Transcutaneous Cervical Vagus Nerve Stimulation (tcVNS) in JIA

Stopped early · Phase 2 · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)

In brief

The study is a multicenter, double-blind, sham-controlled trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of tcVNS on pain and inflammation associated with JIA. tcVNS is administered with a device that gives off mild electrical impulses through the skin to stimulate the vagus nerve. Part of the vagus nerve and its branches are located in the head and neck. For this study, the impulses will be administered using a small electrode at the cymba concha for participants receiving treatment with active tcVNS and at the neck for participants receiving sham stimulation. The electrode helps to conduct the stimulation through the skin. This stimulation triggers a chemical response through the nerves and has been found to be effective in reducing pain and inflammation in several diseases. The primary objective of this study is to determine the effect of tcVNS on JIA ACR 50 in participants with active JIA. The components of the active and sham tcVNS devices, utilizing the Roscoe Medical TENS 7000, have been FDA 510(k)-cleared and have been determined by the IRB to be a nonsignificant risk device.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT05710640
Run by: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
People needed: 18
Starts: 2023-06-27
Expected to finish: 2025-01-15
Last updated by the study team: 2025-11-25

Who can join

Age: 5 and older, up to 18. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Participant is 5 through 18 years of age (inclusive) at screening.
Regarding informed consent and compliance:
If 5 through 6 years of age, the participant's guardian is willing and able to understand and provide informed consent and comply with study protocol.
If 7 through 17 years of age, the participant is willing and able to sign assent and comply with study protocol, and the participant's guardian is willing and able to understand and provide informed consent and comply with study protocol.
If 18 years of age, the participant is willing and able to understand and provide informed consent and comply with study protocol.
The participant has a Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) diagnosis meeting International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR) classification criteria with one of the following subtypes:
rheumatoid-factor negative polyarthritis
rheumatoid-factor positive polyarthritis
persistent oligoarthritis
extended oligoarthritis
psoriatic arthritis
enthesitis-related arthritis
systemic arthritis
The participant has >=3 joints with active arthritis at screening
If the participant is receiving therapy for JIA at screening, that therapy is stable for the time period outlined below and is expected to remain stable for the duration of the study:
a. stable dose for at least 1 week prior to screening:
i. Oral steroids, <= 0.2 mg/kg/day with a maximum 10 mg/day dose
b. stable dose for at least 2 weeks prior to screening:
i. NSAIDs
c. stable dose for at least 8 weeks prior to screening:
i. adalimumab
ii. anakinra
iii. canakinumab
iv. certolizumab pegol
v. etanercept

You may not qualify if…

Other than NSAIDs or intra-articular injections, participant has been treated for JIA with lack of efficacy with:
More than 2 different classes of therapies, or
More than 3 medications in total
Participant has received high-dose steroids (>=0.2 mg/kg/day) within the 28 days prior to screening.
Participant has had active systemic disease (fever, systemic rash) within the 3 months prior to screening including any of the following lab manifestations at screening:
Ferritin >1000 ng/mL
White blood cell (WBC) ≥15,000/mm\^3
Participant has had an active acute systemic infection within 2 weeks of screening. involving fever (100.4⁰F or higher) for more than 24 hours, requirement for systemic antibiotics or antivirals, GI symptoms lasting 48 hours or more, or the need to hold second line medications for JIA (methotrexate or biologic).
Participant has a history of arrhythmia.
Participant has been diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
Participant has received an intra-articular cortisone injection within the 28 days prior to screening.
Participant has received treatment with an investigational drug or device during the 28 days prior to screening or within five half-lives of the investigational drug prior to screening/baseline, whichever is the greater length of time.
Participant has received chronic treatment with an anti-cholinergic medication, including over the counter medications.
Participant has received treatment with rituximab:
Within one year of screening
At any time previously without documented B cell repletion
Participant has a comorbid disease that has required treatment with corticosteroids within the past year.
Participant has an implantable electronic device such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, hearing aid, cochlear implant, insulin pump or deep brain stimulator.
Participant has used cutaneous vagus nerve stimulation within 12 weeks prior to screening.
Participant has received a live attenuated viral vaccine within 28 days prior to screening or is expected to receive one during the study.
Participant has any condition which, in the opinion of the investigator, would jeopardize the participant's safety following exposure to a study intervention.
Participant has any past or current medical problems or findings from a physical examination or laboratory testing that are not listed above but which, in the opinion of the investigator, may pose additional risks from participation in the study, may interfere with the participant's ability to comply with study requirements, or may impact the quality or interpretation of the data obtained from the study.

Where it is running

University of California San Francisco School of Medicine: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Rheumatology — San Francisco, California, United States
Nemours Children's Health: Department of Pediatric Rheumatology — Orlando, Florida, United States
Indiana University Medical Center: Riley Hospital for Children Department of Pediatric Rheumatology — Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Cohen Children's Medical Center: Pediatric Rheumatology — Lake Success, New York, United States
Stephen D. Hassenfield Children's Center at NYU Langone Health — New York, New York, United States
Division of Pediatric Rheumatology at the University of Utah School of Medicine and Primary Children's Hospital — Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Seattle Children's Hospital: Rheumatology Clinic — Seattle, Washington, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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