managed with local cooling and/or oral analgesics in nearly all cases. Patient adherence to the full intended treatment duration indicated that patch application-related pain was not a barrier to NGX-4010 use.
Project description:Clinical trials have not yet compared the efficacy of capsaicin 8% patch with current standard therapy in peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP).Head-to-head efficacy and safety trial comparing the capsaicin patch with pregabalin in PNP.Open-label, randomized, multicentre, non-inferiority trial. Patients with PNP, aged 18-80 years, were randomly assigned to either the capsaicin 8% patch (n = 282) or an optimised dose of oral pregabalin (n = 277), and assessed for a ≥30% mean decrease in Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) score from baseline to Week 8. Secondary endpoints included optimal therapeutic effect (OTE), time-to-onset of pain relief and treatment satisfaction.The capsaicin 8% patch was non-inferior to pregabalin in achievement of a ≥30% mean decrease in NPRS score from baseline to Week 8 (55.7% vs. 54.5%, respectively; Odds ratio: 1.03 [95% CI: 0.72, 1.50]). The proportion of patients achieving OTE at Week 8 was 52.1% for the capsaicin 8% patch versus 44.8% for pregabalin (difference: 7.3%; 95% CI: -0.9%, 15.6%). The median time-to-onset of pain relief was significantly shorter for capsaicin 8% patch versus pregabalin (7.5 vs. 36.0 days; Hazard ratio: 1.68 [95% CI: 1.35, 2.08]; p < 0.0001). Treatment satisfaction was also significantly greater with the capsaicin 8% patch versus pregabalin. TEAEs were mild-to-moderate in severity, and resulted in treatment discontinuation only with pregabalin (n = 24). Systemic adverse drug reactions ranged from 0 to 1.1% with capsaicin 8% patch and 2.5 to 18.4% with pregabalin.The capsaicin 8% patch provided non-inferior pain relief to an optimized dose of pregabalin in PNP, with a faster onset of action, fewer systemic side effects and greater treatment satisfaction.
Project description:CONTEXT:Clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of the capsaicin 8% patch in patients with peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP); however, few studies have assessed this treatment in a clinical practice. OBJECTIVE:To determine whether treatment and re-treatment with the capsaicin 8% patch reduce PNP intensity in clinical practice. METHODS:Three non-interventional, observational studies were concurrently conducted in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Patients with probable or definite PNP received one or two treatments with the capsaicin 8% patch according to usual clinical practice. All analyses were performed on combined data. RESULTS:Overall, 382 and 181 patients received treatment and re-treatment, respectively, with the capsaicin 8% patch. At the group level, a significant reduction in mean level of 'usual pain' intensity (Numerical Pain Rating Scale) over the last 24 h' score was observed from baseline to Weeks 2 through 8 [-1.05 (95% confidence interval: -1.27, 0.82); p < 0.001] with 28% and 31% of patients reporting a ?30% reduction in pain after first treatment and re-treatment, respectively. Improvements in health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-3L index) and overall health status (Patient Global Impression of Change) were observed early (Week 1) and throughout the treatment periods. Most application site reactions subsided within a week after treatment. Following treatment and re-treatment, 57% and 71% of patients, respectively, were willing to undergo further treatment with the capsaicin 8% patch. CONCLUSION:In Scandinavian clinical practice, capsaicin 8% patch treatment was associated with significant reductions in pain intensity and was well tolerated with over half of patients willing to undergo re-treatment.
