CLINICAL TRIALS PROFILE FOR NITROGLYCERIN

All Clinical Trials for NITROGLYCERIN

Trial ID	Title	Status	Sponsor	Phase	Start Date	Summary
NCT00000503 ↗	Randomized Clinical Trial of Non-Surgical Reperfusion of the Coronary Arteries	Completed	National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)	Phase 3	1982-08-01	To assess the effect of non-surgical reperfusion on infarct size in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
NCT00001716 ↗	Effects of Nitric Oxide and Nitroglycerin in Patients With Sickle Cell Anemia	Completed	National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)	Phase 2	1998-07-01	Sickle cell anemia is the most common genetic disease affecting African-Americans. About 1 in every 1000 African-Americans has the disease and 1 in every 12 carry the genes that could be passed on to their children. People with sickle cell anemia have abnormal hemoglobin, the molecules responsible for carrying oxygen in the blood. The abnormal hemoglobin can cause damage to the red blood cells. The damaged red blood cell may then stick in the blood vessels and cause pain and injury to organs. Some of the complications caused by the sticking of blood cells are called acute pain crisis and acute chest syndrome (ACS). Nitric oxide (NO) is a gas that has been proposed as a possible therapy for the ACS complication of sickle cell anemia. Studies have shown that NO may favorably affect sickle cell hemoglobin molecules, thereby improving blood flow through small vessels. This study is designed to evaluate the effects of NO, when taken in combination with a drug called nitroglycerin on patients with sickle cell anemia and normal volunteers. The effects of these two drugs only last while the patient is receiving them. Researchers hope the information learned from this study will help to develop new therapies for sickle cell anemia.
NCT00034060 ↗	The Role of Cytokines on Growth Hormone Suppression in Premenopausal Women With Rheumatoid Arthritis and the Effect of Treatment With Etanercept	Completed	National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)	Phase 2	2002-04-01	This study has two phases. Phase 1 will examine the role of inflammatory mediators called cytokines on growth hormone levels in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Phase 2 will evaluate the effect of etanercept on these growth hormone levels. Etanercept is approved for the treatment of RA. It lowers the levels of a key inflammatory mediator called tumor necrosis factor-alpha and is very effective in reducing arthritis symptoms. Growth hormone promotes bone and muscle growth. With aging, people lose muscle mass and bone strength, possibly because of decreased levels of growth hormone. People with RA have bone and muscle changes similar to those in older people, perhaps also due to decreased levels of growth hormone. The first part of this study will see if the inflammatory mediators responsible for joint inflammation (warmth, redness, pain, and swelling) in RA are related to the lowered growth hormone levels in this disease. The second part will evaluate the effect of etanercept treatment on muscle mass and bone density, in addition to growth hormone levels. Premenopausal women between 18 and 55 years of age with a recent diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (less than 3 years) are eligible for this study. Healthy volunteers will also be enrolled in the first phase of the study as control subjects. This study is conducted at two sites, the NIH and the Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore. Healthy volunteers enrolled in this study will be interviewed about their health status and will fill out questionnaires on diet and general physical function, including fatigue, energy and well being. In addition, they will be hospitalized once at the NIH Clinical Center for 24-hour blood sampling and will visit to Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore for a brachial artery reactivity study, as follows: - 24-hour blood sampling for growth hormone levels. Blood samples (1/2 teaspoon each) will be collected every 20 minutes from 8 AM one day until 8 AM the following day through a plastic tube in an arm vein. - Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan on a small area of the spine, hip and wrist to assess bone density and a total body DEXA scan to assess the amount and distribution of muscle and body fat. - Blood vessel (brachial artery reactivity) study to measure the ability of the brachial artery to dilate and increase its blood flow. For this procedure, the subject lies on a table with electrocardiogram leads attached to the chest. A blood pressure cuff is inflated for several minutes and a drop of nasal spray of nitroglycerin is given that may cause a headache. Blood pressure and headache are monitored and treated as needed. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis will be seen at the NIH clinic on six separate visits (weeks 0, 1, 6, 12, 18, and 26) over 26 weeks. Week 0 is a screening visit. At weeks 1 and 26, patients will be admitted to the hospital for 24-hour blood sampling, DEXA scans, and brachial artery reactivity tests, as described above, plus X-rays of the hand and feet. After the first visit, they will start taking etanercept, given by self-injection under the skin (like insulin shots) twice a week. Follow-up visits at weeks 6, 12, and 18 will involve evaluations of disease activity and drug side effects through joint examination, blood tests, and questionnaires.
NCT00043719 ↗	Nitroglycerin Ointment for Preventing Bone Loss in Postmenopausal Women	Completed	National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)	Phase 3	2002-07-01	Osteopenia and osteoporosis cause thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density over time. The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and effectiveness of nitroglycerin ointment for the treatment of osteopenia in postmenopausal women. Study hypothesis: On average, participants in the base therapy cohort who receive placebo ointment control and calcium/vitamin D will lose more bone density than participants in the nitroglycerin cohort over the 36-month period.
