Urgent need remains
More trials of drugs to treat gastroparesis are needed, Ford said.
“We need to consider the reintroduction of dopamine antagonists, if patients are willing to accept the safety concerns,” he added. “The other important point is most drugs were not of benefit. There is an urgent need to find efficacious therapies, and these should be fast-tracked for licensing approval if efficacy is proven.”
The study is “helpful for practicing clinicians since it provides a comprehensive review of clinical trials in gastroparesis,” Anthony Lembo, MD, a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic, said in an interview.
Dr. Lembo, who wasn’t involved with this study, has researched several drugs for gastroparesis, including relamorelin and TZP-102. He agreed that additional research is needed.
“There is a paucity of novel treatments currently in development,” he said. “However, there is interest in developing a product similar to domperidone without cardiac side effects, as well as performing larger studies with botulinum toxin injection.”
The authors did not disclose a funding source for the study. One author disclosed research funding from the National Institutes of Health and consulting roles with various pharmaceutical companies. Ford and the other authors reported no disclosures. Dr. Lembo reported no relevant disclosures.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.