ORAL HUMAN RECOMBINANT EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH DUODENAL-ULCER

The epidermal growth factor has been shown to be mucoprotective and to accelerate healing of gastro-duodenal ulcers in animals, A prospectiv e, positively controlled clinical trial was conducted, Seventy five pa tients with duodenal ulcer were randomly distributed in three groups t o receive oral human recombinant epidermal growth factor in 1% carboxy methyl cellulose at two different doses (450 mg or 600 mg/day), or cim etidine, Treatment was administered up to a maximum of 6 weeks, The mo st important assessment criteria was the proportion of patients healed after 2, 4 and 6 weeks of treatment determined by endoscopy, Treatmen t with both doses of epidermal growth factor showed a long-term healin g effect in 76,5% at 6 weeks vs 92,5% with cimetidine (p = N.S.). The evolution of the clinical symptoms was similar in the three groups. Ad verse reactions were not detected in any of the patients included in t his study, To our knowledge, this is the first report on the oral use of epidermal growth factor in humans.