NCT00076414 ↗	The Effect of Lopinavir/Ritonavir on Endothelial Function	Completed	National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)	Phase 1	2004-01-01	This study will examine how the anti-HIV protease inhibitor lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra® (Registered Trademark)) affects the function of the endothelium (lining of the arteries). Medications such as protease inhibitors can dramatically change the course of HIV infection in many patients; however, among their side effects is development of abnormal lipid levels resulting in high cholesterol and insulin resistance. These side effects may damage the lining of the arteries that supply blood to the heart, leading to premature coronary artery disease. The study will determine whether lopinavir/ritonavir directly affects endothelial function and whether it alters cholesterol levels, glucose tolerance, and markers of inflammation in people who take the drug for 4 weeks. Healthy normal volunteers between 18 and 40 years of age may be eligible for this study. Candidates must be HIV-negative and have no history of heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes mellitus. They must not have smoked for at least 6 weeks before entering the study. Volunteers will be screened with a medical history, physical examination, blood tests (including a pregnancy test for women of childbearing potential), and electrocardiogram. In addition, candidates will have an oral glucose tolerance test (see description below). Participants will undergo the following procedures: - Lopinavir/ritonavir: 4 weeks (3 capsules twice a day) beginning study day 1 - Flow-mediated vasodilatation test (study days 0 and 29) - An ultrasound device for measuring the size of the brachial artery (artery in the upper arm) is placed just above the elbow. The size of the artery is measured before and 5 minutes after blood flow to the arm is stopped for 5 minutes, using a blood pressure cuff. The artery is also measured before and after taking nitroglycerin, a medicine that dilates blood vessels. These measurements tell how well the drug treatment works on the cells lining the brachial artery, which is an indicator of coronary artery function. This test takes about 1.5 hours. - Forearm blood-flow test (study days 1 and 30): Small tubes are inserted into an artery and vein in the forearm at the inside of the elbow. Blood pressure cuffs are placed around the upper arm and wrist, and a strain gauge (a rubber band-like device) is placed around the forearm. When the blood pressure cuffs are inflated, blood flows into the forearm, stretching the strain gauge at a rate proportional to the blood flow. When the devices are in place, a salt water solution is injected in the small tube in the artery. After 20 minutes, small doses of the following drugs are given through the catheter at various intervals: 1) L-NMMA (blocks production of nitric oxide, a substance produced by the blood vessels that causes them to dilate); 2) sodium nitroprusside (dilates blood vessels, increasing blood flow); 3) acetylcholine (lowers blood pressure); and 4) acetylcholine plus L-NMMA. The effect of the different drugs on blood flow in the forearm is measured. The study takes about 2 hours to complete. - Blood tests (screening and study days 1,15, 30, and 44) - Electrocardiogram (at screening and on study day 30) - Oral glucose tolerance test (at screening and on study day 30) - A blood sample is collected. Then, the subject drinks 300 milliliters of a glucose solution (a liquid that contains sugar dissolved in water). Two hours after drinking the solution, blood is drawn again to examine how the body responds to the increase blood sugar levels.
NCT00090558 ↗	Effect of Nitric Oxide Donor on Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease	Completed	National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)	Phase 2	2004-08-01	Regular exercise reduces the risk of heart problems, in part because it improves the work of the endothelium (the cells that line blood vessels). Exercise appears to release precursor cells from the bone marrow that will later become endothelial cells. A molecule called nitric oxide (NO) appears to be involved in this release. However, some heart patients do not improve their endothelial function despite regular exercise. The researchers believe that the heart disease in these patients may interfere with the normal relationship between exercise and endothelial function. This study is designed to test whether giving a patient nitroglycerin (which is converted to NO in the bloodstream) will increase the release of endothelial precursor cells from the bone marrow. If the study succeeds, it may lead to improved healing of arteries in heart disease patients. Adults may be eligible for this study if they have coronary artery disease and do not take nitroglycerin or nitroglycerin-like medication on a daily basis. Volunteers will be admitted to the Clinical Center on 2 separate nights at least 1 week apart. On the morning after each admission, volunteers will have blood drawn from an arm vein for laboratory tests, and then walk on a treadmill until fatigue or discomfort prevents further exercise, or until asked to stop. On one of their admissions, volunteers will receive 1 tablet of nitroglycerin under the tongue shortly before the treadmill test. Volunteers will be monitored by EKGs and blood pressure tests during the treadmill tests, and will have more blood drawn at about 15 minutes and 24 hours after each treadmill test. Researchers will examine the levels of endothelial precursor cells and nitric oxide in the blood samples taken before and after exercise.

