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Arginine

Phase 1

Sickle Cell Disease | Small molecule | Hematology |National Healthcare Corp.|Last Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Success Probability

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Market & Valuation

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Trial Design

RandomizedCONTROLLED
Total Trials1
Total Enrollment21

FDA Designations

No designations recorded

Clinical trial landscape

Arginine · 1 trial · 1 indication

Phase 1 1
NCT02447874Arginine Therapy for the Treatment of Pain in Children With Sickle Cell DiseaseSickle Cell Disease
RECRUITING21 Analytics
PHASE1RECRUITING
Arginine Therapy for the Treatment of Pain in Children With Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle Cell DiseaseUnlock trial analytics

Study Endpoints

Primary Endpoints

Pharmacokinetics of IV arginine, measured by plasma arginine concentration over time
Day 1 through study completion, an average of up to 7 days

Total time plasma arginine levels are maintained above the half-saturating concentration (Km) of cationic amino acid transporter protein-1 (CAT-1), which is 150 µM (normal range of extracellular plasma arginine concentration). pK samples will be collected at 6 time-points within 8 hours: prior to arginine treatment (time 0), and at 60, 90, 120 minutes, 4 and 8 hours after the initiation of arginine therapy, and then every 24 hours up to 7 days.

Change in nitric oxide metabolites
Baseline, day 1 through study completion, an average of up to 7 days

The formation of NO metabolites will be measured by determination of its stable end products in serum; nitrite (NO2-) and nitrate (NO3-). Change in nitric oxide metabolites will be calculated as the difference in metabolites from the time prior to arginine treatment (baseline) to the end of the intervention period.

Secondary Endpoints

Area Under the Plasma Concentration -Time Curve (AUC) From Time 0 to the Time of the Last Quantifiable Concentration for Arginine
Day 1
Maximum observed plasma concentration of arginine
Day 1
Apparent clearance of arginine
Day 1
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Study Design & Arms

AllocationRANDOMIZED
MaskingNONE
ModelCROSSOVER
PurposeTREATMENT

Treatment Arms

ArmTypeDescription
Standard doseEXPERIMENTALSubjects with sickle cell disease (SCD) and vaso-occlusive painful events (VOE) will be randomized to receive an intravenous (IV) infusion of a standard dose of arginine (100 mg/kg) three times a day for seven days or until discharged from the hospital, whichever occurs first
Loading dose + standard doseEXPERIMENTALSubjects with sickle cell disease and vaso-occlusive painful events (VOE) will be randomized to receive an intravenous (IV) infusion of an initial loading dose of arginine (200 mg/kg) given over 30 minutes and then receive an intravenous (IV) infusion of a standard dose of arginine (100 mg/kg) three times a day for seven days or until discharged from the hospital, whichever occurs first
Loading dose + continuous infusionEXPERIMENTALSubjects with sickle cell disease and vaso-occlusive painful events (VOE) will be randomized to receive an intravenous (IV) infusion of an initial loading dose of arginine (200 mg/kg) given over 30 minutes and then receive a continuous intravenous (IV) infusion of 300 mg/kg/24hr for 7 days or until discharged from the hospital, whichever occurs first
Non-Randomized Loading dose 500 mg/kg + standard doseEXPERIMENTALArginine will be dispensed intravenously (in the vein) as an initial bolus (loading) arginine dose at 500 mg/kg once, followed by a standard dose of 100mg/kg every 8 hours until discharge or for a total of 21 doses of arginine, whichever comes first.
Non-Randomized Loading dose 300 mg/kg + standard doseEXPERIMENTALArginine will be dispensed intravenously (in the vein) as an initial bolus (loading) arginine dose at 300 mg/kg once, followed by a standard dose of 100mg/kg every 8 hours until discharge or for a total of 21 doses of arginine, whichever comes first.
Non-Randomized Loading dose 400mg/kg + standard doseEXPERIMENTALArginine will be dispensed intravenously (in the vein) as an initial bolus (loading) arginine dose at 400 mg/kg once, followed by a standard dose of 100mg/kg every 8 hours until discharge or for a total of 21 doses of arginine, whichever comes first.

Interventions

NameTypeDescription
ArginineDRUGArginine will be dispensed intravenously (in the vein) in the standard dose of arginine as 100 mg/kg three times a day for seven days or until discharge. * Loading dose: 200 mg/kg once * Continuous IV: 300 mg/kg/24 hours
Arginine (Loading)DRUGArginine will be dispensed intravenously (in the vein) as an initial bolus (loading) at each specified group dose once, followed by a standard dose of 100mg/kg every 8 hours until discharge or for a total of 21 doses of arginine, whichever comes first.
Arginine (Continuous)DRUGArginine will be dispensed intravenously (in the vein) as a continuous IV infusion of 300 mg/kg/24hr
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Eligibility Criteria

Age Range7 Years to 21 Years
SexALL
Healthy VolunteersNo
Study Sites2

Inclusion Criteria: * Established diagnosis of sickle cell disease--Hemoglobin SS (Hb-SS) or Sβᴼ-thalassemia * 7-21 years of age * Weight \>= 25kg (55lbs) * Pain requiring medical care in an acute care setting (emergency department (ED), hospital ward, day hospital, clinic) requiring parenteral opi...

Countries:United States
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Frequently asked questions about Arginine

What is Arginine used for in Sickle Cell Disease?

Arginine is an investigational small molecule being studied for the treatment of pain in children with Sickle Cell Disease. It is currently in Phase 1 clinical development and has not been approved by the FDA. The drug is being evaluated in a clinical trial to assess its safety and efficacy for this indication.

Who makes Arginine?

Arginine is being developed by National Healthcare Corp. (NHC), a biopharmaceutical company. The company is conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the drug for the treatment of pain in children with Sickle Cell Disease. National Healthcare Corp. is listed on the stock exchange under the ticker symbol NHC.

What phase is Arginine in?

Arginine is currently in Phase 1 clinical development. It is an investigational drug being studied for the treatment of pain in children with Sickle Cell Disease. The drug has not yet been approved by the FDA and is still undergoing clinical trials to evaluate its safety and efficacy.

What clinical trials is Arginine in?

Arginine is being studied in a Phase 1 clinical trial with the identifier NCT02447874, titled "Arginine Therapy for the Treatment of Pain in Children With Sickle Cell Disease." This trial is currently recruiting participants in the United States and has an enrollment target of 21 patients aged 7 years and older.

Is Arginine the same as L-arginine?

Arginine is the drug name used in the clinical trial for this investigational therapy. The trial is evaluating arginine as a treatment for pain in children with Sickle Cell Disease. The drug is being developed by National Healthcare Corp. and is currently in Phase 1 clinical development.