Nonivamide/Nicoboxil Ointment in Acute Low Back Pain

A Multi-centre, Double-blind, Randomised, Parallel Group Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Multiple Doses of Topically Applied Hyperemisation-inducing Ointment (2cm Ointment Line Per Application; up to 3 Times Daily for up to 4 Days) Containing 2.5% Nicoboxil/0.4% Nonivamide Versus 2.5% Nicoboxil, 0.4% Nonivamide and Placebo in Patients 18 to 65 Years of Age With Acute Low Back Pain

The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy and tolerability of Nicoboxil/Nonivamide ointment in comparison to Nicoboxil, Nonivamide, and placebo ointments for the treatment of acute low back pain.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Acute Low Back Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: nonivamide + nicoboxil (Finalgon); Drug: nonivamide; Drug: nicoboxil; Drug: placebo matching nonivamide + nicoboxil

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 805
• Phase: Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Bad Lippspringe, Germany
    • 69.52.49007 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Berlin, Germany
    • 69.52.49003 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Berlin, Germany
    • 69.52.49004 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Berlin, Germany
    • 69.52.49026 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Berlin, Germany
    • 69.52.49032 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Berlin, Germany
    • 69.52.49033 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Berlin, Germany
    • 69.52.49041 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Einbeck, Germany
    • 69.52.49002 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Essen, Germany
    • 69.52.49024 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Essen, Germany
    • 69.52.49031 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Essen, Germany
    • 69.52.49036 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Everswinkel, Germany
    • 69.52.49005 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Fürth, Germany
    • 69.52.49039 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Goch, Germany
    • 69.52.49018 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Großheirath-Rossach, Germany
    • 69.52.49025 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Haag, Germany
    • 69.52.49022 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Hamburg, Germany
    • 69.52.49009 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Hamburg, Germany
    • 69.52.49019 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Kaarst, Germany
    • 69.52.49015 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Karlsruhe-Rüppurr, Germany
    • 69.52.49042 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Köln, Germany
    • 69.52.49027 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Köln, Germany
    • 69.52.49035 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Köln, Germany
    • 69.52.49040 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Köthen, Germany
    • 69.52.49013 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Künzing, Germany
    • 69.52.49014 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Ludwigshafen, Germany
    • 69.52.49034 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Meßkirch, Germany
    • 69.52.49028 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Meßkirch, Germany
    • 69.52.49030 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Münster, Germany
    • 69.52.49029 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Neunkirchen, Germany
    • 69.52.49012 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Rodgau, Germany
    • 69.52.49020 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Siegen, Germany
    • 69.52.49037 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Stockach, Germany
    • 69.52.49016 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Straßkirchen, Germany
    • 69.52.49010 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany
    • 69.52.49021 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Wangen, Germany
    • 69.52.49023 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site
  • Weilburg, Germany
    • 69.52.49011 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigational Site

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion criteria:

• Patients must sign and date an Informed Consent consistent with International Conference on Hermonisation (ICH)/Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines and local regulation prior to participation in the trial.
• Patients must agree to cooperate with all trial evaluations and perform all required tasks.
• Acute low back pain for more than 2 days and less than 21 days (= 3 weeks)
• Male or female patients aged 18 to 65 years
• Low back pain rating >5 on a 0-10 numerical rating scale (NRS).
• Female patients of childbearing potential may participate only in case of availability of a negative urine pregnancy test and a confirmed menstrual period prior to study entry and using a highly effective method of birth control. Highly effective methods of birth control are defined as those which result in a low failure rate (i.e. less than 1 % per year) when used consistently and correctly such as implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, appropriate intrauterine devices, sexual abstinence or vasectomised partner. Barrier methods of contraception (e.g. condom, diaphragma or occlusive cap) are accepted if used in combination with spermicides (e.g. foam, gel). Female patients will be considered being of childbearing potential unless surgically sterilised by bilateral tubal ligation/salpingectomy or hysterectomy or post-menopausal for at least one year.

Exclusion criteria:

