Effect of BPC-157 on Symptoms in Patients with Interstitial Cystitis: A Pilot Study.

CONTEXT: Moderate to severe interstitial cystitis (also known as bladder pain syndrome) is a disabling disease with no effective treatment. Although pentosan polysulfate is an approved treatment for interstitial cystitis, some patients on this medication experience treatment failure after one year, and its long-term use has been linked to pigmentary maculopathy. The peptide Body Protective Compound 157 (BPC-157) is a possible treatment for interstitial cystitis but is currently not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficacy of BPC-157 manufactured by a 503A compounding pharmacy as a treatment for interstitial cystitis. PARTICIPANTS: Twelve women between the ages of 39 and 76 years with a mean age of 58.3 years participated in this trial at a private clinic. Of these, 10 were White, one was Asian, and one was Latina. None of the 12 women had responded to pentosan polysulfate. METHODS: The women underwent cystoscopy and were treated with injections of the peptide BPC-157 (total of 10 mg) around the area of inflammation of the bladder during a single procedure. Global Response Assessment questionnaire was given to all the subjects to assess the efficacy of BPC-157. RESULTS: Complete resolution of symptoms after one treatment was reported in 10 of 12 patients, who rated their success at 100%. The remaining 2 of 12 patients rated their success at 80%, with most symptoms resolved but about 20% of their symptoms lingering. No one dropped out of the study, and no adverse events were reported. This therapy was successful because all 12 patients scored a 5/5 on the Global Response Assessment. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of intravesical BPC-157 (10 mg) injection to help patients with moderate to severe interstitial cystitis who did not respond to pentosan polysulfate treatment.