Recruiting

Adding a new medication to neck dystonia botulinum toxin injections

Plain-English translation of NCT06771323 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated June 2026 · Translation generated October 2026 · How we translate trials

Phase 2 — Testing in a bigger group (up to a few hundred people) to see if the treatment actually works and is still safe.

What is this trial?

This trial is testing whether , a medication that works on dopamine pathways in the brain, can help reduce cervical dystonia symptoms when used together with your regular botulinum toxin injections. The study will compare to a placebo (a dummy pill) to see if the medication is safe and effective as an add-on treatment. If the medication works, it could offer people with neck dystonia another tool to manage their symptoms.

Botulinum toxin injections help many people with cervical dystonia, but some patients still have significant symptoms or don't respond well enough. This medication has shown promise in treating related movement disorders, and early evidence suggests it might help when combined with botulinum toxin, but this hasn't been properly tested yet.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have cervical dystonia (involuntary neck muscle contractions) that started when you were 18 or older
you are between 18 and 75 years old
you have been stable on botulinum toxin injections every 3 months for at least the past 90 days
your dystonia severity is moderate—not minimal and not very severe—as measured by a standard rating scale
you are stable on any other medications you take

You likely don't qualify if…

you have had deep brain stimulation surgery for dystonia
you have uncontrolled depression, suicidal thoughts, or a history of suicide attempts in the past 3 months
you are currently taking dopamine-blocking or dopamine-enhancing medications, including other VMAT2 inhibitors or antipsychotics
you have a known heart rhythm problem (long QT syndrome) or other serious cardiac abnormality
you have uncontrolled liver disease or a history of tardive dyskinesia or tardive dystonia

What participation looks like

You will participate in the study for 6 months total. Half of participants will receive a placebo pill for the first 3 months (during one cycle of botulinum toxin injections), then switch to for the next 3 months. The other half will do the opposite— first, then placebo. You'll continue getting your regular botulinum toxin injections every 3 months as usual, and take the study medication or placebo by mouth during this time. The study team will monitor your symptoms and any side effects throughout.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Oct 12, 2026 · Not medical advice

Adding a new medication to neck dystonia botulinum toxin injections

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations