Hadjieva, T., Cavallin-Stahl, E., Linden, M., & Tiberg, F. (2014). Treatment of oral mucositis pain following radiation therapy for head-and-neck cancer using a bioadhesive barrier-forming lipid solution. Supportive Care in Cancer, 22, 1557–1562.
To test the analgesic effect of CAM2028 with benzydamine compared with CAM2028 without benzydamine (the FDA-approved prescription formula of episil) over an eight-hour period. During treatment with CAM2028, phospholipid and triglceride lipid components self-assemble with a volume of water (saliva) to form a bioadhesive and protective liquid crystalline lining of the oral mucosa. Additional objective of the study was to assess the safety and tolerability of a single-dose of the combined formulation.
Crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-dose, randomized, proof of concept trial
All patients completed the trial. With both treatments, patients experienced a mean 40% decrease in pain intensity at six hours. Both treatments resulted in significant pain relief within five minutes of application that was evident during the entire eight-hour assessment period. At no time did mean pain ratings or pain intensity difference differ statistically between the two treatments. The mean AUC of pain intensity over time did not differ between the two treatments. All of the analyses of pain intensity outcomes showed a statistically significant clinical center effect, with one center reporting larger pain intensity difference values than others. No reason was offered for this difference.
The similar treatment effects of CAM2028 with or without benzydamine suggest that benzydamine did not contribute additionally to the reduction of oral mucositis pain compared with the unmedicated CAM2028 control. CAM2028 resulted in immediate and significant pain relief with a duration that was maintained for up to eight hours.