Vancomycin Study in Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

This study is testing if vancomycin, a common antibiotic, can affect the gut-brain axis in people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Researchers believe that gut bacteria play a role in MS, and they want to understand how vancomycin might change these bacteria and impact the disease. You might be able to join if you are between 18 and 50 years old, have been newly diagnosed with MS (or related conditions like CIS or RIS) within the last year, and haven't taken antibiotics recently. The study will look at changes in specific gut bacteria, levels of a substance called butyrate in your blood, and certain immune cells over 6 weeks. This study is currently recruiting a small group of 12 participants.

Study design: This is an interventional study, meaning participants will receive either vancomycin or a placebo (an inactive substance that looks like vancomycin). Both vancomycin and the placebo are red capsules.
What's involved: Not specified in the trial record.
Compensation: Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up: The primary outcomes are measured up to 6 weeks after starting the study.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

Vancomycin Study in Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Recruiting

PHASE1Ages 18–50InterventionalTreatment

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

~12 participants

Updated 2025-09-10 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What's tested:VancomycinPlacebo

At a glance

Recruiting sites

1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now

RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open

What they're measuring

Changes in abundance of butyrate producing bacteria

Measured over Baseline up to 6 weeks

+2 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Multiple Sclerosis

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states

New York1

Study leadership

Stephanie K Tankou, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Icahn School of Medicine

Who to contact

Susan E Filomena, BA

[email protected]

212-2413841

Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

Add a private profile and we'll compare every criterion below against your situation — and tell you which ones are met, uncertain, or excluding.

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

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

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

What this trial measures

Changes in abundance of butyrate producing bacteriaBaseline up to 6 weeks
Changes in abundance of butyrate producing bacteria from baseline treatment up to 6 weeks
Changes in Serum Butyrate levelsBaseline up to 6 weeks
Changes in serum butyrate level from baseline treatment up to 6 weeks Butyrate is a substance that is produce when gut bacteria breaks down food. Butyrate can get into our blood circulation and regulate how our immune cells function.
Changes in number of peripheral T cellsBaseline up to 6 weeks
Change in frequency of peripheral regulatory T cells baseline treatment up to 6 weeks. T cells are a type of lymphocyte. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell. They make up part of the immune system. T cells help the body fight diseases or harmful substances, such as bacteria or viruses.

Trialytics