New hope for sickle cell patients: drug cuts painful erections

NCT ID NCT03938454

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tested a drug called crizanlizumab in 36 men with sickle cell disease who suffer from priapism—painful erections lasting an hour or more. The goal was to see if the drug could reduce how often these events happen. Participants received the drug by IV and reported their symptoms over 26 weeks. The results suggest crizanlizumab may help control this painful complication, but larger studies are needed to confirm.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Crizanlizumab (a monoclonal antibody given by IV infusion)

What this could lead to

If successful, this could lead to a new treatment option to reduce painful erections in men with sickle cell disease.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-phase trial with only 36 participants and no placebo group, so results may not apply to everyone. The drug may cause side effects like infusion reactions or infections.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

priapism sickle cell disease

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Brody School of Medicine

    Greenville, North Carolina, 27834, United States

  • Childrens Hosp Boston Dept of Hematology

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States

  • Childrens National Hospital

    Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20010, United States

  • Duke University Medical Center

    Durham, North Carolina, 27710, United States

  • Emory University School of Medicine

    Atlanta, Georgia, 30303, United States

  • Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research

    Hollywood, Florida, 33021, United States

  • LSU Medical Center

    Shreveport, Louisiana, 71130, United States

  • Montefiore Medical Center

    The Bronx, New York, 10461, United States

  • Prisma Health Upstate

    Greenville, South Carolina, 29615, United States

  • University Of Alabama

    Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, United States

  • University of Connecticut Health Center

    Farmington, Connecticut, 06030, United States

  • University of Pittsburgh

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213-2548, United States

  • University of Texas Medical School

    Houston, Texas, 77030, United States