Gene therapy for diabetic foot ulcers fails to reach finish line
NCT ID NCT02563522
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested a gene therapy called VM202 to help heal chronic foot ulcers in people with diabetes and poor leg circulation. The treatment was given as injections into the calf muscle. The study was stopped early after enrolling only 44 participants, so results are limited.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 3
Large-scale testing in a bigger group. Usually the last step before a treatment can be approved.
- Participants
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44 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jun 2017
- Finished
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Sep 2019
- Lead sponsor
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A company
The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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: 1. Male or female, between 18 and 80 years of age 2. Documented history of symptomatic PAD, with one or more of the following criteria satisfied: 1. ABI \>0.40 and ≤0.90 or \>1.4 (i.e., mild to severe PAD without critical limb ischemia) in target limb 2. TBI ≤0.7 in the target limb 3. Toe pressure of \<55 mmHg in the target limb 4. A history of lower extremity PAD with previous related intervention in a leg 3. Documented history of Type I or II diabetes with current treatment control (HbA1c of ≤12.0% at Screening) and currently on oral medication, injectable medication, and/or insulin 4. No significant changes were anticipated in diabetes medication regimen 5. At Screening, the subject had one ulcer on the target foot that fulfilled all of the following criteria: 1. Present for ≥2 weeks and ≤1 year 2. Full-thickness and not involving bone, tendon, or capsule (probing to tendon or capsule) 3. No sign of infection or osteomyelitis 4. Ulcer must have been 0.5 cm2 to 15 cm2 as measured at the Screening visit prior to debridement If more than one ulcer was present on the foot, the largest ulcer that fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria was considered the target (index) ulcer for the study. Subjects underwent protocol-defined standardized wound care during Screening (for two weeks or longer). Subjects were considered screen failures and did not receive study injections on Day 0 (Baseline) if the target ulcer did not meet all entry criteria (see above) as well as being confirmed as nonhealing. 6. Capable of understanding and complying with the protocol and signed the informed consent document prior to being subjected to any study related procedures 7. If female of childbearing potential, negative urine pregnancy test at Screening and used an acceptable method of birth control during the study Exclusion Criteria: 1. Required revascularization in the target leg within 3 months of randomization 2. In the Investigator's assessment, required an amputation in the target leg within 3 months of randomization 3. Subjects with target foot ulcer with an etiology of vasculitis, pyoderma gangrenosum, necrobiosis lipoidica, hydrostatic pressure/venous insufficiency, any neoplasms (basalioma, Kaposi's sarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma, etc.), or due to a burn 4. The study ulcer increased or decreased by 50% or more at Baseline from Screening (as assessed by comparison of post-debridement photos taken at Screening and Day 0) 5. Evidence of active infection (e.g., cellulitis, osteomyelitis) or deep ulceration exposing bone or tendon in the foot planned for treatment 6. Any gangrene 7. Current fracture in the target foot 8. Target ulcer located on an active (hot) Charcot foot 9. Heart Failure with a New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification of III or IV 10. Body mass index (BMI) \>45 kg/m2 at Screening 11. Stroke or myocardial infarction within the last 3 months 12. Unstable angina 13. Uncontrolled hypertension defined as sustained systolic blood pressure (SBP) \>200 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) \>110 mmHg at Baseline/Screening evaluation 14. Ophthalmologic conditions pertinent to proliferative retinopathy or conditions that precluded standard ophthalmologic examination 15. Inflammatory disorder of the blood vessels (inflammatory angiopathy, such as Buerger's disease) 16. Subjects with advanced liver disease including decompensated cirrhosis, jaundice, ascites, or bleeding varices 17. Subjects currently receiving immunosuppressive medications chemotherapy, or radiation therapy 18. Positive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) at Screening 19. Active hepatitis B or C infection as determined by hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb), hepatitis B core antibody (immunoglobulin G \[IgG\] and immunoglobulin M \[IgM\]; HBcAb), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and hepatitis C antibodies (Anti-HCV) at Screening 20. Clinically significant specific laboratory values at Screening (e.g., hemoglobin \<8.0 g/dL, white blood cell \[WBC\] \<3,000/μL, platelet count \<75,000/mm3, aspartate aminotransferase \[AST\] and/or alanine aminotransferase \[ALT\] \>3 times the upper limit of normal, or any other clinically significant lab abnormality which in the opinion of the Investigator was exclusionary) 21. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) \<30 mL/min/1.73 m2 22. Subjects with a recent history (\<5 years) of or new Screening finding of malignant neoplasm except basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (if excised and no evidence of recurrence for at least 1 year); subjects with medical history and/or family history of colon cancer in any first degree relative were excluded unless they had undergone a colonoscopy in the last 12 months with negative findings 23. Subjects with any comorbid conditions likely to have interfered with assessment of safety or efficacy or with an estimated life expectancy of less than 1 year 24. Subjects who required \>81 mg daily of acetylsalicylic acid. If \>81 mg was taken at Screening, subjects could be enrolled if they were willing/able to switch to another medication for the duration of the study 25. Subjects who required regular (daily) COX-2 inhibitor drug(s) or steroids (except inhaled steroids or ocular steroids); subjects could be enrolled if they were willing/able to undergo medication washout prior to the first dosing and refrained from taking these drugs during the study 26. Major psychiatric disorder in the past 6 months 27. History of drug or alcohol abuse/dependence in the past 2 years 28. Used an investigational drug in the past 3 months; used an investigational biologic in the past 12 months; concurrent participation in an investigational protocol or using unapproved therapeutics 29. Was unable or unwilling to give informed consent
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Acclaim Bone & Joint Institute
Fort Worth, Texas, 76107, United States
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Advanced Foot & Ankle Center
Las Vegas, Nevada, 89119, United States
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Arizona Research Center
Phoenix, Arizona, 85053, United States
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Bay Area Foot and Ankle
Castro Valley, California, 94546, United States
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Center for Clinical Research Inc.
San Francisco, California, 94115, United States
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Central Research Associates, Inc.
Birmingham, Alabama, 35205, United States
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Foot and Ankle Clinic
Los Angeles, California, 90057, United States
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Futuro Clinical Trials
McAllen, Texas, 78501, United States
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LCC Medical Research Institute
Miami, Florida, 33126, United States
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MedResearch, Inc
El Paso, Texas, 79932, United States
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Miami Dade Medical Research Institute, LLC
Miami, Florida, 33176, United States
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NEA Baptist
Jonesboro, Arkansas, 72401, United States
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Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States
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Olive View-UCLA Education & Research Institute
Sylmar, California, 91342, United States
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Oregon Foot and Ankle Center
Eugene, Oregon, 97401, United States
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Sacramento Foot and Ankle
Carmichael, California, 95608, United States
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Saint Louis University
St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States
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Texas Heart Institute
Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
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UMASS Memorial Med Center
Worcester, Massachusetts, 01655, United States
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USC Keck School of Medicine
Los Angeles, California, 90033, United States
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University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona, 85724, United States
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VA Long Beach Healthcare System
Long Beach, California, 90822, United States
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