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Safety and Efficacy Study for the Treatment of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy

A Phase II, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of Engensis (VM202) in Subjects With Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01475786
Enrollment
104
Registered
2011-11-21
Start date
2012-08-31
Completion date
2014-06-30
Last updated
2025-10-06

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Painful Diabetic Neuropathies

Keywords

nerve pain, diabetic nerve pain, throbbing, burning, painful feet, tingling, numbness, Engensis (VM202)

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if Engensis (VM202) is safe and effective in treating painful diabetic neuropathy.

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. 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.

Interventions

BIOLOGICALLow Dose: 16 mg Engensis (VM202)

Subjects in the Low Dose Group (8mg VM202 / leg) will receive the following intramuscular injections in each calf: Day 0 - 32 injections / calf: • 16 injections of 0.5mL of VM202 / calf - (4 mg of VM202 / calf) Day 14 - 32 injections / calf: • 16 injections of 0.5mL of VM202 / calf - (4 mg of VM202 / calf)

BIOLOGICALHigh Dose: 32 mg Engensis (VM202)

Subjects in the High Dose Group (16 mg VM202 / leg) will receive the following intramuscular injections in each calf: Day 0 • 32 injections of 0.5mL of VM202 / calf (8 mg of VM202 / calf) Day 14 • 32 injections of 0.5mL of VM202 / calf (8 mg of VM202 / calf)

OTHERControl- Placebo (normal saline)

subjects will receive thirty-two (32) 0.5 mL injections of normal saline on Day 0 and Day 14.

Sponsors

Helixmith Co., Ltd.
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Age ≥ 18 years to ≤ 75 years * Documented history of Type I or II diabetes with current treatment control (glycosylated hemoglobin A1c of ≤ 10.0% at Screening) and currently on oral medication and/or insulin * Diagnosis of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy in both lower extremities * Lower extremity pain for at least 6 months * Visual analog scale (VAS) score of ≥ 40 mm at Initial Screening (0 mm = no pain - 100 mm very severe pain) * Symptoms from the Brief Pain Neuropathy Screening (BPNS) is ≤ 5 point difference between legs at Initial Screening * The average daily pain intensity score of the Daily Pain and Sleep Interference Diary completed after medication wash-out is ≥ 4 with a standard deviation ≤ 2 * The physical examination component of the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument Score (MNSI) is ≥ 3 at Screening * Stable treatment of diabetes for at least 3 months with no anticipated changes in medication regimen, and no new symptoms associated with diabetes * If female of childbearing potential, negative urine pregnancy test at screening and using acceptable method of birth control during the study

Exclusion criteria

* 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 * Chronic inflammatory disease (e.g., Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis) * Positive HIV or HTLV at Screening * Active 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 * Subjects with known immunosuppression or currently receiving immunosuppressive drugs, chemotherapy or radiation therapy * Stroke or myocardial infarction within last 3 months * Ophthalmologic conditions pertinent to proliferative retinopathy or conditions that preclude standard ophthalmologic examination * Specific laboratory values at Screening including: Hemoglobin \< 8.0 g/dL, WBC \< 3,000 cells per microliter, platelet count \<75,000/mm3, Creatinine \> 2.0 mg/dL; AST and/or ALT \> 3 times the upper limit of normal or any other clinically significant lab abnormality which in the opinion of the investigator should be exclusionary * Uncontrolled hypertension as defined as sustained systolic blood pressure (SBP) \> 200 mmHg or diastolic BP (DBP) \> 110 mmHg at Screening * Patients with a recent history (\< 5 years) 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); patients with family history of colon cancer in any first degree relative are excluded unless they have undergone a colonoscopy in the last 12 months with negative findings * 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 * Use of any opioids; subjects may be enrolled if willing and able to discontinue use of these drugs 14 days prior to starting the 7 Day Daily Pain and Sleep Interference Diary and refrain from taking these drugs for the duration of the study * Subjects requiring regular COX-2 inhibitor drug(s) or non-specific COX-1/COX-2 inhibiting drugs, or high dose steroids (excepting inhaled steroids).Subjects may be enrolled if willing/able to undergo medication wash-out prior to the first dosing and to refrain from taking these drugs for the duration of the study; * Major psychiatric disorder in within last 6 months * Body mass index (BMI) \> 45 kg/m2 at Screening * Any lower extremity amputation * Use of an investigational drug or treatment in past 6 months * Unable or unwilling to give informed consent

