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A Pilot Study of Rimegepant in Moderate Plaque-type Psoriasis
The Department of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine is conducting clinical research to examine the effectiveness of a novel oral drug, currently FDA-approved for the treatment of migraines, for treating moderate plaque-type psoriasis. There is no cost to participate in the study and participants will receive a stipend for each completed study visit.
KEY ELIGIBILITY:
This study is looking to determine if the oral medication rimegepant is effective in treating psoriasis. This is a randomized study in which half of the participants in this study will receive rimegepant, and the other half will receive a placebo, or a pill that looks like the study drug but contains no active ingredients. Neither the participants nor the study doctor will know who is in each group. Participants will take 1 pill every other day for 16 weeks. Throughout the study, participants will come into the office for approximately 12 visits. These visits may involve blood work, optional skin biopsies, and measurement of the degree and severity of psoriasis.
Participants must be between the ages of 18-75 with a diagnosis of psoriasis. Participants must not currently be pregnant or breastfeeding and must agree to use contraception during the study period. Detailed eligibility criteria will be discussed with the study team.
Rimegepant is considered investigational for the treatment of moderate plaque-type psoriasis as it has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this purpose. Meanwhile, Rimegepant has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of migraines. This study will be evaluating whether it is also effective for psoriasis.
If Rimegepant is proven to be effective in treating moderate plaque-type psoriasis, it would differ from many current psoriasis treatments because it is an oral medication. It is also not immunosuppressive like some other oral psoriasis treatments.
Participation in this study is free. Eligible participants will receive compensation for travel and inconvenience related to this study. Participants will receive a stipend of $50 for each completed study visit (up to a total of 12 visits). During visits 1 and 9, there will be optional skin biopsies and those who opt-in can receive an additional $150 each time. Overall, eligible participants can receive a stipend of up to $900 for their completion of all 12 study visits and procedures.
Any trial of investigational medication may have risks. The most common adverse reaction listed for rimegepant is nausea, which occurred in 2% of patients compared to 0.4% who received placebo. During your screening visit, our study team will discuss any other risks and go over your medication list to rule out any possible interactions with drugs you may already be taking.