Clinical trial NCT00000679: (Ro 24-2027) A Randomized, Double-Blind, Comparative Study of Dideoxycytidine (ddC) Versus Zidovudine (AZT) in Patients With AIDS or Advanced ARC
Official title: (Ro 24-2027) A Randomized, Double-Blind, Comparative Study of Dideoxycytidine (ddC) Versus Zidovudine (AZT) in Patients With AIDS or Advanced ARC
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE2
Conditions: HIV Infections
Keywords: Zalcitabine
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
AIDS-Related Complex
Zidovudine
Lead sponsor: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Sponsor class: NIH
Collaborators: name: Hoffmann-La Roche
First posted: 2001-08-31
Enrollment: 600
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: To show that zalcitabine (dideoxycytidine; ddC) is at least as effective as zidovudine (AZT) in the treatment of AIDS or advanced AIDS related complex (ARC), and also that ddC shows a different safety profile than AZT.

In clinical studies, ddC shows antiviral activity. Because of the antiviral activity, and because of the low incidence of mild, reversible neurotoxicity and absence of blood-related toxicity with low dose ddC therapy, a long-term Phase II/III study comparing ddC to AZT in patients with AIDS or advanced ARC is now warranted.

Detailed description: In clinical studies, ddC shows antiviral activity. Because of the antiviral activity, and because of the low incidence of mild, reversible neurotoxicity and absence of blood-related toxicity with low dose ddC therapy, a long-term Phase II/III study comparing ddC to AZT in patients with AIDS or advanced ARC is now warranted.

After screening, physical examination and laboratory tests (within 14 days of entry) patients are randomized to one of two treatment groups. They receive either ddC plus an AZT placebo or AZT plus a ddC placebo. Because it is a blinded study, patients do not know which group they are in. Patients are evaluated weekly for the first 10 weeks and then biweekly thereafter.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria

Concurrent Medication:

Allowed:

* Aerosolized pentamidine (300 mg once every 4 weeks) for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis.
* Neuroleptics, benzodiazepines, or antidepressants if patient has been stable with chronic treatment \> 1 month.
* Low dose benzodiazepines or low dose antidepressants.
* Drugs that are unlikely to cause increased toxicity with either study drug and are unlikely to cause peripheral neuropathy.
* Drugs with little nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, or cytotoxicity that the patient has been taking and tolerating well.
* Acyclovir (up to 600 mg/kg/day) for up to 21 days.
* Ketoconazole (up to 400 mg/day) Nystatin.
* Low-dose acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents.
* Isoniazid if patient has no evidence of peripheral neuropathy at entry and if patient takes 50 mg/day pyridoxine concomitantly with isoniazid.
* Allowed with interruption of study medication for up to 21 days per episode and for a total of 42 days for the study:
* Drugs that could cause serious additive toxicity when coadministered with either study medication for treatment of an acute intercurrent illness or opportunistic infection, including:
* Acyclovir (\< 600 mg/day), fluconazole, systemic pentamidine, foscarnet, pyrimethamine, triple sulfa, ansamycin, ganciclovir, trimethoprim / sulfamethoxazole.

Patients must have a diagnosis of AIDS or advanced AIDS related complex (ARC). At least 20 percent of the patients must have a consistently positive serum HIV p24 antigen (= or \> 70 pg/ml) as defined by the Abbott HIV antigen test, on two separate occasions at least 72 hours apart.

* Patients found at screening to have a temperature \> 38.5 degrees C should be evaluated for the possibility of an occult opportunistic or bacterial infection or neoplasm. If this complete evaluation reveals an infection, they can be entered. If this evaluation is unrevealing, they may be entered after evaluation is completed but while mycobacterial cultures are still pending. Patients with a history of unexplained temperatures \> 38.5 degrees C should be evaluated as above and/or be afebrile (temperature \< 38.0 degrees C) for 2 weeks prior to study entry.
* Allowed: Kaposi's sarcoma not specifically excluded, basal cell carcinoma of the skin or in situ carcinoma of the cervix.
* Current positive venereal disease research label (VDRL) and fluorescent treponemal antibody (FTA) if treated as for asymptomatic neurosyphilis.

Prior Medication:

Allowed:

* Drugs that cause peripheral neuropathy and drugs that could cause significant increased toxicity with zidovudine (AZT) or dideoxycytidine (ddC) including experimental drugs if therapy with these drugs is completed and patient is stable for 14 days.

Exclusion Criteria

Co-existing Condition:

Patients with the following conditions or symptoms are excluded:

* Active AIDS defining opportunistic infection or other active intercurrent illness is excluded if ongoing treatment requires the use of excluded concomitant medication.
* Patients with symptomatic visceral Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), progression of KS within the month prior to entry into the study, or with current neoplasms not specifically allowed.
* Severe AIDS dementia complex defined by a score of \< 23 on the Mini-Mental State Exam.
* Signs, symptoms, or history of peripheral neuropathy.
* Significant cardiac disease, defined as history of ventricular arrhythmias requiring medication, prior myocardial infarct, or history of angina or ischemia changes on ECG (electrocardiography).
* Requiring \> 2 weeks of acyclovir therapy at \> 600 mg/day.
* Current positive venereal disease research label (VDRL) and fluorescent treponemal antibody (FTA) not specifically allowed.
* Significant liver disease.

Concurrent Medication:

Excluded:

* Drugs that cause peripheral neuropathy:
* chloramphenicol, cisplatinum, iodoquinol, dapsone, phenytoin, disulfiram, ethionamide, glutethimide, gold, hydralazine, ribavirin, metronidazole, vincristine, nitrofurantoin.
* Drugs that could cause significant increased toxicity with zidovudine (AZT) or dideoxycytidine (ddC), including experimental drugs not specifically allowed.
* Drugs that could cause seizures or changes in mental status or neurological examination.

Concurrent Treatment:

Excluded:

* Transfusion dependency.

Patients with the following are excluded:

* Active AIDS defining opportunistic infection or other active intercurrent illness if ongoing treatment requires use of excluded concomitant medication.
* Symptomatic visceral Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), progression of KS within the month prior to study entry, or current neoplasms not specifically allowed.
* Severe AIDS dementia complex defined by a score of \< 23 on the Mini-Mental State Exam.
* Signs, symptoms, or history of peripheral neuropathy.
* Unwilling or unable to sign informed consent.

Prior Medication:

Excluded:

* Zidovudine (AZT), dideoxycytidine (ddC), or any other antiretroviral nucleoside analog.
* Excluded within 90 days of study entry:
* Any experimental drug including fluconazole, ganciclovir, foscarnet, erythropoietin, or ribavirin.

Excluded within 90 days of study entry:

* Drugs that have caused significant nephrotoxicity or significant hepatotoxicity.
* Drugs that could cause peripheral neuropathy including phenytoin, hydralazine, metronidazole, and nitrofurantoin.
* Systemic corticosteroids or immunomodulators including interferon and interleukin.

Prior Treatment:

Excluded within 30 days of study entry:

* Radiation therapy.

Active substance or alcohol abuse.