Clinical Trial Conditions for NITROGLYCERIN

Condition Name

Condition Name for NITROGLYCERIN
Intervention	Trials
Coronary Artery Disease	10
Hypertension	9
Healthy	5
Heart Failure	5

Condition MeSH

Condition MeSH for NITROGLYCERIN
Intervention	Trials
Coronary Artery Disease	18
Myocardial Ischemia	15
Hypertension	13
Coronary Disease	12

Clinical Trial Locations for NITROGLYCERIN

Trials by Country

Trials by Country for NITROGLYCERIN
Location	Trials
United States	178
Egypt	22
Canada	16
China	14
Mexico	9

Trials by US State

Trials by US State for NITROGLYCERIN
Location	Trials
California	20
New York	11
Texas	9
Ohio	9
Maryland	9

Clinical Trial Progress for NITROGLYCERIN

Clinical Trial Phase

Clinical Trial Phase for NITROGLYCERIN
Clinical Trial Phase	Trials
PHASE4	8
PHASE3	1
PHASE2	4

Clinical Trial Status

Clinical Trial Status for NITROGLYCERIN
Clinical Trial Phase	Trials
Completed	115
Recruiting	28
Unknown status	26

Clinical Trial Sponsors for NITROGLYCERIN

Sponsor Name

Sponsor Name for NITROGLYCERIN
Sponsor	Trials
MediQuest Therapeutics	9
Vanderbilt University	6
Ain Shams University	5

Sponsor Type

Sponsor Type for NITROGLYCERIN
Sponsor	Trials
Other	232
Industry	45
NIH	12

NITROGLYCERIN Market Analysis and Financial Projection

Last updated: April 23, 2026

Clinical Trials Update and Market Outlook for Nitroglycerin (Glyceryl Trinitrate)

What clinical trials exist for nitroglycerin today?

Nitroglycerin has been off-patent in most major jurisdictions for decades. Current clinical activity is dominated by formulation work (routes of administration, transdermal dosing systems, fixed-dose combinations) and device-driven delivery approaches, not by new molecular entities. Across registries, trial entries typically focus on:

• Onset and duration optimization for angina or acute coronary syndromes via alternative dosing regimens (sublingual, buccal, transdermal).
• Pharmacokinetic (PK) and tolerability endpoints for reformulated products.
• Route or device comparison (for example, transdermal systems with different release kinetics or synchronization with clinical monitoring).

Core point for R&D and investment: the clinical-trial landscape for nitroglycerin is less about demonstrating novel therapeutic mechanisms and more about bioequivalence, PK exposure matching, and controlled-release performance. That reality drives faster development cycles and lower probability of differentiation based solely on clinical endpoints.

What are the main competitive and commercial market segments?

Nitroglycerin’s market is concentrated in established therapeutic uses:

• Acute angina / coronary event symptom relief: rapid onset via sublingual or oral spray formulations.
• Chronic angina prophylaxis: transdermal patches/ointments and longer-acting regimens.
• Peri-procedural and peri-operative settings: intravenous formulations in monitored settings where titration matters.

Within each segment, competition typically comes from:

• Generic nitroglycerin (sublingual tablets, sprays, transdermal patches, ointments).
• Branded formulations where they exist in certain geographies or through line extensions (dose form and device).
• Adjunct antianginals and alternative vasodilators that compete indirectly for guideline-based workflows.

How large is the nitroglycerin market and what does that imply for growth?

Because nitroglycerin is an old, widely genericized drug, market reporting is usually fragmented by route and geography. Public market figures for “nitroglycerin” often bundle multiple formulations and may differ materially by data provider methodology. The consistent directional signal across commercial intelligence coverage is:

• Stable base demand tied to ischemic heart disease prevalence and ongoing use of short-acting nitrates.
• Low growth from volume alone in mature markets due to generics and guideline rotation toward other antianginals (where clinically appropriate).
• Modest growth from formulation/device differentiation and new regulatory approvals for specific delivery systems (particularly transdermal).

Projection logic used by market participants:

1. Therapy prevalence anchor (patients with coronary artery disease and angina requiring rescue or maintenance nitrates).
2. Dose form mix shift toward controlled release where adherence is an issue.
3. Competitive pressure from generic penetration and payer-driven substitution.
4. Price erosion post generics, largely offset by steady volume.

What is the forward projection for demand and revenue?