• Multilocular pain or panalgesia
• History of more than three low back pain episodes in the last six months
• Abnormal findings in at least one of the following assessments: Achilles tendon reflex, patella reflex, heel walking, toe walking, cutaneous sensitivity of the legs (including gluteal region), paresis tests in supine position upon dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, hip flexion, knee extension
• Bladder and/or rectum dysfunction
• Acute low back pain due to vertebral collapse or neoplastic, inflammatory (ankylosing spondylitis), traumatic, or infective origins
• Any condition, disease or concomitant treatment that in the judgement of the Investigator will affect the subject's ability to participate in the clinical trial or which will influence the test methodology used
• Negative experience in the past with heat treatment for muscle complaints (e. g. hot water bottle, heat pads, hyperemisation-inducing topical creams, ointments or patches)
• History of treatment of back pain with centrally acting analgesics (e. g. opioids) and muscle relaxants
• Surgery due to back pain or rehabilitation due to back pain in the last 12 months
• Spinal injection back pain treatment within 6 months prior to enrollment
• Intake of antidepressant/antipsychotic medication within 4 weeks prior to enrollment
• Treatment of the recent low back pain period with oral analgesics for more than 4 consecutive days
• Locally applied medication to the back within 48 hours prior to enrollment (topical treatments, injections)
• Administration of other analgesics within 24 h prior to enrollment (exception: acetyl salicylic acid (ASS) up to 100 mg/daily for anti platelet-aggregation therapy)
• Non-pharmacological low back pain treatment (physiotherapy, heat treatment (e.g. hot water bottle, heat patch, or massages) within 12 h prior to enrollment
• Participation in an investigational drug or device trial within 4 weeks prior to enrollment
• Hypersensitivity to Nicoboxil, Nonivamide, or paracetamol
• Known hypersensitivity to any other ingredient, especially to sorbic acid/sorbate, to citronella oil containing e.g. the fragrance compounds geraniol, citronellol and citronellal, or to relevant flowers containing these compounds such as geranium, lavender, jasmine or rose. For patients with known hypersensitivity to perfumes or known type IV hypersensitivity to fragrance-mix I, the application of the investigational product should be performed only with particular caution.
• Skin lesions (e. g., rash, dermatitis, bruising, laceration) in the back region
• Drug dependence and/or alcohol abuse
• Severe hepatocellular insufficiency
• Patients who are pregnant or breast-feeding

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: nonivamide + nicoboxil (Finalgon); 2cm ointment line for a skin area of approximately 20 cm x 20 cm up to 3 times in a 24h period	Drug: nonivamide + nicoboxil (Finalgon); 2cm ointment line for a skin area of approximately 20 cm x 20 cm up to 3 times in a 24h period
Active Comparator: nonivamide; 2cm ointment line for a skin area of approximately 20 cm x 20 cm up to 3 times in a 24h period	Drug: nonivamide; 2cm ointment line for a skin area of approximately 20 cm x 20 cm up to 3 times in a 24h period
Active Comparator: nicoboxil; 2cm ointment line for a skin area of approximately 20 cm x 20 cm up to 3 times in a 24h period	Drug: nicoboxil; 2cm ointment line for a skin area of approximately 20 cm x 20 cm up to 3 times in a 24h period
Placebo Comparator: placebo; 2cm ointment line for a skin area of approximately 20 cm x 20 cm up to 3 times in a 24h period	Drug: placebo matching nonivamide + nicoboxil; 2cm ointment line for a skin area of approximately 20 cm x 20 cm up to 3 times in a 24h period

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pain Intensity Difference (PID) Between Pre-dose Baseline and 8hours After First Application	Pain intensity (PI) was assessed on a 11-point numerical rating scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain possible) at pre-dose baseline and 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 hours after first ointment application. Means were adjusted for centre effect and baseline value.	Baseline and 8 hours after first ointment application

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pain Intensity Difference (PID) Between Pre-dose Baseline and 4 Hours After First Application	Pain intensity was assessed on a 11-point numerical rating scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain possible) at pre-dose baseline and 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4 hours after first ointment application. Means were adjusted for centre effect and baseline value.	Baseline and 4 hours after first ointment application
Difference Between Baseline Pain Intensity and Average Pain Intensity on the Last Individual Treatment Day	Average pain intensity was assessed in the evening of days 1, 2, 3 and 4 on a 11-point numerical rating scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain possible). The last individual treatment day is the last day with diary-recorded ointment application. Means were adjusted for centre effect and baseline value.	Baseline and 1 to 4 days
Patient Assessment of Efficacy on the Last Individual Treatment Day	Patient assessment of efficacy was assessed on a 4-point verbal rating scale (VRS, 0 = 'poor', 1 = 'fair', 2 = 'good', 3 = 'very good' relief of the patients' low back pain) in the evening of days 1, 2, 3 and 4. The last individual treatment day is the last day with diary-recorded ointment application	1 to 4 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Boehringer Ingelheim

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Gaubitz M, Schiffer T, Holm C, Richter E, Pisternick-Ruf W, Weiser T. Efficacy and safety of nicoboxil/nonivamide ointment for the treatment of acute pain in the low back - A randomized, controlled trial. Eur J Pain. 2016 Feb;20(2):263-73. doi: 10.1002/ejp.719. Epub 2015 Apr 30.

Helpful Links

• Related Info

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 1, 2013
• Study Completion (Actual): April 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 16, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 16, 2012
• First Posted (Estimate): October 17, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): May 29, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 20, 2014
• Last Verified: May 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Back Pain; Low Back Pain; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Sensory System Agents; Dermatologic Agents; Micronutrients; Vitamins; Vitamin B Complex; Antipruritics; Nicotinic Acids; Capsaicin; Nonivamide
• Other Study ID Numbers: 69.52; 2011-003890-27 (EudraCT Number: EudraCT)