DMD Trial of Pentoxifylline-Corticosteroid
Combo Remains Open

A 64-person trial of a combination of a corticosteroid drug such as prednisone, prednisolone or deflazacort and pentoxifylline will remain open to boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who meet study criteria until April 30.

Participants must be at least 7 years old; have a confirmed diagnosis of DMD; have been on a stable dose of a corticosteroid drug for at least a year, with slow deterioration or no change in strength; be able to walk about 30 feet with or without assistive devices; and meet other study criteria.

There are five U.S. and eight overseas sites for this trial, which aims to see whether adding the anti-inflammatory drug pentoxifylline to corticosteroids, which are also anti-inflammatory but via a different mechanism, will benefit DMD patients.

The Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group (CINRG) is coordinating the study.

For details and contact information, see Daily Pentoxifylline as a Rescue Treatment for Patients on Corticosteroids, or see the U.S. National Institutes of Health announcement for this trial.