Clinical trial NCT00001086: A Study of Abacavir Plus Indinavir Sulfate Plus Efavirenz in HIV-Infected Patients
Official title: A Randomized, Phase II, Placebo Controlled Trial of Abacavir (ABC, 1592U89) in Combination With Open-Label Indinavir Sulfate (IDV) and Efavirenz (EFV, DMP-266) in HIV-Infected Subjects With Nucleoside Analog Experience: A Rollover Study for ACTG 320
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE2
Conditions: HIV Infections
Keywords: Placebos
HIV-1
Drug Therapy, Combination
HIV Protease Inhibitors
Indinavir
RNA, Viral
Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
Anti-HIV Agents
Viral Load
efavirenz
Lead sponsor: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Sponsor class: NIH
First posted: 2001-08-31
Enrollment: 300
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 16
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: To compare the virologic response between abacavir (ABC, 1592U89) regimens (drug vs. placebo) and between the 2 dosing regimens (BID vs. TID) with respect to the proportion of patients with plasma HIV RNA levels below the limit of detection \[AS PER AMENDMENT 8/27/97: \< 500 copies/ml at week 16\]. To evaluate the safety and tolerance of the study arms. \[AS PER AMENDMENT 3/10/99: During the extension period, compare the time to detectable viremia (2 consecutive plasma HIV RNA levels greater than or equal to 500 copies/ml) between ABC and placebo.\] Therapeutically, there is a need to explore potent alternative therapy for patients who have received, or are currently receiving, a double nucleoside analog combination including lamivudine (3TC), a regimen that was proven to be clinically inferior to indinavir (IDV) when combined with zidovudine/3TC in study ACTG 320. In order to produce and maintain a maximal antiviral response, all patients in this study will receive 2 or 3 potent, new agents; ABC, a nucleoside analog, EFV, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), and IDV, a protease inhibitor. Virologically, the major question this protocol seeks to answer is how prior 3TC exposure in a dual nucleoside regimen influences the response to subsequent treatment. It is unclear whether it is best to add a protease inhibitor either 1) an NNRTI at 1 of 2 doses, or 2) an NNRTI at 1 of 2 doses plus a new nucleoside analog to achieve plasma HIV RNA levels that are below the limits of detection.

Detailed description: Therapeutically, there is a need to explore potent alternative therapy for patients who have received, or are currently receiving, a double nucleoside analog combination including lamivudine (3TC), a regimen that was proven to be clinically inferior to indinavir (IDV) when combined with zidovudine/3TC in study ACTG 320. In order to produce and maintain a maximal antiviral response, all patients in this study will receive 2 or 3 potent, new agents; ABC, a nucleoside analog, EFV, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), and IDV, a protease inhibitor. Virologically, the major question this protocol seeks to answer is how prior 3TC exposure in a dual nucleoside regimen influences the response to subsequent treatment. It is unclear whether it is best to add a protease inhibitor either 1) an NNRTI at 1 of 2 doses, or 2) an NNRTI at 1 of 2 doses plus a new nucleoside analog to achieve plasma HIV RNA levels that are below the limits of detection.

Prior to randomization, patients are stratified by CD4 cell count (cells/mm3): less than or equal to 50 versus greater than 50 and by ACTG 320 participation: enrolled versus not enrolled. Patients with greater than 50 CD4 cells/mm3 are randomized to 1 of 4 treatment arms (Arms I, II, III, or IV) and patients with less than or equal to 50 CD4 cells/mm3 are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms (Arms I and II). All patients will be followed for 48 weeks beyond the enrollment of the last patient. The regimens for the treatment arms are as follows: Arm I - indinavir (IDV) plus EFV plus ABC placebo bid, Arm II - IDV (higher dose) plus EFV (lower dose) plus ABC, Arm III - IDV plus EFV plus ABC placebo, and Arm IV - IDV (higher dose) plus EFV (lower dose) plus ABC. If 15 week data indicates this is a reasonable dosing regimen, the sample size in Arms III and IV will be expanded to include additional patients with a CD4 count greater than 50 cells/mm3 and allow for equal enrollment across all 4 treatment arms. Those patients who roll over from ACTG 320 will be assigned to receive open-label treatment on Arm II and evaluated independently of the 4 treatment arms listed above.