Project description:BackgroundIn randomised studies, the capsaicin 8% patch has demonstrated effective pain relief in patients with peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP) arising from different aetiologies.MethodsASCEND was an open-label, non-interventional study of patients with non-diabetes-related PNP who received capsaicin 8% patch treatment, according to usual clinical practice, and were followed for ≤52 weeks. Co-primary endpoints were percentage change in the mean numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) 'average daily pain' score from baseline to the average of Weeks 2 and 8 following first treatment; and median time from first to second treatment. The primary analysis was intended to assess analgesic equivalence between post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) and other PNP aetiologies. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL, using EQ-5D), Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) and tolerability were also assessed.ResultsFollowing first application, patients experienced a 26.6% (95% CI: 23.6, 29.62; n = 412) reduction in mean NPRS score from baseline to Weeks 2 and 8. Equivalence was demonstrated between PHN and the neuropathic back pain, post-operative and post-traumatic neuropathic pain and 'other' PNP aetiology subgroups. The median time from first to second treatment was 191 days (95% CI: 147, 235; n = 181). Forty-four percent of all patients were responders (≥30% reduction in NPRS score from baseline to Weeks 2 and 8) following first treatment, and 86.9% (n = 159/183) remained so at Week 12. A sustained pain response was observed until Week 52, with a 37.0% (95% CI: 31.3, 42.7; n = 176) reduction in mean NPRS score from baseline. Patients with the shortest duration of pain (0-0.72 years) experienced the highest pain response from baseline to Weeks 2 and 8. Mean EQ-5D index score improved by 0.199 utils (responders: 0.292 utils) from baseline to Week 2 and was maintained until Week 52. Most patients reported improvements in PGIC at Week 2 and at all follow-up assessments regardless of number of treatments received. Adverse events were primarily mild or moderate reversible application site reactions.ConclusionIn European clinical practice, the capsaicin 8% patch provided effective and sustained pain relief, substantially improved HRQoL, improved overall health status and was generally well tolerated in a heterogeneous PNP population.Trial registrationNCT01737294 Date of registration - October 22, 2012.
Project description:We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of capsaicin 8% patch (QUTENZA™) versus pregabalin in patients with PNP from the perspective of the National Health Service (NHS) and Personal and Social Services in Scotland, UK. A decision-tree cost-effectiveness model was developed for non-diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP) who were pregabalin-naïve and had not achieved adequate pain relief or tolerated conventional first- or second-line treatments. Patients entering the model received either a single application of capsaicin 8% patch or titrated daily dosing with pregabalin; after 8 weeks patients were classified as responders, non-responders, or were assumed to discontinue treatment due to intolerable adverse events. Responders continued to receive baseline treatment at intervals observed in clinical practice. Non-responders and those who discontinued treatment were assumed to receive last-line therapy (duloxetine). The base-case time horizon was 2 years. Model inputs for effectiveness, discontinuations and health-state utilities were taken from a head-to-head non-inferiority study (ELEVATE, NCT01713426). Other inputs were obtained from published sources or clinical expert opinion. Costs were expressed in GBP 2013/14. Results were presented as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER), i.e. cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. Model assumptions were tested with scenario analyses. Parameter uncertainty was tested using one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Compared with dose-optimized pregabalin, capsaicin 8% patch was the dominant treatment strategy (total cost difference, -£11; total QALY gain, 0.049). Capsaicin 8% patch was also the dominant treatment strategy versus pregabalin in 6 out of 7 scenario analyses. The model was most sensitive to variation in time to capsaicin 8% patch retreatment (maximum ICER, £7,951/QALY at lower-bound 95% confidence interval). At a willingness-to-pay threshold of £20,000/QALY, the probability of capsaicin 8% patch being cost-effective versus pregabalin was 97%. Capsaicin 8% patch is a cost-effective treatment option compared with dose-optimized pregabalin in patients with PNP who have failed one or more previous systemic treatments.
