Residual Replication of HIV-1 in the Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT) of Patients on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART): the ANRS EP 44 Study (EP 44)

April 21, 2026 updated by: ANRS, Emerging Infectious Diseases

Characterization of the Residual Replication of HIV-1 in the Gut-associated Lymphoid Tissue in Patients Receiving Effective Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: the ANRS EP 44 Study

HIV-1 cannot be eradicated from infected individuals by current antiretroviral regimens. Cellular reservoirs and tissue sanctuary sites allow latent HIV-1 persistence and ongoing low-level virus replication. This project aims to characterize the residual replication of HIV-1 in subjects on antiretroviral therapy, particularly in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) successfully controls HIV-1 replication in most individuals, resulting in substantial immune restoration and decreased morbidity and mortality. However HIV-1 cannot be eradicated from infected individuals by current regimens. Cellular reservoirs and tissue sanctuary sites allow latent HIV-1 persistence and ongoing low-level virus replication, despite maximum virus suppression on HAART. This project aims to characterize the residual replication of HIV-1 in subjects on HAART, particularly in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). A group of 20 HIV-1-infected patients on effective HAART will undergo GI endoscopy and GALT biopsies will be taken. A sample of venous blood will also be collected. These samples will be use to characterize the residual viral populations on effective HAART in three compartments, plasma, monocytes, and GALT. HIV-1 coreceptor usage and its evolution on HAART will be characterized in virus reservoirs. This project could provide further insights into the residual replication of HIV-1 in subjects receiving HAART.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • France
      • Toulouse, France
        • ANRS center from Toulouse

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • HIV-1 infection (ELISA and western-blot tests)
  • Continuous antiretroviral therapy >= 12 months
  • Plasma HIV-1 RNA =< 40 copies/ml >= 6 months
  • Indication of gastro-intestinal endoscopy
  • Age >= 18-year old
  • Physical examination
  • Informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Plasma HIV-1 RNA > 40 copies/ml in the last 6 months
  • Involvement in a HIV vaccine study
  • Treatment with interferon-alpha or PEG- interferon-alpha in the last 6 months
  • Treatment with interleukin-2 in the last 6 months
  • Decompensated cirrhosis
  • Abnormal hemostasis tests
  • Inflammatory bowel disease ; coeliac disease
  • Lymphoma
  • Blood transfusion in the last 6 months
  • Absence of social security (health insurance)
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding woman
  • Incapable adult

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Other: HIV-1-infected patients on effective HAART
Procedure: GI endoscopy and GALT biopsies
This project aims to characterize the residual replication of HIV-1 in subjects on HAART, particularly in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)
Biological: A sample of venous blood will also be collected
These samples of blood will be use to characterize the residual viral populations on effective HAART in three compartments, plasma, monocytes, and GALT
Other: Non Infected HIV Volunteers
Procedure: GI endoscopy and GALT biopsies
This project aims to characterize the residual replication of HIV-1 in subjects on HAART, particularly in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)
Biological: A sample of venous blood will also be collected
These samples of blood will be use to characterize the residual viral populations on effective HAART in three compartments, plasma, monocytes, and GALT

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Correlation between HIV-1 viral load and CD4+ T lymphopenia in the GALT.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
HIV-1 DNA load in the GALT vs blood CD4+ T cells
HIV-1 tropism in the GALT vs blood CD4+ T cells
Characterization of residual HIV-1 in the plasma < 40 copies/ml
Characterization of HIV-1 DNA in blood monocytes

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
ANRS, Emerging Infectious Diseases

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: MASSIP Patrice, University Hospital, Toulouse

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2008

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 1, 2010

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 22, 2009

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 23, 2009

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
December 24, 2009

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 23, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 21, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2010

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2008-A00239-46

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