\[AS PER AMENDMENT 8/27/97: Patients with 2 consecutive HIV RNA measurements at least 500 copies/ml at week 16 or anytime thereafter are given the option to receive open-label treatment with IDV plus EFV plus ABC, or to seek the best available therapy outside of the study. NOTE: Patients who choose the open-label combination may take other prescribed nucleoside analogs provided outside the study.\] \[AS PER AMENDMENT 12/17/97: It is strongly recommended that patients who reach a confirmed endpoint and elect to receive open-label therapy consider adding additional approved (and novel, if possible) antiretroviral agents to their open-label regimen.\] \[AS PER AMENDMENT 1/12/98: Patients who choose the open-label combination may receive other approved antiretrovirals obtained outside the study provided the ACTG 368 team approves the combination.\] \[AS PER AMENDMENT 8/7/98: Subjects will take study medications for a maximum of 96 weeks, depending on their time of study enrollment.\] \[AS PER AMENDMENT 3/10/99: A 24-week extension, which will end July 30, 1999, has been added to the study. The extension applies to subjects currently on blinded Step 1 treatment, on open-labeled Step 2, or on study but off treatment. Subjects are to be unblinded in their study treatment and followed for the remainder of the extension. Subjects continue on their current study drug schedule. Subjects on blinded IDV plus EFV who, upon unblinding (not failure) decide to add prescription ABC to their regimen, will be considered off study treatment and will be followed for the duration of the extension; those already registered on Step 2 will continue their Step 2 therapy. Any subject who does not wish to continue on the study extension will be unblinded to their original randomized regimen. Subjects who experience virologic failure during the extension should seek best available treatment following current recommendations to use as many approved, novel antiretroviral agents as possible. The new drug regimen may incorporate any or all of the study drugs.\]

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria

Concurrent Medication:

Allowed:

* Chemoprophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is required for all patients who have a CD4 cell count \<= 200 cells/mm3.
* Topical and/or oral antifungal agents are permitted except for oral ketoconazole.
* Treatment, maintenance or chemoprophylaxis with approved agents for opportunistic infections as clinically indicated, except for rifabutin.
* All antibiotics as clinically indicated.
* Systemic corticosteroid use for \<= 21 days for acute problems is permitted as medically indicated; chronic systemic corticosteroid use is not permitted, unless it is within physiologic replacement levels.
* Recombinant erythropoietin and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor are permitted as medically indicated.
* Regularly prescribed medications such as antipyretics, analgesics, allergy medications (except for terfenadine (Seldane) and astemizole (Hismanal)), antidepressants, sleep medications, oral contraceptives, megestrol acetate, testosterone or any other medications are permitted as medically indicated.

NOTE:

* Due to the possibility that EFV or ABC may alter the effectiveness of oral contraceptives or depo-progesterone, oral contraceptives or depo-progesterone must not be used as the sole form of birth control. \[AS PER AMENDMENT 8/7/98: adequate birth control is hormonal plus barrier method or two barrier methods\].
* Alternative therapies such as vitamins, acupuncture, and visualization techniques will be permitted. Herbal medications should be avoided. Patients should report the use of these therapies; alternative therapies will be recorded. \[AS PER AMENDMENT 8/7/98: Due to the likelihood of IDV increasing the concentrations of sildenafil (Viagra) when coadministered, it is suggested that subjects who use viagra take the lowest dose (25 mg, i.e., half the typical dose).\]

Both NIAID ACTG 320 participants and non-ACTG 320 patients must have:

* Documented HIV-1 infection.
* Written informed consent from parent or legal guardian for those patients \< 18 years old.

Non-ACTG 320 patients must have:

* Documented CD4 cell count \<= 200 cells/mm3 at the time of initiation of ZDV (or d4T) plus 3TC therapy \[AS PER AMENDMENT 12/17/97:
* Documented CD4 cell count \<= 250 cells/mm3 within 3 months of initiation of ZDV (or d4T) plus 3TC therapy\].

Prior Medication:

Required:

For ACTG 320 patients:

* Patients must have participated in ACTG 320 with original randomization to the double-nucleoside combination arm, and maintenance of that treatment (on-study/on-treatment in ACTG 320) until enrollment into ACTG 368.

For non-ACTG 320 patients:

* Greater than or equal to 3 months \[2 months AS PER AMENDMENT 12/17/97\] of therapy with ZDV (or d4T) + 3TC and receiving ZDV (or d4T) + 3TC at the time of entry.

Exclusion Criteria

Co-existing Condition:

Non-ACTG 320 patients with the following symptoms and conditions are excluded:

Malignancy that requires systemic therapy other than minimal Kaposi's sarcoma.