A practical projection for nitroglycerin (given its mature status) is a revenue model of stable to slightly declining pricing with modest volume growth, translating into:

• Flat-to-low single-digit revenue CAGR in most mature markets.
• Better growth in emerging markets where cardiac care access increases and branded-to-generic conversion happens on a slower curve.
• Route-specific variation: transdermal often shows steadier utilization patterns for chronic angina prophylaxis; sublingual tends to track acute symptom rescue and may fluctuate with guideline and utilization practices.

Business implication: new entrants rarely win through claims of “clinical superiority.” They win by:

• Regulatory clearance efficiency (rapid generic pathway or 505(b)(2)-like strategies where applicable).
• Payer positioning (formulary access, restricted distribution, contract pricing).
• Product differentiation in usability (patch comfort, dosing consistency, spray dose uniformity).

What does the patent and regulatory reality mean for timelines?

Nitroglycerin’s molecule is long out of patent in most markets. The commercial pathway therefore focuses on:

• Generic approvals or line extensions for delivery systems.
• Bioequivalence and performance documentation rather than novel clinical development programs.
• Exclusivity windows that exist only for specific dosage forms, filing strategies, or data-packages tied to formulation changes.

This compresses development lead times and lowers the cost of entry relative to new chemical entities, but also increases price competition risk.

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Market Structure by Product Form (Commercial Lens)

Which routes dominate and how do they compete?

Sublingual / Buccal

• Goal: rapid onset for acute symptom relief.
• Competitive set: generic tablets/sprays; indirect substitutes include other fast-acting antianginals depending on setting.

Transdermal (patches / ointments)

• Goal: sustained exposure for chronic angina prophylaxis and prevention.
• Competitive set: generic transdermals and formulations with improved release profiles or wearability.

Intravenous (in hospitals)

• Goal: titratable, monitored hemodynamic effect.
• Competitive set: hospital formularies and procurement contracts; strong tender-driven price pressure.

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Clinical Trial Update (How the current trial pattern typically looks)

What endpoints and designs are most common now?

Across ongoing and recently completed studies involving nitroglycerin, sponsors typically select endpoints that reflect delivery performance:

• Time to onset or symptom relief measures for acute uses.
• PK parameters (Cmax, Tmax, AUC), sometimes with dermal absorption profiles for transdermals.
• Tolerability and safety focused on known nitrate class effects (headache, hypotension, reflex tachycardia) and local tolerability (for patches).

Design pattern: randomized, crossover or parallel comparisons of formulations; many are built around demonstrating that exposure is consistent with reference products. That aligns with the drug’s established mechanism and off-patent status.

What does this mean for investors and R&D leaders?

• Clinical differentiation is harder to achieve without a true delivery advantage or a formulation that meaningfully improves adherence and exposure stability.
• Most development programs are designed for regulatory approval, not for new efficacy demonstrations.
• Time-to-market can be short, but commercial outcomes depend heavily on pricing and contracting.

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Key Takeaways

• Nitroglycerin’s current clinical activity centers on formulation and delivery optimization, not new therapeutic biology.
• The market is mature and heavily genericized, with demand tied to coronary artery disease and angina management.
• Revenue growth is projected to be flat-to-low single-digit in mature markets, driven more by volume stability and route mix than by pricing power.
• Competitive advantage comes from regulatory execution, product usability, and payer contracting, not from novel clinical endpoints.

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FAQs

1) Is nitroglycerin still under meaningful patent protection?

No. Nitroglycerin itself is long off-patent in major jurisdictions; commercial differentiation typically depends on formulation- and route-specific approvals rather than molecular IP.

2) What trial types should sponsors expect for nitroglycerin products?

Most programs use bioequivalence, PK exposure matching, and controlled clinical comparisons focused on onset or tolerability rather than large efficacy trials.

3) Which nitroglycerin product form has the most stable demand?

Transdermal products often show steadier chronic prophylaxis demand; sublingual demand tends to track acute rescue usage and workflow patterns.

4) What drives market share most for nitroglycerin?

Formulary access, tender pricing, payer preference for contracted products, and patient usability (comfort and dosing consistency).

5) What is the most realistic growth strategy?

Entry via generic or formulation pathway with strong regulatory and cost execution, backed by differentiated delivery characteristics that reduce adherence barriers.

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References

[1] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Orange Book: Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations.” Accessed 2026-04-23.
[2] ClinicalTrials.gov. “Glyceryl Trinitrate (Nitroglycerin) Trials.” Accessed 2026-04-23.
[3] European Medicines Agency. “Nitroglycerin-related EPARs and assessment reports.” Accessed 2026-04-23.
[4] World Health Organization. “Ischemic heart disease facts and related global burden indicators.” Accessed 2026-04-23.