Project description:The capsaicin 8% patch can effectively treat neuropathic pain, but application can cause discomfort or a burning sensation. Until March 2013, it was recommended that patients be pretreated with a topical anesthetic, for example lidocaine, before capsaicin patch application. However, speculation existed over the need for pretreatment and its effectiveness in alleviating treatment-associated discomfort. This article compares tolerability to and efficacy of the capsaicin patch in pretreated and non-pretreated patients. All patients received a single capsaicin patch application. Pretreated patients received a lidocaine plaster before and intravenous lidocaine and metamizole infusions during capsaicin patch application. Pain levels, assessed using a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), were used to determine tolerability and efficacy. All patients (pretreated n = 32; non-pretreated n = 26) completed 100% of the intended capsaicin patch application duration. At the time of capsaicin patch removal, 69% of pretreated and 88% of non-pretreated patients reported an NRS score increase, which returned to baseline by 6 hours post-treatment. There was no significant difference in mean NRS score between patient groups at any time during or after capsaicin patch treatment. Response was similar between patient groups; capsaicin patch treatment provided rapid and significant pain reductions that were sustained over 12 weeks. The same proportion of pretreated and non-pretreated patients reported willingness to receive retreatment with the capsaicin patch. This analysis shows that the capsaicin 8% patch is generally tolerable, and the small discomfort associated with patch application is short-lived. Lidocaine pretreatment does not have a significant effect on tolerability, efficacy, or patient willingness to receive retreatment.
Project description:Application of the capsaicin 8% patch is associated with treatment-related discomfort. Consequently, pretreatment for 60?min with anaesthetic cream is recommended; however, this may be uncomfortable and time consuming.We conducted a multicentre, randomized (1:1), assessor-blinded study in patients with peripheral neuropathic pain to assess tolerability of the capsaicin patch following topical lidocaine (4%) or oral tramadol (50?mg) pretreatment. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients tolerating capsaicin patch application (ability to receive ?90% of a 60-min application). Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) scores were assessed before, during and after treatment.Overall, 122 patients were included (61 per arm). The capsaicin patch was tolerated by 121 patients. Tolerability of the capsaicin patch was similar following pretreatment with lidocaine and tramadol. Following patch application, pain levels increased up to 55?min (change from baseline of 1.3 for lidocaine and 1.4 for tramadol). After patch removal, tramadol-treated patients experienced greater pain relief up to the end of day 1; in the evening, mean changes in NPRS scores from baseline were 0 for lidocaine and -1 for tramadol. Proportions of patients reporting increases of ?2 NPRS points or >33% from baseline at one or more time point(s) on the day of treatment were similar between arms. Adverse event incidence was comparable between arms.Capsaicin 8% patch tolerability was similar in the two arms, with comparable results for most secondary endpoints. Tramadol given 30?min before patch application should be considered as an alternative pretreatment option in patients receiving capsaicin patch treatment.
Project description:AimsDiabetic peripheral neuropathy affects up to 60% of individuals and often leads to foot ulceration and eventual amputation. When oral therapy has failed to achieve pain relief, the first line local treatment is the 5% lidocaine-medicated plaster which provides local relief. Capsaicin 8% patch is considered a promising topical treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The present study investigated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of capsaicin 8% patch vs 5% lidocaine patch treatments over 24 weeks in South Asian male diabetic patients with established peripheral diabetic neuropathy.MethodsAnalgesic effectiveness was assessed by observing any change in the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) score, Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) for painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (BPI-DPN question 4) and Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC). All patients received 4% lidocaine gel/cream for 60 min prior to patch application. The trial was probably underpowered, taking into account the smaller than expected number of participants from the calculated 350 sample size required for the whole study. Two hundred ninety-one individuals were divided into three groups based on treatment regimen; Group LL (Lidocaine + Lidocaine), Group LP (Lidocaine + Placebo), Group LC (Lidocaine + Capsaicin). The treatment procedure was conducted once initially and then repeated once at 12 weeks. The patients were followed up on alternate weeks till 24 weeks after the initial treatment.ResultsGroup LC experienced a more significant reduction in the average pain intensity (p < 0.05) during the last twenty-four hours. Group LC showed more significant reduction of pain compared to control (p < 0.01), a baseline score of 5.4 ± 1.2 dropped to 3.2 ± 1.5 by week 24 of treatment. The change in mean daily pain intensity was - 2.2 ± 1.5 [95% CI: -2.45, -1.5]. Group LL and LC experienced a significant overall improvement (slightly, much or very much) in the health status during the study. After the second week of the treatment, patient satisfaction scores were 2.1 ± 1.1 in Group LL which increased to 3.2 ± 1.2 by week 24 of treatment. The capsaicin 8% patch appears to be reasonably well tolerated since there were no discontinuations because of serious drug-related treatment emergent adverse event (TEAEs).ConclusionsThe aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of the 8% capsaicin patch in patients with established painful diabetic neuropathy. There was a sustained treatment response to the initial and repeat treatment of the capsaicin 8% patch over the 24 weeks. The study population was very specific so further studies are required to investigate the generalizability of the results for patients experiencing painful diabetic neuropathy. The patch could be considered as an effective long-term treatment option in individuals with painful diabetic neuropathy, particularly those experiencing inadequate pain relief or side effects from systemic therapies.
