Clinical trial NCT03412071: Effect of Antibiotics on Penile Microbiome and HIV Susceptibility Study in Ugandan Men
Official title: Testing the Ability of a Microbiome - Focused Intervention to Reduce HIV Susceptibility in Ugandan Men
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Foreskin HIV Susceptibility
Lead sponsor: University of Toronto
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: UVRI-IAVI HIV Vaccine Program
name: Entebbe General Hospital
First posted: 2018-01-26
Enrollment: 125
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Randomized, open label with 5 arms
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: This pilot study will assess the impact of four antimicrobial products (3 topical, one systemic) on the foreskin microbiome and HIV susceptibility of foreskin-derived CD4+ T cells. Participants will include HIV-uninfected Ugandan men presenting for elective male circumcision to reduce their HIV risk.

Detailed description: RATIONALE: The foreskin is the site of most HIV acquisition in uncircumcised heterosexual men, and male circumcision (MC) reduces HIV risk by almost 60%. However, cultural and practical barriers have led to suboptimal uptake. Foreskin inflammation, defined by elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the prepuce, is a key determinant of HIV acquisition risk in uncircumcised men, and anaerobic bacteria within the foreskin microbiome may be an important cause of this inflammation.

OBJECTIVES: A pilot in vivo - in vitro clinical study of four potential interventions to reduce HIV susceptibility in the foreskin by altering the microbiome. The study is a collaboration between the University of Toronto, IAVI-UVRI, and the Entebbe General Hospital. We will recruit 125 men presenting for elective MC, along with regular female sexual partners (if applicable). Participants will be randomized (n=25 per group) to immediate MC, or to one of four intervention arms: twice-daily application of topical metronidazole 0.75%; twice-daily application of topical clindamycin 2%; twice daily application of hydrogen peroxide 1%; or oral tinidazole 2g once a day for two days. Swabs for immune and microbiome studies will be collected before and after product. After 4 weeks the MC procedure will be performed; foreskin CD4+ T cell susceptibility to HIV will be quantified using a flow cytometry-based pseudovirus assay, and tissue immunohistochemistry performed. The primary and secondary endpoints are outlined below. A secondary study will assess the impact of penile topical antibiotic application on immunology and the microbiome in the genital tract of female sexual partners.

OUTCOMES: This in vivo - in vitro clinical trial will define the causal role of the penile microbiome in HIV susceptibility, and will assess potential strategies to take forward into HIV efficacy trials in uncircumcised heterosexual men.

Eligibility criteria: Enrollment criteria include:

1. Aged 18 years or older
2. Biological male
3. Uncircumcised
4. HIV seronegative
5. Willing to comply with the requirements of the protocol
6. No current sexually transmitted infection (N. gonorrhoeae or C. trachomatis)
7. No clinically relevant genital symptoms / signs

Primary outcomes:
measure: % HIV entry into foreskin derived CD4+ T cells
timeFrame: 4 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Tissue density of HIV-susceptible CD4+ T cells
timeFrame: 4 weeks
measure: CD4+ T cell subsets in foreskin tissue
timeFrame: 4 weeks
measure: Density of Langerhans cells in foreskin tissue
timeFrame: 4 weeks
measure: Presence of foreskin inflammation
timeFrame: 4 weeks
measure: Foreskin microbiome composition
timeFrame: 4 weeks
measure: Foreskin tissue explant HIV susceptibility
timeFrame: 4 weeks
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Entebbe
country: Uganda
facility: UVRI-IAVI HIV Vaccine Program
state: Wakiso
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Toronto
name: Rupert Kaul, MD/PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: University of Toronto
name: Ronald M Galiwango, MBChB/MSc
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
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