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Could an antidepressant ease chronic bladder pain? new trial investigates

NCT ID NCT07698626

Symptom relief Sponsor: Beijing Tiantan Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 13, 2026 · Last updated Jul 14, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial compares two approaches for adults with interstitial cystitis, a condition causing long-term bladder pain and frequent urination. All participants receive education and behavioral training, while half also take the antidepressant venlafaxine for 12 weeks. Researchers will track pain levels, urinary symptoms, sleep, and mood to see if adding the drug provides better relief. The goal is to find safer, more effective treatment options for this painful condition.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
venlafaxine
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a new treatment option for people with bladder pain syndrome, potentially improving pain and urinary symptoms with manageable side effects.
What could go wrong
This is an early-phase trial with only 140 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Venlafaxine can cause side effects like nausea, dizziness, or sleep changes.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 1

The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.

Participants

About 140 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Dec 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 80 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: Age ≥ 18 years (all genders) Confirmed IC/BPS diagnosis fulfilling AUA 2015 and ESSIC standardized diagnostic criteria, ruled out confounding urologic disorders Predominant lower urinary tract symptoms present for most days in the past 3 months Baseline bladder/pelvic pain and urinary frequency score ≥ 3 points on 0-10 Likert scale within prior 4 weeks Exclusion Criteria: Symptomatic urethral stricture Active degenerative/inflammatory neurological disease altering bladder/intestinal function Uncontrolled active autoimmune disease or systemic infection Medical history of pelvic tuberculosis, pelvic radiotherapy or chemotherapy-induced cystitis History of non-cutaneous malignant tumors Current diagnosis of severe psychiatric disorders (major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, psychotic disorders) Clinically significant moderate-severe cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic or renal insufficiency Documented hypersensitivity to venlafaxine or other SNRI drugs Concurrent regular use of antibiotics or NSAIDs throughout trial period Pregnancy or breastfeeding state at screening

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

interstitial cystitis

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Bladder pain syndrome Chronic pelvic nociplastic pain Interstitial cystitis

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  2. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

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