Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by prolonged high blood sugar and affects more than half of people with long-standing diabetes, causing pain, numbness, and loss of sensation — particularly in the feet. It remains one of the most common complications of diabetes and has few effective treatments beyond pain management.
What's actually going on in research
SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists are being studied for neuropathy prevention and progression, as evidence grows that these drugs protect nerves beyond their glucose-lowering effects. Drugs targeting the aldose reductase pathway, oxidative stress, and advanced glycation end products — which damage nerves through high glucose — are in trials. Pain management trials are testing newer non-opioid agents including sodium channel blockers and anti-CGRP drugs.
Metabolic neuroprotection
SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists may reduce neuropathy progression through anti-inflammatory and metabolic effects beyond blood sugar control, and dedicated neuropathy trials are underway.
Aldose reductase and AGE inhibitors
Drugs blocking pathways where excess glucose damages nerve fibers — including aldose reductase inhibitors and AGE breakers — are in trials targeting the root cause rather than just symptoms.
Novel pain therapy
Sodium channel blockers targeting Nav1.7 and Nav1.8, which carry pain signals in damaged nerves, are in trials for painful diabetic neuropathy as non-opioid alternatives.
What to know before you search
Eligibility requires confirmed diabetic neuropathy diagnosis, specific pain scores for pain trials, duration of diabetes, and current glycemic control levels.
What types of trials are currently open
- Neuroprotective drug trials — Testing agents to prevent or slow diabetic nerve damage progression.
- Pain management trials — Evaluating new non-opioid analgesics for painful diabetic neuropathy symptoms.
- Device trials — Testing spinal cord stimulators and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for neuropathic pain.
- Lifestyle trials — Evaluating exercise, glycemic control optimization, and weight loss effects on neuropathy outcomes.
- Observational studies — Tracking nerve function markers to identify early neuropathy and predict progression.
Recently added Diabetic Neuropathy trials
Miro3D Wound Matrix for Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers
This study is designed to evaluate whether the Miro3D Wound Matrix, when used in addition to standard of care, improves healing outcomes in patients with chronic diabetic foot ulcers. Diabetic foot ulcers are a common and serious complication of diabetes and may be difficult to heal despite appropriate treatment. Standard of care typically includes regular wound cleaning, debridement (removal of dead tissue), offloading (reducing pressure on the wound), and moisture-balancing dressings. However, some wounds fail to heal with standard treatment alone. Miro3D Wound Matrix is a three-dimensional, acellular scaffold derived from porcine tissue that is intended to support wound healing. This study will compare outcomes in patients treated with Miro3D plus standard of care versus standard of care alone. Approximately 180 adult subjects with non-healing diabetic foot ulcers will be enrolled at multiple clinical sites in the United States. After a two-week screening period, eligible participants will be randomly assigned to receive either Miro3D in addition to standard of care or standard of care alone. Subjects will be followed for up to 12 weeks with weekly clinic visits. The primary objective of the study is to determine whether treatment with Miro3D increases the rate of complete wound closure and improves reduction in wound size compared to standard of care alone. Safety will also be evaluated by monitoring adverse events throughout the study.
Shortwave Intervention for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.
This study is a single-center, randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial aimed at evaluating the efficacy and safety of shortwave therapy administered for five consecutive days in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The study plans to enroll 202 patients, who will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the shortwave therapy group (20 minutes daily for five consecutive days) or a sham treatment group with an identical appearance. The primary efficacy endpoint is the remission rate of the Toronto Clinical Scoring System score one month after treatment (a decrease of ≥1 point). Secondary endpoints include short-term efficacy, pain visual analog scale scores, quality of life scores, and safety indicators. The study hypothesizes that shortwave therapy can significantly improve neurological symptoms, with an expected remission rate of 65% in the treatment group and 20% in the control group, with the superiority margin set at 20%. This study will provide high-quality evidence-based medical evidence for the use of shortwave therapy in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
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