Seaweed compound could ease arthritis pain in new trial
NCT ID NCT07045896
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether fucoidan, a substance from brown seaweed, can help adults with active rheumatoid arthritis who haven't improved enough on standard medications. The trial will enroll 40 people and follow them for 12 weeks to see if joint pain and swelling improve. Fucoidan works by blocking a specific immune target (SR-A) that is overactive in rheumatoid arthritis.
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
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 40 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Jan 2026
- Expected to finish
-
Jul 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 65 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 Hide 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: * Patients aged 18-65 years (inclusive) at screening, regardless of gender, with a minimum weight of 35 kg. * Patients meeting the 2010 ACR classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis. * Patients with active rheumatoid arthritis showing moderate-to-high disease activity (DAS28-ESR \>3.2) despite current treatment. * If receiving conventional NSAIDs or other pain medications, the dose must have been stable for at least 2 weeks prior to the first study drug administration and remain unchanged during the study period. * If taking oral corticosteroids, patients must have been on treatment for at least 4 weeks, with the dose stabilized at an average of ≤1.0 mg/kg/day prednisone equivalent for at least 4 weeks prior to the first study drug administration, and remain unchanged during the study period. * If receiving DMARDs (methotrexate ≤25 mg/week with folic acid supplementation \[recommended ≥5 mg/week\] or leflunomide ≤40 mg/day), patients must have been on treatment for ≥8 weeks, with the dose stable for at least 4 weeks prior to the first study drug administration, and remain unchanged during the study period. * Female patients of childbearing potential must have negative serum and urine pregnancy test results at screening. * From the time of signing the informed consent form throughout the study and for 3 months after the last dose, female patients of childbearing potential and male patients who have not undergone vasectomy must use effective contraception. * Patients must be willing and able to comply with the study restrictions. * Patients must sign the informed consent form, understand the purpose and procedures of the study, and be willing to participate in the study. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients currently receiving biologic therapy. * Patients with other inflammatory joint diseases or connective tissue diseases. * Patients with significant bone marrow impairment or significant anemia, leukopenia, or thrombocytopenia secondary to inactive rheumatoid arthritis. * Patients with persistent or severe infections within 3 months prior to enrollment. * Patients with uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, unstable ischemic heart disease, active inflammatory bowel disease, active peptic ulcers, terminal illnesses, or other conditions that, in the investigator's opinion, would pose a risk to the patient's participation in the study. * Patients with clinically relevant cardiovascular, hepatic, neurological, endocrine, or other major systemic diseases that would complicate the implementation of the protocol or interpretation of study results. * Patients with severe hypoalbuminemia (serum albumin \<30 g/L), such as due to severe liver disease or nephrotic syndrome. * Patients with moderate or severe renal impairment, defined as serum creatinine \>133 μmol/L (or 1.5 mg/dL). * Patients with a recent or clinically significant history of drug or alcohol abuse. * Patients with impaired liver function or persistent alanine aminotransferase levels \>2 times the upper limit of normal. * Pregnant patients. * Breastfeeding patients. * Patients with congenital or acquired severe immunodeficiency, a history of cancer or lymphoproliferative disorders, or those who have undergone total lymphoid irradiation. * Patients with known HIV-positive status. * Patients with known positive serology for hepatitis B or hepatitis C. * Patients enrolled in any other clinical trial involving off-label use of investigational drugs or devices, or enrolled in any other type of medical research. * Patients with any active infection (including chronic or localized infections) requiring antimicrobial therapy within 28 days prior to the first study drug dose. * Patients with a body mass index (BMI) \<18.5 kg/m² or \>30 kg/m².
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Arthritis rheumatoid are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Peking University People's Hospital
RECRUITINGBeijing, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a cementless hip stem hold up in asian patients?
- Immune cell study could pave way for new arthritis treatments
- Are women with autoimmune diseases getting the gynecological care they need?
- Brain scans may predict who gets long-term pain from arthritis
- Can mindfulness ease arthritis pain? small study seeks answers
- Can a simple blood test help rheumatoid arthritis patients get the right drug?