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The Primary Study Endpoint Was the Change in Average 24-hour Pain Score From Baseline to the 6-month Follow-up.seven (7) days before 9 Month visitThe difference in the mean change of the 24 hour pain score was compared between the treatment groups and the placebo arm to determine treatment effect. The average pain scores were obtained from the Daily Pain and Sleep Interference Diary (recorded daily by subjects for 7 days during Screening prior to the first round of injections and again, before the 6 month follow-up). Subjects rated their 24-hor daily pain intensity according to the 11-point numerical rating scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain).

Countries

South Korea, United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
High Dose 32mg Engensis (VM202)
Subjects in the High Dose Group (16 mg VM202 / leg) received the following intramuscular injections in each calf for a total of 32 mg Engensis (VM202): Day 0 - 32 injections of 0.5 mL of VM202 / calf (8 mg of VM202 / calf) Day 14 - 32 injections of 0.5 mL of VM202 / calf (8 mg of VM202 / calf) For a total of 32mg VM202
42
Low Dose 16mg Engensis (VM202) and Placebo
Subjects in the Low Dose Group (8 mg/leg) received the following intramuscular injections in each calf for a total of 16mg Engensis (VM202): : Day 0 - 32 injections / calf 16 injections of 0.5mL of VM202 / calf - (4 mg of VM202 / calf) and 16 injections of Placebo 0.5mL / calf Day 14 - 32 injections / calf 16 injections of 0.5mL of VM202 / calf - (4 mg of VM202 / calf) and 16 injections of Placebo 0.5mL / calf
40
Control - Placebo (Normal Saline)
Subjects in the Placebo Group received 32 injections / calf of 0.5 mL Placebo on Day 0 and Day 14
21
Total103

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001FG002
Overall StudyAdverse Event010
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up121
Overall StudySubject discontinued prior to study treatment100
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject011

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicHigh Dose 32mg Engensis (VM202)TotalControl - Placebo (Normal Saline)Low Dose 16mg Engensis (VM202) and Placebo
Age, Continuous60.6 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.2
60.4 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.7
60.5 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.3
60.2 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.2
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
1 Participants1 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
6 Participants17 Participants6 Participants5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
3 Participants12 Participants2 Participants7 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants1 Participants0 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants1 Participants1 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
32 Participants71 Participants12 Participants27 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
42 participants103 participants21 participants40 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
9 Participants26 Participants6 Participants11 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
33 Participants77 Participants15 Participants29 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
EG002
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 430 / 390 / 21
other
Total, other adverse events
33 / 4322 / 3913 / 21
serious
Total, serious adverse events
4 / 433 / 393 / 21

Outcome results

Primary

The Primary Study Endpoint Was the Change in Average 24-hour Pain Score From Baseline to the 6-month Follow-up.

The difference in the mean change of the 24 hour pain score was compared between the treatment groups and the placebo arm to determine treatment effect. The average pain scores were obtained from the Daily Pain and Sleep Interference Diary (recorded daily by subjects for 7 days during Screening prior to the first round of injections and again, before the 6 month follow-up). Subjects rated their 24-hor daily pain intensity according to the 11-point numerical rating scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain).

Time frame: seven (7) days before 9 Month visit

Population: The Efficacy population included all subjects who received the correct dose of study drug based on the randomization schedule at both Days 0 and 14, have the Day 180 assessment, and did not have any protocol violations or major deviations

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
High Dose 32mg Engensis (VM202)The Primary Study Endpoint Was the Change in Average 24-hour Pain Score From Baseline to the 6-month Follow-up.-1.94 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 1.96
Low Dose 16mg Engensis (VM202) and PlaceboThe Primary Study Endpoint Was the Change in Average 24-hour Pain Score From Baseline to the 6-month Follow-up.-2.78 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.23
Control - Placebo (Normal Saline)The Primary Study Endpoint Was the Change in Average 24-hour Pain Score From Baseline to the 6-month Follow-up.-1.59 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 1.89

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026