The Effect of Riboflavin on Moderate to Severe Plaque Type Psoriasis

Study Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine the anti-inflammatory effect of high-dose riboflavin supplementation on chronic plaque psoriasis. Psoriasis is a common chronic skin disorder that affects over 4 million people. There is no cure for psoriasis and treatment is directed at controlling patients' symptoms. Amongst patients with skin disease, there is significant interest in using complementary alternative medicine and vitamins to treat their disease. Previous human case reports suggest that riboflavin, commonly known as Vitamin B2, is clinically effective for the treatment of psoriasis; however, they were not conclusive. More recent human trials have shown that 400 mg of daily oral riboflavin is a safe and well-tolerated medication to administer to humans. For the purpose of this study, the riboflavin is used as an investigational drug.

Recruitment Criteria

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Healthy volunteers are participants who do not have a disease or condition, or related conditions or symptoms

Yes
Study Type

An interventional clinical study is where participants are assigned to receive one or more interventions (or no intervention) so that researchers can evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or health-related outcomes.


An observational clinical study is where participants identified as belonging to study groups are assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.


Searching Both is inclusive of interventional and observational studies.

Interventional
Eligible Ages 18 Years and Over
Gender All
More Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • - 18 years of age or older - Good general health - Willingness and ability to follow the protocol - Signed Informed Consent Form, written and witnessed.
  • - Stable moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis involving 8% or greater total body surface area (TBSA).
  • - If subject is a woman of childbearing potential, she must have a negative pregnancy test at screening and agree to use a medically acceptable form of contraception during the screening and throughout the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • - Started using a topical steroid stronger than moderate strength, vitamin A or D analog preparations, or anthralin within 14 days of study drug initiation.
  • - Initiated a systemic medications, including biologic medication, or phototherapy within 180 days of study drug initiation.
  • - Prior or concurrent use of cyclophosphamide.
  • - Currently using sulfasalazine therapy.
  • - Known hypersensitivity to riboflavin.
  • - Enrolled in any other investigational device or investigational drug trial(s) or receipt of any other investigational agent(s) within 28 days of baseline visit.
  • - Presence of severe comorbidities such as, diabetes mellitus requiring insulin; congestive heart failure (CHF) of any severity or myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular accident or transient ischemic attack within 3 months of screening visit; unstable angina pectoris, uncontrolled hypertension [sitting systolic BP <80 mm Hg or > 160 or diastolic BP > 100 mm Hg], oxygen-dependent severe pulmonary disease, history of cancer within 5 years [other than resected cutaneous basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or in situ cervical cancer].
  • - Any of the following hematologic abnormalities, confirmed by repeat test at least 1 week apart: 1.
White blood count <3,000/µL or >14,000/µL 2. Lymphocyte count <1,000/µL 3. Neutrophil count <1,5000/µL 4. Platelet count <150,000/µL 5. Hemoglobin<10 g/dL
  • - Liver function test aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or alkaline phosphatase (AlkP) results that are greater than or equal to 2 times the upper limit of normal (ULN).
  • - Serum creatinine ≥ to 2x the ULN.
  • - Known HIV-positive status or known history of any other immune-suppressing disease.
  • - Any current or past history of psychiatric disease that would interfere with ability to comply with study protocol or give informed consent.
  • - Had grade 3 or 4 adverse events or infections within 28 days before screening, or between screening visit and drug initiation.
  • - Evidence of any skin conditions other than psoriasis that would interfere with the evaluations of the effect of study medication on psoriasis.
  • - Presence of any condition or circumstances judged by the patient's physician, the investigator, or medically qualified study staff to render this clinical trial detrimental or otherwise unsuitable for the patient's participation.
  • - A history of non-compliance with other therapies.
  • - Females who are pregnant, lactating, planning on pregnancy during the study period, or unwilling to use FDA-approved method of birth control.
  • - A history of keloids or excessive scar formation or of healing poorly.
- A history of allergic reaction to local anesthetics, including lidocaine and epinephrine

Trial Details

Trial ID:

This trial id was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, providing information on publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants with locations in all 50 States and in 196 countries.

NCT02622386
Phase

Phase 1: Studies that emphasize safety and how the drug is metabolized and excreted in humans.

Phase 2: Studies that gather preliminary data on effectiveness (whether the drug works in people who have a certain disease or condition) and additional safety data.

Phase 3: Studies that gather more information about safety and effectiveness by studying different populations and different dosages and by using the drug in combination with other drugs.

Phase 4: Studies occurring after FDA has approved a drug for marketing, efficacy, or optimal use.

Phase 2
Lead Sponsor

The sponsor is the organization or person who oversees the clinical study and is responsible for analyzing the study data.

University of Michigan
Principal Investigator

The person who is responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the entire clinical study.

Johann Gudjonsson, MD
Principal Investigator Affiliation University of Michigan
Agency Class

Category of organization(s) involved as sponsor (and collaborator) supporting the trial.

Other
Overall Status Recruiting
Countries United States
Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied.

Psoriasis
Additional Details

The purpose of this investigation is to determine the anti-inflammatory effect of high-dose riboflavin supplementation on chronic plaque psoriasis. Up to fifty volunteers with chronic plaque psoriasis will be recruited for a double-blind, placebo-controlled 28 week prospective study with cross-over of both the intervention and control groups at the 12 week time mark. There will be a 4 week washout period when subjects crossover. Riboflavin will be dosed 400 mg by mouth daily versus placebo. Throughout the study the investigators will perform both clinical and laboratory assessments to measure response.

Arms & Interventions

Arms

Experimental: Riboflavin

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 400 mg oral capsule taken once daily for 12 weeks, followed by 4 week washout period before crossover. At crossover, patients will no longer receive Riboflavin but matching placebo capsule for additional 12 weeks.

Placebo Comparator: Placebo

Placebo oral capsule taken once daily for 12 weeks, followed by 4 week washout period before crossover. At crossover, patients will no longer receive placebo but 400 mg Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) capsule for additional 12 weeks.

Interventions

Drug: - Riboflavin

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 400 mg capsule taken daily for 12 weeks.

Other: - Placebo

Matching placebo capsule taken daily for 12 weeks.

Contact a Trial Team

If you are interested in learning more about this trial, find the trial site nearest to your location and contact the site coordinator via email or phone. We also strongly recommend that you consult with your healthcare provider about the trials that may interest you and refer to our terms of service below.

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Status

Recruiting

Address

University of Michigan Department of Dermatology

Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109

Site Contact

Nicole Nechiporchik

nnechipo@med.umich.edu

734-936-7519

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