Plain-English translation of NCT02447874 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated · Translation generated · How we translate trials
Read our Sickle Cell Disease research guide →Phase 1/2 — A combined trial that checks safety and dosing while also starting to look at whether the treatment works.
This trial is testing whether L-, a simple amino acid your body naturally contains, can help reduce the severity of pain episodes in children and teens with sickle cell disease. People with sickle cell disease often have low levels of this amino acid, and researchers believe raising these levels might decrease pain and reduce the amount of strong pain medication needed. The study will compare three different ways of giving the treatment to see which works best.
Sickle cell disease causes painful episodes that often require hospitalization and strong narcotic medications. If this medication can reduce pain severity or decrease the need for high doses of pain drugs, it could improve quality of life and reduce time spent in the hospital for these young patients.
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You would participate while already in the hospital or emergency department being treated for a sickle cell pain crisis. A nurse would start an IV line to give you the medication, and you would receive the treatment for up to seven days or until you are discharged home, whichever comes first. Depending on which study group you're assigned to, you might receive either a standard dose three times daily, or a larger initial dose followed by regular doses, or a continuous infusion—researchers are testing which approach works best.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 3, 2026 · Not medical advice
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