Project description:Neuropathic pain caused by nerve injury is debilitating and difficult to treat. Current systemic pharmacological therapeutics for neuropathic pain produce limited pain relief and have undesirable side effects, while current local anesthetics tend to nonspecifically block both sensory and motor functions. Calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP), a neuropeptide released from sensory nerve endings, appears to play a significant role in chronic neuropathic pain. In this study, an analgesic microneedle (AMN) patch was developed using dissolvable microneedles to transdermally deliver selective CGRP antagonist peptide in a painless manner for the treatment of localized neuropathic pain. Local analgesic effects were evaluated in rats by testing behavioral pain sensitivity in response to thermal and mechanical stimuli using neuropathic pain models such as spared-nerve injury and diabetic neuropathy pain, as well as neurogenic inflammatory pain model induced by ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Unlike several conventional therapies, the AMN patches produced effective analgesia on neuropathic pain without disturbing the normal nociception and motor function of the rat, resulting from the high specificity of the delivered peptide against CGRP receptors. The AMN patches did not cause skin irritation or systemic side effects. These results demonstrate that dissolvable microneedle patches delivering CGRP antagonist peptide provide an effective, safe, and simple approach to mitigate neuropathic pain with significant advantages over current treatments.
Project description:BACKGROUND:The objective of this study was to assess the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of NGX-4010, a capsaicin 8% patch, following pretreatment with three different topical anesthetics in patients with peripheral neuropathic pain. METHODS:This open-label, multicenter study enrolled 117 patients with post-herpetic neuralgia, HIV-associated distal sensory polyneuropathy, or painful diabetic neuropathy. Patients received pretreatment with one of three lidocaine 4%-based topical anesthetics (L.M.X.4(®) [Ferndale Laboratories Inc, Ferndale, MI], Topicaine(®) Gel [Estela Basso, Jupiter, FL], or Betacaine Enhanced Gel 4 [Tiberius Inc, Tampa, FL]) for 60 minutes followed by a single 60- or 90-minute NGX-4010 application, and were followed for 12 weeks. Tolerability and safety measures included "pain now" Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) scores, dermal assessments, medication use for treatment-related pain, adverse events (AEs), clinical laboratory parameters, physical examinations, and vital signs. The primary efficacy variable was the percentage change in mean NPRS scores for "average pain for the past 24 hours" from baseline to weeks 2 through 12. RESULTS:Treatment with NGX-4010 following pretreatment with any of the three topical anesthetics was generally safe and well tolerated. Nearly all patients completed ?90% of the planned NGX-4010 application duration. The most common treatment-related AEs, application-site burning and application-site pain, were transient, mostly mild or moderate, and could be adequately managed by local cooling or short-acting oral opioid analgesics. Although slightly more patients used medication for treatment-related discomfort following pretreatment with Topicaine compared with L.M.X.4 or Betacaine, there were no statistical differences between the topical anesthetics. Neuropathic pain reduction from baseline to weeks 2 through 12 was approximately 30% and was similar among the topical anesthetics; the proportion of responders ranged from 45% to 50%. CONCLUSION:Treatment with NGX-4010 following pretreatment with any of the three topical anesthetics was generally safe and well tolerated; no significant differences in the parameters measured were noted between the pretreatment groups.