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Triple Antimalarial Combination to Accelerate the Parasite Clearance and to Prevent the Selection of Resistant Parasites

Phase 2
Conditions
Plasmodium Falciparum Malaria (Drug Resistant)
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT03697668
Lead Sponsor
Nurex S.r.l.
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to provide a new drug combination for a better treatment of P. falciparum for a faster parasite clearance and to counteract artemisinin resistance.

Detailed Description

According to WHO, resistance to artemisinin derivatives (ART) is emerging in many areas of the Greater Mekong Region as a delayed parasite clearance following a standard treatment by artemisinin combined therapy (ACT). Artemisinin resistance is often accompanied by the resistance to the partner drugs such as piperaquine (PPQ), mefloquine (MEF), amodiaquine (AQ) and lumefantrine (LF).

The slow and incomplete clearance of parasites following ACT treatment is considered to permit the selection of resistant parasites.

The availability of new, more efficient treatments accelerating the clearance of parasites is therefore needed to counteract the selection of ART resistant strains.

Imatinib (IMA) has been demonstrated to increase the efficacy of ART in a synergic fashion. This positive effect is further potentiated by low concentrations of PPQ.

IMA is active both on the intra-erythrocyte asexual forms and on gametocytes. It is therefore expected that the combination DHA-PPQ-IMA should lead to faster and radical clearance of the parasites, therefore reducing the frequency of healthy carriers and transmission.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
Male
Target Recruitment
50
Inclusion Criteria
  1. Patients diagnosed with mild to moderate P. falciparum malaria
  2. Adult male, age 18-55 years
  3. Good health conditions other than malaria
  4. The patient did not take anti-malarial drugs in the past 4 weeks
Exclusion Criteria
  1. unable to provide Informed Consent or Patient History Form

  2. symptoms and signs of severe or complicated malaria including: continuous high fever over 39 °C, confusion, convulsions

  3. parasitemia<150.000 parasites /microliter

  4. other neurological or psychiatric symptoms or disorders

  5. abnormal bleeding

  6. resting hearth rate lower than 60 and higher than 100 bpm

  7. abnormal ECG, history of cardiac diseases

  8. male adults with corrected QT intervals > 450ms

  9. signs, symptoms and laboratory results of impairment of vital organs such as liver, lungs, kidney and cardiovascular system

  10. hemoglobin < 9.0 gm/100ml

  11. symptoms and signs of infection such as pneumonia, dengue fever, and other viral or bacterial infection.

  12. patients with symptoms of gastrointestinal infections or any sign of malabsorption that may interfere with drug absorption

  13. concomitant infection by plasmodium species other than P. falciparum

  14. inability to meet daily with local doctor during period of clinical trial

  15. concomitant medicines like:

    1. medicines used to treat high cholesterol in the blood (such as atorvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin);
    2. medicines used to treat hypertension and heart problems (such as diltiazem, nifedipine, nitrendipine, verapamil, felodipine, amlodipine);
    3. medicined used to treat HIV (antiretroviral medicines): protease inhibitors (such as amprenavir, atazanavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (such as efavirenz, nevirapine);
    4. medicines used to treat microbial infections (such as telithromycin, rifampicin, dapsone);
    5. medicines used to help you fall asleep: benzodiazepines (such as midazolam, triazolam, diazepam, alprazolam), zaleplon, zolpidem;
    6. medicines used to prevent/treat epileptic seizures: barbiturates (such as phenobarbital), carbamazepine or phenytoin;
    7. medicines used after organ transplantation and in autoimmune diseases (such as cyclosporin, tacrolimus);
    8. sex hormones, including those contained in hormonal contraceptives (such as gestodene, progesterone, estradiol), testosterone; - glucocorticoids (hydrocortisone, dexamethasone); - omeprazole (used to treat diseases related to gastric acid production);
    9. paracetamol (used to treat pain and fever);
    10. theophylline (used to improve bronchial air flow);
    11. nefazodone (used to treat depression);
    12. aprepitant (used to treat nausea);

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SEQUENTIAL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
imatinib-Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquineImatinibtriple combination
Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquineDihydroartemisinin-piperaquinestandard of care
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Occurrence of Severe Adverse EventsFrom baseline to day 42

Occurrence of Severe Adverse Events over 42 days observation period

Occurrence of Adverse EventsFrom baseline to day 42

Occurrence of Adverse Events over 42 days observation period

Occurrence of Abnormal Physical SymptomsFrom baseline to day 42

Occurrence of Abnormal Physical Symptoms (Clinical Abnormalities) over 42 days observation period

Occurrence of Abnormal Laboratory ValuesFrom baseline to day 42

Occurrence of Abnormal Laboratory Values over 42 days observation period

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Frequency of residual parasitemia: % of patients with >1000 parasites/ ul at day 3 and 28day 3 and day 28

Parasitemia is determined by assessing the parasite count in blood, using thin film, thick film and qPCR analysis.

Frequency of fever and malaria symptomsday 3 and day 28

Percentage of patients with fever or malaria symptoms observed at Phisical Visit at day 3 and 28.

Mean parasitemia in the control and investigational armsday 2 and day 5

Mean parasitemia by assessing the parasite count in blood, using thin film, thick film and qPCR analysis, expressed as parasites / ul at day 2, 3 and 5 measured in the control and investigational arms

Parasite half-life measured at 12 and 24 hoursfrom baseline to 24 hours post-treatment

Mean parasite clearance half-life calculated using parasitemia measured at baseline, 12 and 24 hours post-treatment

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

A Tuc

🇻🇳

Hương Hóa, Quang Tri, Vietnam

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