Low-dose colchicine for peripheral artery disease to lower vascular risk

1/2 Low dose colchicine in pAtients with peripheral artery DiseasE to assess residual vascular risk (LEADER-PAD)

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · DUKE UNIVERSITY · NIH-11328633

People with peripheral artery disease will take a daily low-dose colchicine pill or a matching placebo to try to reduce heart attacks, strokes, and limb complications.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorDUKE UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (DURHAM, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11328633 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

If I join, I would be randomly assigned to take 0.5 mg of colchicine each day or a placebo, and neither I nor the doctors would know which I am taking. The trial is double-blind and placebo-controlled and will enroll about 1,000 participants in the U.S. as part of a larger 6,150-person international effort. Researchers will track heart-related and limb-related events over follow-up visits coordinated by an experienced trial team based at Duke and partner centers. The goal is to find out whether this widely available anti-inflammatory pill can lower the risk of major cardiovascular and limb complications in people with PAD.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults diagnosed with peripheral artery disease who can take daily medication and meet the trial's eligibility and safety criteria would be ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without PAD, those with contraindications to colchicine (for example severe kidney or liver disease or unsafe drug interactions), or those unwilling to attend study visits are unlikely to benefit from participating.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide an inexpensive, widely available pill to lower heart attack, stroke, and limb event risk for people with PAD.

How similar studies have performed: Previous trials in people with coronary artery disease have shown colchicine reduced major cardiovascular events by about 25%, but this is one of the first large trials focused specifically on PAD.

Where this research is happening

DURHAM, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.