Clinical trial NCT00723229: A Randomized Trial to Evaluated the Suppressive Effect of Acyclovir on Rapidly Cleared HSV-2 Reactivation
Official title: A Randomized, Cross-Over Study to Evaluate the Suppressive Effect of Acyclovir on Rapidly Cleared Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Genital Reactivation Episodes in Herpes Simplex Virus-2 Seropositive Adults
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE4
Conditions: Genital Herpes
Lead sponsor: University of Washington
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
First posted: 2008-07-28
Enrollment: 48
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: We propose to study the episode rate, duration, and quantity of HSV-2 genital shedding in patients taking standard, FDA approved, CDC recommended doses of acyclovir (400 mg PO BID) for HSV-2 suppression compared to taking no medication to better define the effect of acyclovir on short bursts of rapidly cleared HSV-2 shedding. This study will be a randomized, open label, cross-over trial. We hypothesize that short bursts of HSV-2 reactivation will not be suppressed by acyclovir.

Detailed description: We propose to study the episode rate, duration, and quantity of HSV-2 genital shedding in patients taking standard, FDA approved, CDC recommended doses of acyclovir (400 mg PO BID) for HSV-2 suppression compared to taking no medication to better define the effect of acyclovir on short bursts of rapidly cleared HSV-2 shedding. This study will be a randomized, open label, cross-over trial.

We propose to perform this study in two study populations. Cohort 1 will be comprised of 25 HSV-2 seropositive, HIV seronegative adults, and Cohort 2 will be comprised of 25 HSV-2 seropositive, HIV seropositive adults with a CD4 count\>250 cells/mm3. As suppression of HSV-2 using acyclovir is currently being studied in large, multi-center, international clinical trials as an HIV prevention strategy, these results will have broad implications for public health around the world.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

COHORT 1: HIV seronegative

1. Older than 18 years;
2. HSV-2 seropositive by Western Blot;
3. not receiving any drugs with known anti-HSV-2 activity for study duration;
4. women of child bearing potential who are sexually active with men must be using a medically accepted method of contraception as judged by the investigator;
5. women of child-bearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test (urine) at screening visit;
6. in general good health, without other serious medical conditions and specifically with normal renal and hepatic function, as determined by the patient's medical history;
7. planning to remain resident in the area of the study center for the duration of the study participation;
8. HIV seronegative

COHORT 2: HIV seropositive

1. Older than18 years;
2. HSV-2 seropositive by Western Blot;
3. not receiving any drugs with known anti-HSV-2 activity for study duration;
4. women of child bearing potential who are sexually active with men must be using a medically accepted method of contraception as judged by the investigator;
5. women of child-bearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test (urine) at screening visit;
6. in general good health, without other serious medical conditions and specifically with normal renal and hepatic function, as determined by the patient's medical history;
7. planning to remain resident in the area of the study center for the duration of the study participation;
8. HIV seropositive
9. CD4 count over 250 cell/mm3
10. Not taking antiretroviral therapy

Exclusion Criteria:

For both cohorts:

1. hypersensitivity to acyclovir or valacyclovir;
2. pregnant women;
3. Taking immunosuppressive therapies, such as chronic oral steroids or immune modulatory drugs.

For cohort 2:

1. CD4 count\<250 cell/mm3
2. Taking antiretroviral therapy at the time of study entry

Primary outcomes:
measure: Frequency of HSV-2 Total Shedding From the Genital Tract as Measured by PCR, Calculated Using a Per-day Shedding Rate in Participants Treated With Suppressive Acyclovir as Compared to no Medication in HIV Seronegative and HIV Seropositive Individuals.
timeFrame: 9 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Quantity of HSV Detected, Median
timeFrame: 9 weeks
measure: Number of Genital HSV Shedding Episodes
timeFrame: 9 weeks
measure: Duration of Genital HSV Shedding Episodes
timeFrame: 9 weeks
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Seattle
country: United States
facility: University of Washington Virology Research Clinic
state: Washington
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Washington
name: Christine Johnston, MD, MPH
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Johnston C, Saracino M, Kuntz S, Magaret A, Selke S, Huang ML, Schiffer JT, Koelle DM, Corey L, Wald A. Standard-dose and high-dose daily antiviral therapy for short episodes of genital HSV-2 reactivation: three randomised, open-label, cross-over trials. Lancet. 2012 Feb 18;379(9816):641-7. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61750-9. Epub 2012 Jan 4.