(Australia) TRI-ME Trial, Deakin and LaTrobe universities, noted May 2025

[kushami]

A trial that appears to be in Geelong, Victoria. (Attendance is required for some of the contacts according to info posted on Facebook.)

Coyly, they don't say what the medication is, either on this page or on the Facebook announcement.

https://impact-trials.deakin.edu.au...halomyelitis-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-me-cfs/

If you ask for further info, or sign up, please post the details here if permitted.

 

[kushami]

I don't know whether this is it:

https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12625000095460

The eight week duration and mention of Barwon Health match up.

If so, the medication is trimetazidine.

Edited for brevity, typos:

Our aim is to assess the efficacy of trimetazidine, a metabolic agent, in treating ME/CFS in a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Mitochondrial dysfunction has long been associated with inflammation and oxidative stress of ME/CFS and may be the potential final common pathway in the pathophysiology of ME/CFS.

Trimetazidine increases metabolic efficiency in the mitochondria by promoting glucose oxidation rather than fatty acid oxidation (i.e. increased energy generation) and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Importantly, preclinical rodent studies confirmed that trimetazidine increases mitochondrial function in the brain and facilitates longer swimming in the forced swim test without causing hyperactivity in the large open field.

Trimetazidine was also identified using an atheoretical drug screening approach that showed it to redress mitochondrial dysfunction. The therapeutic potential of trimetazidine is clear, Trimetazidine is accessible, affordable, and has regulatory approval to treat angina in Asia and Europe, making it particularly suitable to repurpose for ME/CFS.

 

[kushami]

Info from Drug Bank:
https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB09069

 

[kushami]

After a quick search of the forum, it appears this medication was discussed a bit back in 2011.

https://forums.phoenixrising.me/thr...t-trimetazidine-ranexa-and-other-drugs.13732/

https://forums.phoenixrising.me/thr...locker-dramatical-improves-fatigue-pain.7355/

 

[Rufous McKinney]

I read this drug is available in most European countries but not in the United States.

 

[kushami]

It's not available in Australia either, funnily enough.

I did see that it is being trialled for ALS, so if it proves effective there it will no doubt be approved in more countries.

Here is an article on a recent Phase IIa ALS trial:
https://academic.oup.com/braincomms/article/7/1/fcaf063/8005618

Here is how they measured the effects:

The primary outcome measures were safety and tolerability, as well as the change from baseline in oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). Secondary outcome measures were change from baseline in energy expenditure, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale—revised, and slow vital capacity (SVC). Linear mixed effects were used to estimate the mean difference in MDA and 8-OHdG between the on- and off-treatment periods.

I am sure some of you brainiacs will understand it!