Primary outcomes:
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Harbor City
country: United States
facility: Kaiser Foundation Hosp
state: California
city: Los Angeles
country: United States
facility: Kaiser Permanente Med Ctr
state: California
city: Sacramento
country: United States
facility: UCD Med Ctr
state: California
city: San Francisco
country: United States
facility: Davies Med Ctr
state: California
city: San Francisco
country: United States
facility: Mount Zion Med Ctr
state: California
city: San Francisco
country: United States
facility: San Francisco Veterans Administration Med Ctr
state: California
city: San Jose
country: United States
facility: Santa Clara Valley Med Ctr
state: California
city: Washington
country: United States
facility: Georgetown Univ Med Ctr
state: District of Columbia
city: Fort Lauderdale
country: United States
facility: Ctr for Special Immunology
state: Florida
city: Fort Myers
country: United States
facility: Comprehensive Clinic / Dr Robert Schwartz
state: Florida
city: Miami
country: United States
facility: Med Service
state: Florida
city: Atlanta
country: United States
facility: AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta
state: Georgia
city: Chicago
country: United States
facility: Northwestern Univ Med School
state: Illinois
city: Chicago
country: United States
facility: Rush Presbyterian - Saint Luke's Med Ctr
state: Illinois
city: Boston
country: United States
facility: New England Med Ctr
state: Massachusetts
city: Detroit
country: United States
facility: Henry Ford Hosp
state: Michigan
city: Newark
country: United States
facility: Saint Michael's Med Ctr
state: New Jersey
city: Albany
country: United States
facility: Albany Med College / AIDS Treatment Ctr
state: New York
city: Brooklyn
country: United States
facility: Sunset Park Health Ctr - Lutheran Med Ctr
state: New York
city: Winston-Salem
country: United States
facility: Bowman Gray School of Medicine / North Carolina Baptist Hosp
state: North Carolina
city: Cleveland
country: United States
facility: Univ Hosp of Cleveland / Case Western Reserve Univ
state: Ohio
city: Philadelphia
country: United States
facility: Graduate Hosp
state: Pennsylvania
city: Dallas
country: United States
facility: N Texas Ctr for AIDS & Clin Rsch
state: Texas
city: Galveston
country: United States
facility: Univ TX Galveston Med Branch
state: Texas
city: Houston
country: United States
facility: Baylor College of Medicine
state: Texas
Study officials:
References:
citation: Bozzette SA, Hays RD, Berry SH, Kanouse DE. A Perceived Health Index for use in persons with advanced HIV disease: derivation, reliability, and validity. Med Care. 1994 Jul;32(7):716-31. doi: 10.1097/00005650-199407000-00005.
citation: Bozzette SA, Hays RD, Berry SH, Kanouse DE, Wu AW. Derivation and properties of a brief health status assessment instrument for use in HIV disease. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol. 1995 Mar 1;8(3):253-65. doi: 10.1097/00042560-199503010-00006.
citation: Bozzette SA, Kanouse DE, Berry S, Duan N. Health status and function with zidovudine or zalcitabine as initial therapy for AIDS. A randomized controlled trial. Roche 3300/ACTG 114 Study Group. JAMA. 1995 Jan 25;273(4):295-301.
citation: Bozzette SA, Kanouse D, Berry S, Duan N, Downes-LeGuin T, Hays R, Petinnelli C, Richman DD, Gocke D, Kahn J. Relative effects of ddC or ddI versus ZDV on health status, function and disability in N3300 (ACTG 114) and ACTG 116b/117. Int Conf AIDS. 1992 Jul 19-24;8(1):Mo21 (abstract no MoB 0077)
citation: Remick S, Follansbee S, Olson R, Pollard R, Reiter W, Salgo M. Safety and tolerance of zalcitabine (ddC, HIVID) in a double-blind, comparative trial (ACTG 114; N3300). Int Conf AIDS. 1993 Jun 6-11;9(1):488 (abstract no PO-B26-2115)
citation: Follansbee S, Drew L, Olson R, Pollard R, Relter W, Salgo M. The efficacy of zalcitabine (ddC, HIVID) versus zidovudine (ZDV) as monotherapy in ZDV naive patients with advanced HIV disease: a randomized, double-blind, comparative trial (ACTG 114; N3300). Int Conf AIDS. 1993 Jun 6-11;9(1):487 (abstract no PO-B26-2113)
citation: Gries JM, Troconiz IF, Verotta D, Jacobson M, Sheiner LB. A pooled analysis of CD4 response to zidovudine and zalcitabine treatment in patients with AIDS and AIDS-related complex. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1997 Jan;61(1):70-82. doi: 10.1016/S0009-9236(97)90183-1.