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Using Nevirapine to Prevent Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission During Breastfeeding

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
HIV Infections
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT00074412
Lead Sponsor
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Brief Summary

The many benefits of breastfeeding are well documented. However, because of the risk of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV from an HIV infected mother to her infant, there is considerable concern over the practice, especially in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and effectiveness of the anti-HIV drug nevirapine (NVP) in preventing MTCT of HIV in breastfeeding infants born to HIV infected women in South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

Detailed Description

Breastfeeding provides general health, growth, and development benefits to an infant and significantly decreases the risk of certain acute and chronic diseases. Breastfeeding also decreases financial burden on the mother by decreasing the need for infant formula and health care for the infant. However, clinical evidence has shown that HIV can be readily transmitted through breast milk, although the risk of HIV MTCT over time while breastfeeding has been difficult to determine. Given the many advantages of breastfeeding and the significant obstacles to substituting formula for breast milk in developing countries, there is an urgent need to make breastfeeding by HIV infected women safe. This study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of an extended NVP regimen for prevention of MTCT of HIV through breastfeeding.

This study will last approximately 3.5 years. Mother/infant pairs will be enrolled over a period of 18 to 24 months. During the third trimester of pregnancy, HIV infected participants will receive HIV counseling and the intrapartum/neonatal two-dose NVP prophylaxis regimen to prevent MTCT. Mothers will also be given infant feeding options counseling and information on administering the study drug to the infant. Infants who were randomly assigned to receive a placebo and older than 6 weeks of age as of 08/10/07 OR to receive NVP will continue their treatment assignment. Infants who were randomly assigned to receive a placebo and are 6 weeks of age or less as of 08/10/07 will receive open-label NVP through Day 42 of life. For all other participants, all randomized infants will receive extended NVP through 6 weeks (Day 42) of life. All eligible infants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups at Week 6 following birth. The first group will receive extended NVP treatment; the second group will receive nevirapine placebo. Randomized infants will receive the extended NVP or NVP placebo through the first 6 months of life or until cessation of breastfeeding, whichever occurs earlier. Mothers will be instructed to begin giving their infants their assigned intervention starting at Day 3 to Day 7 postpartum. All mothers and infants outside of the study will be offered the local standard of care antiretroviral (ARV) regimen for the prevention of MTCT, but these ARVs will not be provided by the study.

Follow-up evaluations will be conducted at Weeks 2 and 6 and Months 3, 6, 12, and 18 for mothers, and at Weeks 2, 5, 6, and 8 and Months 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, and 18 for infants. Study visits will include physical examinations, blood tests (including HIV tests), and medical histories. Study participants will be followed for up to 3.5 years.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
2026
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
2BNevirapine placeboFor infants: extended treatment with NVP placebo
2ANevirapineFor infants: extended treatment with NVP
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
HIV Infection in Infants Determined to be HIV Uninfected at 6 Weeks Enrolled in Each Arm of the StudyAt Month 6
Frequency and Severity of Adverse Reactions Among Participating Infants6 weeks through 18 months

For those infants who were randomized at 6 weeks and who initiated study drug we looked at the frequency and severity of adverse reactions through 18 months of study. The severity of all AEs was graded according to the DAIDS Table for Grading the Severity of Adult and Pediatric Adverse Events. The term severity is described as the intensity grade or level for specific event (i.e. mild, moderate, severe, or life-threatening). Severity is not the same as seriousness.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Proportion of Infants Who Are Alive and HIV-uninfected in the Two ArmsAt Months 6 and 18
Relative Rates of HIV Infection in the Two ArmsAt Month 18
Infant Survival Rates (Mortality Regardless of HIV Infection) in the Two ArmsAt Month 18

Trial Locations

Locations (5)

Seke North CRS

🇿🇼

Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe

Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) CRS

🇹🇿

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

St Mary's CRS

🇿🇼

Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe

Makerere University- JHU Research Collaboration {MUJHU CARE LTD} CRS

🇺🇬

Kampala, Mpigi, Uganda

CAPRISA Umlazi CRS

🇿🇦

Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

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