Clinical trials are medical research studies involving people that seek to prevent disease, find treatments, diagnose diseases, or control symptoms. Trials on experimental drugs, such as the GERD study, aim to identify if the drug is safe, has side effects, works better than currently used treatments, and helps users feel better. Experimental drugs are not tested on people unless they show promising results in laboratory tests.

GERD is a chronic condition in which the liquid contents of the stomach regurgitate or back up into the esophagus. This liquid can inflame and irritate the lining of the esophagus, causing symptoms such as heartburn, sour taste in the back of the throat, a dry cough and interrupted sleep. If left untreated, it can also lead to esophageal cancer.

Treatments include diet changes and medication. While many drugs are available over-the-counter to treat heartburn, more potent prescription alternatives are limited. One common prescription treatment is Reglan (metoclopramide), however the drug carries an FDA black box warning of a serious, involuntary movement disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia. For sufferers of GERD, identifying a safe and effective treatment could be life changing.

SOURCE: Reglan Side Effects › Participants needed for clinical trial on new GERD treatment

Cancer of the esophagus is one of the 10 most common cancers, yet there is no good treatment for the disease. Most people who have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer also have a long history of heartburn. Heartburn occurs when toxic acid from the stomach splashes up into the esophagus. Over time, if left untreated, this constant bathing of stomach acid can damage tissue in the esophagus, a condition known as Barrett’s esophagus.

Barrett’s esophagus is generally treated with the same medications used to treat heartburn and GERD, including Reglan (metoclopramide).

The damaged tissue of Barrett’s esophagus cannot be reserved and if left untreated can lead to esophageal cancer. It is also impossible to remove the damaged tissue, which means the risk of cancer is always a threat.

However, Hans Clevers of the Hubrecht Institute had a hunch. He believed that since the cells in Barrett’s esophagus are very similar to the cells that line the colon, they might share some qualities that could lead to a better understanding in the treatment of Barrett’s esophagus. Researchers determined that the anti-Alzheimer’s drug DBZ, currently in clinical trials, had side effects that affected the lining of the lower colon. Using rat models, Clevers observed the effects of DBZ on Barrett’s esophagus tissue and found that the drug not only halted the growth of Barrett’s esophagus, in some cases it also completely destroyed the mutant tissue.

The treatment is far from human trials, but it still offers hope for a better treatment for Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal cancer in the future.

SOURCE: Reglan Side Effects › Alzheimer’s drug may treat Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal cancer

GERD is a condition thought to be the result of an acid burn caused by stomach acid splashing up into the esophagus. It is often treated with medications that reduce stomach acid, such as Reglan (metoclopramide). But the new study squashes the “acid burn” belief. “Chemical injuries develop immediately,” the study’s leader, Dr. Stuart Spechler, told Reuters. “If you spill battery acid on your hand, you don’t have to wait a month to see the damage.”

Researchers say that the findings from the new study could change the way GERD is treated. “Currently, we treat GERD by giving medications to prevent the stomach from making acid,” said Dr. Rhonda Souza. “But if GERD is really an immune-mediated injury, maybe we should create medications that would prevent these cytokines from attracting inflammatory cells to the esophagus and starting the injury in the first place.”

An estimated 40 percent of Americans experience symptoms of GERD at some point, and as many as 20 percent suffer from persistent symptoms. If left untreated, GERD can cause esophageal cancer.

SOURCE: Reglan Side Effects › New study may lead to different treatments for GERD