Intervention: ASCORBIC ACID
Trial phase: Phase 2
ATC code: A11GA01 | A11GB01 | B03AA10 | G01AD03 | S01XA15
SMILES: O=C1OC(C(O)CO)C(O)=C1O
Sex: All
Age groups: Adult | Older Adult
Healthy volunteers: No
Participants at risk: 12
Group description: A single oral dose of 200 mg C21
Eligibility criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

Written informed consent must be obtained before any trial related procedures are performed.
Subjects diagnosed with SSc according to European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria
Age 19-75 years inclusive
RP secondary to SSc as determined by the investigator, and with a typical frequency of attacks during the winter months (November-March) of on average at least 5 per week.

Exclusion Criteria:

Smoking (including E-cigarettes) or use of nicotine replacement therapy for three months prior to Visit 1 and during the trial.
BMI >30
Mixed connective tissue disease or "overlap" (i.e. those who satisfy more than one set of ACR criteria for a rheumatic disease).
Concurrent serious medical condition with special attention to cardiac or ophthalmic conditions which in the opinion of the investigator makes the patient inappropriate for this study
Malignancy within the past 5 years with the exception of in situ removal of basal cell carcinoma and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade I
Planned major surgery within the duration of the study
Subjects who forsake any alcohol intake or have known uncontrolled allergic conditions or allergy/hypersensitivity to any components of the trial drug or placebo excipients (see Section 7.1)
Blood donation (or corresponding blood loss) within three months prior to Visit 1

Treatment with any of the medications listed below within 4 weeks prior to Visit 1:

Any dose-change or initiation of vasoactive substances

, and not able or willing to withhold these medications for 3 days preceding Visit 2 and Visit 3, respectively

Iloprost
Any treatment with CYP3A4 inducers (e.g. rifampicin, phenytoin, St John's Wort)
Any treatment with CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. clarithromycin, ketoconazole, nefazodone, itraconazole, ritonavir)
Any treatment with medicines that are substrates of CYP1A2, CYP3A4 or CYP2C9 with a narrow therapeutic range
Any experimental drug

Any systemic immunosuppressive therapy other than:

Inhaled corticosteroids which can be used throughout the trial period
The continuation of stable doses of <10 mg prednisolone
Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) which must be withheld for 3 days preceding Visit 2 and Visit 3

Any of the following findings at the time of screening:

Finger temperature below 27°C after acclimatising at an ambient temperature of 23°C for a period of 20 minutes
Prolonged QTcF (>450 ms), cardiac arrhythmias or any clinically significant abnormalities in the resting ECG, as judged by the Investigator
Positive results for HBsAg, HCVAb or HIV 1+2 Ag/Ab
Positive serum pregnancy test (minimum sensitivity 25 IU/L or equivalent units of HCG)
Clinically significant abnormal laboratory value at Visit 1 indicating a potential risk for the subject if enrolled in the trial as evaluated by the Investigator
Pregnant or breast-feeding female subjects.
Female subjects of childbearing potential not willing to use contraceptive methods described in Section 5.3.1.
Male subjects not willing to use contraceptive methods described in Section 5.3.1.
Participation in any other interventional trial during the trial period
Subjects known or suspected of not being able to comply with this trial protocol (e.g. due to alcoholism, drug dependency or psychological disorder)