Cardiol Therapeutics (TSX:CRDL, NASDAQ:CRDL) has added Massachusetts General to the enrollment process for the MAvERIC-Pilot, a Phase II open-label pilot study of lead candidate CardiolRx in patients suffering from recurrent pericarditis.
The renowned Mass General, recognized for its top-notch medical research programs, joins eight other leading medical research centers in the United States dedicated to pericarditis care.
"Mass General has been consistently ranked as a top hospital in the United States and has the largest hospital-based research program in the country,” Cardiol’s chief medical officer and head of research & development Dr Andrew Hamer said in a statement.
“We look forward to the support of Mass General's clinicians and participating patients towards reaching full enrollment in this ground-breaking study."
MAvERIC-Pilot aims to enroll 25 patients and has surpassed the halfway mark, targeting completion of patient recruitment by the first quarter of 2024.
The study, chaired by Dr Allan Klein of the Cleveland Clinic, will assess the change in patient-reported pericarditis pain using an 11-point numeric rating scale as the primary efficacy endpoint. Secondary endpoints include the NRS score after 26 weeks and changes in C-reactive protein levels, a marker of inflammation.
The study also explores the feasibility of reducing background therapy, such as corticosteroids, while administering CardiolRx and assessing freedom from pericarditis recurrence during an extension period.
Oakville, Ontario-based Cardiol Therapeutics (TSX:CRDL, NASDAQ:CRDL) specializes in developing anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic therapies for heart disease, with its lead drug candidate, CardiolRx oral solution, currently in clinical development. The pharmaceutical-grade cannabidiol is designed to inhibit the inflammasome pathway, a key process implicated in the inflammation and fibrosis linked to conditions like myocarditis, pericarditis, and heart failure.