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Updated June 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 1INTERVENTIONAL

Vancomycin Study in Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Impact of Vancomycin on the Gut Microbiome and Immune Function in Multiple Sclerosis

Vancomycin Study in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) (NCT05539729) is a Phase 1 interventional studying Multiple Sclerosis, sponsored by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

The overall goal of this study is to elucidate a mechanism by which vancomycin modulates the gut-brain axis in multiple sclerosis (MS). The gut microbiome plays an important role in autoimmunity, including MS. However, the identity of gut microbes modulating neuroinflammation in MS and their mechanisms of action remain obscure. Hence, here the research team proposes to investigate the effects of vancomycin on the gut microbiota composition, peripheral immune function, and brain MRI lesions in MS patients.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 1 trials test a new treatment for the first time in humans, focusing on safety, dosing, and how the body processes the drug. For Multiple Sclerosis, a Phase 1 study typically enrolls a small number of participants — often healthy volunteers or patients who have exhausted standard treatment options. Phase 1 results determine whether a treatment moves into larger Phase 2 efficacy studies.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

With a target enrollment of 12 participants, this is a small study — typical of early-phase research, rare-disease trials, or pilot studies designed to generate preliminary signal before a larger study is launched.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: - aged 18 - 50 - newly diagnosed MS (2017 McDonald criteria), CIS or RIS patients, who have experienced symptoms no earlier than the past year - treatment naive - able to understand the risks, benefits, and alternatives of participation and give meaningful consent Who Should NOT Join This Trial: - antibiotic use within the past 90 days; - pre- or probiotic use within past month or corticosteroids use within the past month; - use of tobacco products within the past 1 month; - history of treatment with immunosuppressants; - history of gastroenteritis within the past month or diagnosis with a chronic infectious disease, i.e. hepatitis B, C or HIV; - pregnancy or less than 6 months postpartum; - irritable bowel syndrome and other bowel dysfunction such as constipation; - history of bowel surgery; - inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, diabetes and any other auto-immune illness; - diagnosis with another neurological disease, behavioral or psychiatric conditions that would be incompatible with a safe and successful participation in the study (such as severe major depression, schizophrenia and presence of psychotic symptoms); - eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or binge eating syndrome; - travel outside of the country within the past month; - contraindication to vancomycin including estimated glomerular filtration rate of \<60ml/min, impaired hearing or known allergy. - Contraindication to MRI such as implanted metallic objects Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: * aged 18 - 50 * newly diagnosed MS (2017 McDonald criteria), CIS or RIS patients, who have experienced symptoms no earlier than the past year * treatment naive * able to understand the risks, benefits, and alternatives of participation and give meaningful consent Exclusion Criteria: * antibiotic use within the past 90 days; * pre- or probiotic use within past month or corticosteroids use within the past month; * use of tobacco products within the past 1 month; * history of treatment with immunosuppressants; * history of gastroenteritis within the past month or diagnosis with a chronic infectious disease, i.e. hepatitis B, C or HIV; * pregnancy or less than 6 months postpartum; * irritable bowel syndrome and other bowel dysfunction such as constipation; * history of bowel surgery; * inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, diabetes and any other auto-immune illness; * diagnosis with another neurological disease, behavioral or psychiatric conditions that would be incompatible with a safe and successful participation in the study (such as severe major depression, schizophrenia and presence of psychotic symptoms); * eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or binge eating syndrome; * travel outside of the country within the past month; * contraindication to vancomycin including estimated glomerular filtration rate of \<60ml/min, impaired hearing or known allergy. * Contraindication to MRI such as implanted metallic objects

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Vancomycin

A marketed antibiotic (Study Drug) supplied by Amerisource Bergen, by the Mount Sinai Investigational Drug Services (IDS), and encapsulated in red coating to match the placebo.

DRUG

Placebo

Placebo created by the IDS and encapsulated in red coating to match the Study Drug.

Locations (1)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Mount Sinai
New York, New York, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT05539729), the sponsor (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT05539729 clinical trial studying?

The overall goal of this study is to elucidate a mechanism by which vancomycin modulates the gut-brain axis in multiple sclerosis (MS). The gut microbiome plays an important role in autoimmunity, including MS. However, the identity of gut microbes modulating neuroinflammation in MS and their mechanisms of action remain obscure. Hence, here the research team proposes to investigate the effects of vancomycin on the gut microbiota composition, peripheral immune function, and brain MRI lesions in MS patients. The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT05539729?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT05539729?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT05539729. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT05539729. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-06-26 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.