Herpes LabialisPhase 1SquarexNCT01971385
Safety and Efficacy of Squaric Acid Dibutyl Ester for the Treatment of Herpes Labialis
A Phase 1 study testing Squaric Acid solution in people with Herpes Labialis, run by Massachusetts General Hospital at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Subjects with a history of recurrent herpes labialis will be sensitized with either 2% SADBE or placebo. Following this, subjects sensitized with 2% SADBE will received.2% sqauric acid or.5% squaric acid on their cold sore within 72 hours of a recurrence. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 80 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Herpes Labialis
- What is being tested?
- Squaric Acid solution
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 54 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Oct 2013to Sep 2015
- Phase
- Phase 1
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 80 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age >18
- With clinical diagnosis of herpes labialis.
- who self report having six or more episodes of herpes labialis in the previous 12 months.
Who cannot join
- Pregnant or lactating females.
- Current or recurrent infection or any underlying condition that may predispose to infection or anyone who has been admitted to the hospital due to bacteremia, pneumonia or any other serious infection.
- Therapy with glucocorticoid or immunosuppressant at time of recruitment or within past 4 weeks, except for inhaled corticosteroids for asthma.
- History of malignancy (except patients with surgically cured basal cell or squamous cell skin cancers who will be eligible)
- History of organ transplantation
- Negative HIV-positive status determined by history at screening or known history of any other immuno-suppressing disease.
Show all 13Show fewer
- Severe comorbidities (diabetes mellitus requiring insulin, CHF (EF<50% at baseline will be exclusionary) of any severity, MI, CVA or TIA within 3 months of screening visit, unstable angina pectoris, oxygen-dependent severe pulmonary disease
- Subject is currently enrolled in another investigational device or drug trial(s), or subject has received other investigational agent(s) within 28 days of baseline visit.
- Subjects who have known hypersensitivity to Squaric acid or any of its components.
- History of recent alcohol or substance abuse (< 1 year)
- Any condition judged by the investigator to cause this clinical trial to be detrimental to the patient.
- History of psychiatric disease that would interfere with the patient's ability to comply with the study protocol
- History of non-compliance with other therapies.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02114
About this study
Official title: A Clinical Trial to Test the Safety and Efficacy of Squaric Acid Dibutyl Ester for the Treatment of Herpes Labialis
Subjects with a history of recurrent herpes labialis will be sensitized with either 2% SADBE or placebo. Following this, subjects sensitized with 2% SADBE will received.2% sqauric acid or.5% squaric acid on their cold sore within 72 hours of a recurrence. Subjects sensitized with placebo solution will receive placebo solution on their cold sore within 72 hours of a recurrence. Subjects will be followed for up to 6 mos after application of study medication.
- Conditions
- Herpes Labialis
- Being tested
- Squaric Acid solution, Placebo solution
- Medical subject headings
- Herpes Labialis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Squaric Acid solutionDrug
Also called Squaric Acid Dibutyl Ester solution, SADBE
Placebo solutionDrug
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| 2% Squaric Acid Sensitization | Active comparator | 2% Squaric Acid solution will be applied for sensitization to the inner arm. Receives: Drug: Squaric Acid solution |
| Placebo Solution | Placebo comparator | Patients in placebo group will be given dimethyl sulfoxide. Receives: Drug: Placebo solution |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Subjects With at Least One Form of Contact With Study Staff With no Herpes Labialis Outbreaks Within 119 Days of Sensitization
Percent of subjects with no reported herpes labialis outbreak within 119 days of sensitization over total number of subjects after one form of contact with study staff
Measured: 8 months
Secondary outcomes (1)
Number of Adverse Events Reported
To assess the safety and tolerability of squaric acid solution the number of adverse events in each treatment arm will be collected and compared.
Measured: 8 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Oct 2013 (estimated)
- Study startOct 2013
- Primary completionSep 2015
- Study completionSep 2015
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for Herpes LabialisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Massachusetts General HospitalThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 1
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 54 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Alexandra Kimball, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Investigators
- Alexandra B Kimball, MD, Principal investigator, Massachusetts General Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01971385
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2013P001028
- Acronym
- Squarex
- Status last verified
- May 2017
- First submitted
- 17 Oct 2013
- Last updated
- 2 Oct 2017
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Oct 2017. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Clinical Trial to Test the Safety and Efficacy of Squaric Acid Dibutyl Ester for the Treatment of Herpes Labialis
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01971385
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Squarex / 2013P001028
- Conditions
- Herpes Labialis
- Phase
- Phase 1
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 54 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Massachusetts General HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Oct 2013
- Primary completion
- Sep 2015 (actual)
- Study completion
- Sep 2015 (actual)
- First posted
- 29 Oct 2013 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 2 Oct 2017
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Subjects with a history of recurrent herpes labialis will be sensitized with either 2% SADBE or placebo. Following this, subjects sensitized with 2% SADBE will received.2% sqauric acid or.5% squaric acid on their cold sore within 72 hours of a recurrence. Subjects sensitized with placebo solution will receive placebo solution on their cold sore within 72 hours of a recurrence. Subjects will be followed for up to 6 mos after application of study medication.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| 2% Squaric Acid Sensitization | Active comparator | Drug: Squaric Acid solution2% Squaric Acid solution will be applied for sensitization to the inner arm. |
| Placebo Solution | Placebo comparator | Drug: Placebo solutionPatients in placebo group will be given dimethyl sulfoxide. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Age >18
- With clinical diagnosis of herpes labialis.
- who self report having six or more episodes of herpes labialis in the previous 12 months.
Key exclusion criteria (13 listed)
- Pregnant or lactating females.
- Current or recurrent infection or any underlying condition that may predispose to infection or anyone who has been admitted to the hospital due to bacteremia, pneumonia or any other serious infection.
- Therapy with glucocorticoid or immunosuppressant at time of recruitment or within past 4 weeks, except for inhaled corticosteroids for asthma.
- History of malignancy (except patients with surgically cured basal cell or squamous cell skin cancers who will be eligible)
- History of organ transplantation
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Squaric Acid solutionAlso: Squaric Acid Dibutyl Ester solution, SADBE | Drug | 2% Squaric Acid Sensitization |
| Placebo solution | Drug | Placebo Solution |
Primary outcome
Subjects With at Least One Form of Contact With Study Staff With no Herpes Labialis Outbreaks Within 119 Days of Sensitization
Time frame: 8 months
Percent of subjects with no reported herpes labialis outbreak within 119 days of sensitization over total number of subjects after one form of contact with study staff
1 secondary outcome
Number of Adverse Events Reported
Time frame: 8 months
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 2 Oct 2017.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
Related trials for Herpes Labialis
RecruitingObservational study
Viral Infections in Healthy and Immunocompromised Hosts
Anogenital Herpes, COVID-19
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Alexandra B Kimball, MD principal investigator
Massachusetts General Hospital
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 1 study testing Squaric Acid solution in people with Herpes Labialis, run by Massachusetts General Hospital at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 13 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Oct 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 2 Oct 2017). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Subjects With at Least One Form of Contact With Study Staff With no Herpes Labialis Outbreaks Within 119 Days of Sensitization (time frame: 8 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Oct 2017; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.