Testing a gel to ease chemotherapy nerve pain

Plain-English translation of NCT07072468 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated March 2026 · Translation generated June 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 is a Phase 2 trial testing whether VMD-3866, a gel you apply to your skin, can help reduce the nerve pain that sometimes develops after chemotherapy (called chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, or CIPN). In this study, you'll try the medication in one period and a placebo (dummy gel with no active medicine) in another period, so researchers can see if the real medication works better than placebo at easing your pain.

Nerve pain after chemotherapy can be frustrating and long-lasting, and current treatment options are limited. This trial is designed to find out whether this new topical treatment could offer a safe and effective way to help patients manage this type of pain.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have completed chemotherapy for cancer and are currently in remission
you have been diagnosed with chemotherapy-related nerve pain that has been stable for at least 8 weeks
your nerve pain is moderate in severity and has lasted for at least 3 months
you are between 18 and 80 years old
your average daily pain score is between 4 and 8 on a 0–10 pain scale during the screening period
you are able to apply the gel to your skin yourself at home

You likely don't qualify if…

you are pregnant or breastfeeding
you have nerve pain from other causes (such as diabetes or alcohol use)
you have frequent pain from other conditions that require pain medication more than twice a week
you have had a stroke, heart attack, or blood clot in the last 3 months
you have a serious psychiatric condition, such as severe depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia

What participation looks like

You will participate in two treatment periods of about 8 days each, separated by a week of rest. In one period you'll apply the medication to your skin, and in the other you'll apply a placebo—you won't know which is which. You'll visit the clinic on the first and last days of each treatment period; other doses you'll apply at home. You'll also keep a daily diary of your pain levels, and may have a small skin biopsy and nerve sensitivity tests at baseline and after each treatment period. The entire study lasts several weeks, and you'll have a follow-up phone call about a week after finishing.

Testing a gel to ease chemotherapy nerve pain

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(1 site)