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Immune Reconstitution of Lopinavir/Ritonavir-Based vs Efavirenz-based HAART in Advanced HIV Disease

Phase 4
Terminated
Conditions
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT00775606
Lead Sponsor
Rush University Medical Center
Brief Summary

The ideal anti-HIV medications for patients with advanced HIV disease is unknown. There is evidence that anti-HIV regimens that contain protease inhibitors can enhance immune function better than regimens that do not contain protease inhibitors. This is a study that will determine the difference in immune enhancement capabilities between an anti-HIV regimen that contains the protease inhibitor - lopinavir-ritonavir, and a regimen that contains efavirenz. Both medications are recommended as first line treatments for HIV-infected patients. This study will recruit HIV-positive patients that need to start anti-HIV treatment because their CD4+ T-cells are below 200. The usual threshold for starting treatment is a CD4+ T-cell less than 350. Subjects will be randomized to treatment with either an anti-HIV regimen that contains lopinavir-ritonavir or a regimen that contains efavirenz. The study will determine the difference in immune reconstitution over 24 weeks of treatment with study medications. Among the immune parameters that will be measured is the ability of each subject to respond to vaccination with the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine and the 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine. Both vaccines are also recommended for HIV-positive patients but HIV-positive patients tend to have a lower response rate to these vaccines.

Detailed Description

DESIGN: ICE-001 is a phase IV, randomized, two-arm unblinded study, comparing the effect on immune reconstitution of open-label ritonavir (RTV)-enhanced lopinavir (LPV) to efavirenz (EFV), in combination with daily emtricitabine (FTC)/tenofovir (TDF) as initial therapy for HIV-1 infection in HIV-infected treatment naïve subjects with CD4+ T-cells less than 200 cells/ml.

DURATION: Subjects will participate in ICE-001 for approximately 48 weeks after starting study treatment.

SAMPLE SIZE: ICE-001 will enroll 60 subjects (30 per treatment arm).

POPULATION: HIV-1-infected, antiretroviral (ARV) drug-naïve (≤7 days of ARV treatment at anytime prior to study entry) men and women between18 to 60 years of age with plasma HIV-1 RNA levels \>1000 copies/mL and CD4+ T-cell counts \< 200 cells/ml obtained within 90 days prior to study entry.

STRATIFICATION: Subjects will be stratified at screening based on plasma HIV-1 RNA levels \<100,000 and ≥100,000 copies/mL.

REGIMEN: At entry subjects will be randomized to one of the following:

* ARM A: LPV 400 mg/RTV 100 mg BID + FTC 200 mg/TDF 300 mg QD

* ARM B: EFV 600 mg QD/FTC 200 mg/TDF 300 mg fixed dose combination QD

The objective is to determine the differences in the degree of immune reconstitution in HIV-infected patients with a CD4+ T-cell count \< 200 cells/ml who initiated treatment with LPV/RTV + FTC/TDF compared to EFV/FTC/TDF.

Study visits will occur at screening, pre-entry, entry and weeks 1, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 after study entry. Study medications will be provided at entry after randomization. At most study visits, clinical assessments, including histories, physical exams and determination of drug adherence, will occur. Blood for hematologic and metabolic safety assessments and for the assessment of immune parameters will be obtained. Immune parameters that will be measured include levels of T-cell apoptosis, maturation and activation. Frequencies of various T-cell subsets and other lymphocyte populations will also be done. Response to vaccination with tetanus-diphtheria vaccine and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (both given at week 8) will be measured.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
TERMINATED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
15
Inclusion Criteria
  1. HIV-1 infection

  2. The absence of exclusionary resistance mutations on a genotypic resistance assay

  3. Antiretroviral (ARV) drug-naïve

  4. Screening HIV-1 RNA >1000 copies/mL

  5. Screening CD4+ T-cell count < 200 cells/ml

  6. Laboratory values obtained within 30 days prior to study entry.

    • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >500/mm3
    • Hemoglobin >8.0 g/dL
    • Platelet count >40,000/mm3
    • AST (SGOT), ALT (SGPT), and alkaline phosphatase <5 x ULN
    • Total bilirubin <2.5 x ULN
    • Calculated creatinine clearance ≥60 mL/min (by Cockcroft-Gault equation)
  7. For women of reproductive potential, negative serum or urine pregnancy test within 48 hours prior to initiating study medications.

  8. Contraception requirements

  9. Men and women age >18 years and < 60 years.

  10. Ability and willingness of subject or legal guardian/representative to give written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria
  1. Currently breast-feeding.
  2. Use of immunomodulators, vaccines, growth hormone, systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy, or investigational therapy within 30 days prior to study entry.
  3. Known allergy/sensitivity to study drugs, pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, tetanus-diphtheria vaccine
  4. Receipt of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine or tetanus-diphtheria vaccine in the past 5 years.
  5. Active drug or alcohol use or dependence
  6. Serious illness requiring systemic treatment and/or hospitalization until candidate either completes therapy or is clinically stable on therapy, in the opinion of the site investigator, for at least 14 days prior to study entry.
  7. Requirement for any current medications that are prohibited with any study treatment.
  8. Evidence of any major resistance-associated mutation on any genotype or evidence of significant resistance on any phenotype performed at any time prior to study entry
  9. Current or anticipated imprisonment or involuntary incarceration in a medical facility for psychiatric or physical (e.g., infectious disease) illness
  10. History of, or current bipolar disorder, major depression, schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
ARM A/Lopinavir/ritonavirLopinavir 400 mg/ritonavir 100 mgSubjects randomized to Arm A initiated Lopinavir 400 mg/ritonavir 100 mg BID + emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir 300 mg QD
ARM B/EfavirenzEfavirenzSubjects randomized to Arm B initiated Efavirenz 600 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir 300 mg QD
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
CD4+ (Cluster of Differentiation 4) T-cell Apoptosis24 weeks from treatment initiation (baseline and week 24)

Change in the percentage of naive CD4 T-cells undergoing apoptosis as measured by propidium iodide staining. This is a lab test that measures the percentage of naive CD4 T-cells that are undergoing cell death. The change in this measure is obtained by determining the difference between the percentage of naive CD4 T-cells undergoing apoptosis at week 24 of treatment and the percentage undergoing apoptosis at baseline.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Activated and Regulatory CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell Frequenciesweek 24 measurements

Activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were measured at week 24

Naive, Central Memory, Effector Memory, and T Reg CD4+ T-cell Frequencyweek 24 measurements

Naive, central memory and effector memory, and T reg CD4+ T-cell frequency at week 24

CD4+ T-cell Change24 weeks after treatment initiation (baseline and week 24)

This measures the change in CD4+ T-cells from baseline to week 24 of treatment.

Activation and Proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell Frequenciesbaseline measurements

Activation and proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were measured at baseline

Response to Immunization With Pneumococcus Polysaccharide and Tetanus-diphtheria Vaccines4 weeks after treatment initiation

Response to immunization with pneumococcus polysaccharide and tetanus-diphtheria vaccines was not done due to small sample size

Trial Locations

Locations (4)

University of Illinois Medical Center

🇺🇸

Chicago, Illinois, United States

University of Chicago Hospital

🇺🇸

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Rush University Medical Center

🇺🇸

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Howard Brown Health Center

🇺🇸

Chicago, Illinois, United States

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