NOTE:

* Minimal Kaposi's sarcoma, defined as \<= 5 cutaneous lesions and no visceral disease or tumor-associated edema, allowed, provided systemic therapy not required.

Non-ACTG 320 patients with the following prior conditions or symptoms are excluded:

* Unexplained temperature \> 38.5 degrees C for 7 consecutive days.
* Chronic diarrhea defined as \> 3 liquid stools per day persisting for 15 days, within 30 days prior to entry.
* Proven or suspected acute hepatitis within 30 days prior to entry, even if AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) are \<= 5 X ULN.

Concurrent Medication: Excluded:

* All antiretroviral therapies other then study medications.
* Rifabutin and rifampin.
* Investigational drugs without specific approval from the protocol chair.
* Systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy.
* Oral ketoconazole (Nizoral), terfenadine (Seldane), astemizole (Hismanal), cisapride (Propulsid), triazolam (Halcion), and midazolam (Versed).
* Caution should be taken in the consumption of alcoholic beverages with study medications.
* Itraconazole.

Prior Medication: Excluded: For ACTG 320 patients:

* Those who opted to receive open-label IDV while on ACTG 320, or if they switched to open label IDV during the study.

For non-ACTG 320 patients:

* Acute therapy for an infection or other medical illness within 14 days prior to entry.
* Prior protease inhibitor therapy.
* Prior NNRTI therapy (approved or experimental).
* Erythropoietin, G-CSF or GM-CSF within 30 days prior to entry.
* Interferons, interleukins or HIV vaccines within 30 days prior to entry.
* Any experimental therapy within 30 days prior to entry.
* Rifampin or rifabutin within 14 days prior to entry.

