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Ongoing, recruitingHuman Pharmacology (Phase I)- OtherInterventional

A Multiple-Ascending-Dose Study of MK-4318 in Healthy Participants

This study is an early-stage clinical trial looking at a new investigational medication, MK-4318. It involves healthy adult volunteers and is designed to find out more about how the medicine works in the human body. Researchers will be giving different doses of MK-4318 to see what dose is safe and how well the body takes it in, processes it, and gets rid of it. This kind of study is crucial for understanding new treatments. The ultimate aim is to see if MK-4318 could be a helpful treatment for pain in the future, by first ensuring it is safe for people to take. Participants must be 18 years or older.

At a glance

Status
Ongoing, recruiting
Phase
Human Pharmacology (Phase I)- Other
Sponsor
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
Enrolment target
32
Start
09 Nov 2023

What is this study about?

This clinical trial is an early step in developing a new medicine, which is currently known as MK-4318. The main purpose of this study is to understand how MK-4318 works in the human body in healthy volunteers. This includes looking at how safe it is, how much of it the body absorbs, and how quickly the body gets rid of it. This type of study is called a 'Multiple-Ascending-Dose' study, which means participants will receive increasing amounts of the medicine, but only after lower doses have been shown to be safe.

Because this is an early-stage study, researchers are not yet testing if the medicine can treat pain. Instead, they are gathering important information about the drug itself. This information is absolutely vital before the medicine can ever be considered for people who are experiencing pain. It helps scientists decide if it's safe to continue with further research into the medicine's potential benefits.

Even though the study doesn't directly treat pain, its findings are very important. The results from healthy volunteers help scientists understand the best and safest way to use MK-4318 in future studies, which will eventually include people with pain conditions. Without these initial safety tests, new medicines cannot progress to help patients.

Key takeaways

  • This is an early study of a new medicine (MK-4318) for potential future pain treatment.
  • It's about understanding safety and how the medicine acts in healthy adult volunteers.
  • The study does not treat pain; it gathers crucial safety information.
  • Participants must be healthy and aged 18 or older.
  • You'll receive close medical monitoring throughout your participation.

Who may be eligible?

To be considered for this study, you need to be a healthy adult aged 18 or older. The study is open to both men and women.

Since this study involves healthy participants, there will be strict health checks to make sure you don't have any underlying medical conditions that could affect the study results or put your health at risk. You will be asked about your medical history and will likely have some health tests before you can take part.

This study is for people who are generally well and are able to commit to the study's requirements. More detailed eligibility criteria will be discussed with you by the study team, but generally, good health is a key requirement.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

  1. Are you 18 years old or older?
  2. Are you generally healthy with no major medical conditions?
  3. Are you able to attend several clinic visits, possibly with overnight stays?
  4. Are you willing to have regular health checks like blood tests?
  5. Are you comfortable with taking a new, experimental medication?
Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in this study, you would first go through a screening process, which includes medical checks and answering questions about your health, to ensure you meet the study's requirements. If you are eligible, you would then receive the study medicine, MK-4318, at different doses over a period of time. This will likely involve a number of visits to the study clinic, and potentially stays overnight, where doctors and nurses will monitor your health closely.

During these visits, you'll have various assessments, such as blood tests, urine tests, and health checks like blood pressure and heart rate measurements, to see how your body reacts to the medicine. You'll be given the study medication as prescribed by the research team. The total time you'd spend in the study, including follow-up visits after taking the medicine, would be explained to you in detail by the study staff.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in any clinical trial has potential benefits and risks. For this study, potential benefits don't include direct treatment for pain, as it's testing a new medicine in healthy people. However, you would be contributing valuable information that could help develop a new pain treatment for others in the future, and you would receive close medical monitoring. Potential risks might include side effects from the study medicine, which could be mild, like a headache or nausea, or in rare cases, more serious. The study team will explain all known or possible risks to you. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.
  • Unverified
    Belgium

Common questions

What is MK-4318?

MK-4318 is a new medicine that researchers are studying. In this early trial, they want to understand how it works in healthy people and if it's safe, to see if it could eventually be used for pain.

Why is this study done on healthy people?

Early studies like this are important to first check the safety of a new medicine and how the body handles it, before trying it in people who have a medical condition like pain.

Will I feel better if I have pain?

No, this study is not designed to treat pain. It's focused on understanding the medicine itself in healthy volunteers. If you have pain, this study is not for you.

What kind of tests will I have?

You will likely have standard health checks like blood tests, urine tests, blood pressure, and heart rate measurements to closely monitor your health while you are in the study.

How long does the study last?

The total time you would be involved in the study, including follow-up, will be clearly explained by the study team during the sign-up process.

How to find out more

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.

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