Summary
Gabapentin Enacarbil has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Gabapentin Enacarbil to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: 7 have completed; 1 is terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT04025203). It plans or enrolled 196 participants. Registration activity spans 2003 to 2025. No published literature item is linked to Gabapentin Enacarbil and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in the OSMF database yet, so the record rests on registry entries alone. Registry entries describe intent to study, not outcomes.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ranks 50 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Mild CTS: spontaneous resolution in 30-40% within 12 months without treatment; moderate-severe: <5% spontaneous resolution; pregnancy-related CTS resolves in 80% post-delivery.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 50.0 (trials 30.0, literature 0.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 8 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 7 completed, 1 other |
| Linked publications | 0 |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | modulator |
| Data sources | DGIdb |
| Linked via biomarker / target | CACNA1C |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT04285281 | Oral Gabapentin and Median Nerve Mobilization in the Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome 2020 | completed | Phase 4 | 126 |
| NCT04025203 | Pain Reduction and Changes in Upper Limb Function Produced by Different Treatments in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome 2019 | completed | Phase 4 | 196 |
| NCT06781489 | Pain Reduction Caused by the Combined Treatment of Physiotherapy, Oral Gabapentin and Oral Ibuprofen Arginine. 2025 | completed | Phase 4 | 129 |
| NCT00904202 | A Study Of Lidocaine Patch 5% Alone, Gabapentin Alone, And Lidocaine Patch 5% And Gabapentin In Combination For The Relief Of Pain In Patients With Diverse Peripheral Neuropathic Pain Conditions 2003 | completed | Phase 4 | 62 |
| NCT00137735 | Gabapentin for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome 2003 | completed | Phase 3 | 150 |
| NCT01632215 | Preoperative Gabapentine for Carpal Tunnel 2010 | completed | Phase 3 | 40 |
| NCT05577676 | Hydrodissection Between Normal Saline and a Combination of Triamcinolone Acetonide, Normal Saline, and Lidocaine in CTS 2022 | completed | Not applicable | 62 |
| NCT05584839 | Statistically Analysis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Diagnosis 2023 | status unknown | Not applicable | 40 |
Published literature
No publication is linked to this pair yet.
Mechanism and notes
Recorded mechanism or class: modulator.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target CACNA1C. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gabapentin Enacarbil approved for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Gabapentin Enacarbil has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Gabapentin Enacarbil in clinical trials for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Gabapentin Enacarbil to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: 7 have completed; 1 is terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT04025203). It plans or enrolled 196 participants. Registration activity spans 2003 to 2025.
What does the evidence show for Gabapentin Enacarbil in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Gabapentin Enacarbil has 7 completed registered trials for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome but no linked publication, which usually means results are unpublished, pending, or not yet matched to this record. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target CACNA1C. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-06. Page built 2026-10-07.