Primary outcomes:
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Los Angeles
country: United States
facility: Univ of Southern California / LA County USC Med Ctr
state: California
city: Los Angeles
country: United States
facility: UCLA CARE Ctr
state: California
city: San Francisco
country: United States
facility: San Francisco Gen Hosp
state: California
city: San Francisco
country: United States
facility: Stanford at Kaiser / Kaiser Permanente Med Ctr
state: California
city: Stanford
country: United States
facility: Stanford Univ Med Ctr
state: California
city: Denver
country: United States
facility: Univ of Colorado Health Sciences Ctr
state: Colorado
city: Washington
country: United States
facility: Georgetown Univ Hosp
state: District of Columbia
city: Washington
country: United States
facility: Howard Univ
state: District of Columbia
city: Miami
country: United States
facility: Univ of Miami School of Medicine
state: Florida
city: Honolulu
country: United States
facility: Queens Med Ctr
state: Hawaii
city: Honolulu
country: United States
facility: Univ of Hawaii
state: Hawaii
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: Chicago
country: United States
facility: Louis A Weiss Memorial Hosp
state: Illinois
city: Indianapolis
country: United States
facility: Indiana Univ Hosp
state: Indiana
city: Indianapolis
country: United States
facility: Division of Inf Diseases/ Indiana Univ Hosp
state: Indiana
city: Iowa City
country: United States
facility: Univ of Iowa Hosp and Clinic
state: Iowa
city: New Orleans
country: United States
facility: Charity Hosp / Tulane Univ Med School
state: Louisiana
city: New Orleans
country: United States
facility: Tulane Med Ctr Hosp
state: Louisiana
city: New Orleans
country: United States
facility: Tulane Univ School of Medicine
state: Louisiana
city: Baltimore
country: United States
facility: State of MD Div of Corrections / Johns Hopkins Univ Hosp
state: Maryland
city: Baltimore
country: United States
facility: Johns Hopkins Hosp
state: Maryland
city: Boston
country: United States
facility: Harvard (Massachusetts Gen Hosp)
state: Massachusetts
city: Boston
country: United States
facility: Boston Med Ctr
state: Massachusetts
city: Boston
country: United States
facility: Beth Israel Deaconess - West Campus
state: Massachusetts
city: Boston
country: United States
facility: Beth Israel Deaconess Med Ctr
state: Massachusetts
city: Minneapolis
country: United States
facility: Hennepin County Med Clinic
state: Minnesota
city: Minneapolis
country: United States
facility: Univ of Minnesota
state: Minnesota
city: Saint Paul
country: United States
facility: St Paul Ramsey Med Ctr
state: Minnesota
city: Saint Louis
country: United States
facility: St Louis Regional Hosp / St Louis Regional Med Ctr
state: Missouri
city: Omaha
country: United States
facility: Univ of Nebraska Med Ctr
state: Nebraska
city: Buffalo
country: United States
facility: SUNY / Erie County Med Ctr at Buffalo
state: New York
city: New York
country: United States
facility: Beth Israel Med Ctr
state: New York
city: New York
country: United States
facility: Bellevue Hosp / New York Univ Med Ctr
state: New York
city: New York
country: United States
facility: Saint Clare's Hosp and Health Ctr
state: New York
city: New York
country: United States
facility: Cornell Univ Med Ctr
state: New York
city: New York
country: United States
facility: St Vincent's Hosp / Mem Sloan-Kettering Cancer Ctr
state: New York
city: New York
country: United States
facility: Mount Sinai Med Ctr
state: New York
city: Rochester
country: United States
facility: Univ of Rochester Medical Center
state: New York
city: Chapel Hill
country: United States
facility: Univ of North Carolina
state: North Carolina
city: Durham
country: United States
facility: Duke Univ Med Ctr
state: North Carolina
city: Greensboro
country: United States
facility: Moses H Cone Memorial Hosp
state: North Carolina
city: Raleigh
country: United States
facility: Central Prison/Women's Prison in Raleigh / NC
state: North Carolina
city: Cincinnati
country: United States
facility: Univ of Cincinnati
state: Ohio
city: Cincinnati
country: United States
facility: Univ of Kentucky Lexington
state: Ohio
city: Cleveland
country: United States
facility: Case Western Reserve Univ
state: Ohio
city: Columbus
country: United States
facility: Ohio State Univ Hosp Clinic
state: Ohio
city: Hershey
country: United States
facility: Milton S Hershey Med Ctr
state: Pennsylvania
city: Philadelphia
country: United States
facility: Univ of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia
state: Pennsylvania
city: West Columbia
country: United States
facility: Julio Arroyo
state: South Carolina
city: Knoxville
country: United States
facility: Univ of Tennessee / E Tennessee Comprehensive Hemophilia Ctr
state: Tennessee
city: Nashville
country: United States
facility: Vanderbilt Univ Med Ctr
state: Tennessee
city: Galveston
country: United States
facility: Univ of Texas Galveston
state: Texas
city: Seattle
country: United States
facility: Univ of Washington
state: Washington
city: Wauwatosa
country: United States
facility: Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation
state: Wisconsin
city: San Juan
country: Puerto Rico
facility: Univ of Puerto Rico
Study officials:
name: Squires KE
role: STUDY_CHAIR
name: Hammer SM
role: STUDY_CHAIR
name: Fischl MA
role: STUDY_CHAIR
References:
citation: Squires K, Hammer S, Degruttola V, Fischl M, Grimes J, Demeter L, Morse G. Randomized trial of abacavir (ABC) in combination with indinavir (IDV) and efavirenz (EFV) in HIV-infected patients (pts) with nucleoside analog experience (NRTI exp). Conf Retroviruses Opportunistic Infect. 1999 Jan 31-Feb 4;6th:207 (abstract no LB15)
citation: Dicenzo R, Forrest A, Smith P, Squires K, Hammer S, Fischl M, Degruttola V, Morse G. Comparing intensive and sparse sampling for estimating the population pharmacokinetics (PK) of indinavir (IDV) in efavirenz (EFV)containing regimens. 8th Conf Retro and Opportun Infect. 2001 Feb 4-8 (abstract no 751)
citation: Landay AL, Bettendorf D, Chan E, Spritzler J, Schmitz JL, Bucy RP, Gonzalez CJ, Schnizlein-Bick CT, Evans T, Squires KE, Phair JP. Evidence of immune reconstitution in antiretroviral drug-experienced patients with advanced HIV disease. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2002 Jan 20;18(2):95-102. doi: 10.1089/08892220252779638.
citation: Demeter LM, DeGruttola V, Lustgarten S, Bettendorf D, Fischl M, Eshleman S, Spreen W, Nguyen BY, Koval CE, Eron JJ, Hammer S, Squires K. Association of efavirenz hypersusceptibility with virologic response in ACTG 368, a randomized trial of abacavir (ABC) in combination with efavirenz (EFV) and indinavir (IDV) in HIV-infected subjects with prior nucleoside analog experience. HIV Clin Trials. 2008 Jan-Feb;9(1):11-25. doi: 10.1310/hct0901-11.