NICU Antibiotics and Outcomes Trial (NANO)

April 21, 2026 updated by: Michael Morowitz
The goal of the NANO trial is to study the longstanding clinical practice of empirically administering intravenous antibiotics to extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants in the first days of life. In this 802-subject multicenter placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, the hypothesis to be tested is that the incidence of adverse outcomes is higher in babies receiving empiric antibiotics (EA) in the first week of life compared to babies receiving placebo. The study targets a population of ELBW infants in whom the clinical decision to use or not use EA is currently most challenging -- infants that are clinically stable that did not have a known exposure to intraamniotic infection and were not born preterm for maternal indications. The primary outcome is the composite outcome of late-onset sepsis (LOS), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), or death during the index hospitalization. Secondary safety outcomes will include total antibiotic days, days to full enteral feedings, and common morbidities in preterm infants that have previously been linked to EA, e.g. retinopathy of prematurity and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Weight and length z-score, and head circumference, are standard measures to be collected weekly by clinical team per a standardized protocol.

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

Randomization and blinding. Physicians will screen infants based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. The site coordinator will confirm eligibility with the treating physician and input patient data into the web based system. Once data is inputted, the coordinator will randomize eligible families 1:1 using web-based block randomization stratified by study site to receive EA or placebo. Multiples (i.e. siblings) will be randomized to the same treatment arm. Randomization will be sent to the investigational pharmacy via email, where study drug will be drawn. Participants, treating clinicians, and study staff will all be blinded to allocation. Outcome assessors and statistical summaries for trial monitoring will be unaware of group allocation. Unblinded data evaluation during the trial will be restricted to a designated study statistician and the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). Investigators will be unblinded and analyses initiated only after all data collection forms are completed, data queries resolved, and data are locked for analysis.

Intervention. Following randomization, the coordinator will contact the attending physician, nurse practitioner and/or other providers as appropriate, and nurse to inform them that randomization has been completed. The intervention consists of administering either conventional EA or placebo while completing an evaluation for early onset sepsis. Timing of drug administration will be closely monitored. Enrolled subjects will receive EITHER ampicillin and gentamicin at site approved dosing guidelines OR volume matched equivalent of normal saline. These dosing regimens are derived from updated published guidelines for neonates. No masking is required as each of these solutions is clear.

The study drug will be ordered and in many cases discontinued just as EA would normally be ordered and discontinued; specifically, this means that the drugs will be ordered and administered within 4 hours of life and then discontinued at the discretion of the attending neonatologist. Typically this occurs when blood culture results are deemed negative (expected in > 95% of study subjects). The study protocol will allow the first dose of study drug to be administered as late as 4 hours after delivery. Research coordinators will follow daily orders on all study subjects.

Fecal sample collection. Samples will be obtained exclusively for research purposes, and there will be no testing of patients beyond obtaining microbiome samples, and recording demographic data and clinical history. Spontaneously expelled fecal samples for microbiome analyses will be obtained weekly from study subjects through the first 8 weeks of life, and monthly thereafter until death or discharge.

Infant blood draw. An additional research blood sample for genetic analysis will be drawn one time and should be done at the time of clinical blood draws. However, if this blood draw is missed, it can be done in the neonate's first week of life. A volume of 0.3 to 0.4mL will be drawn in EDTA tubes and shaken well. After the sample is collected, it will be frozen for shipment. The blood draw will be performed by NICU personnel who routinely draw blood on preterm babies. It will be either the bedside nurse or the respiratory therapist depending on whether the blood is drawn from an umbilical catheter or by heelstick.

Maternal vaginal swab and rectal swabs at delivery will be collected. If a rectal swab was not collected at the time of delivery, a maternal fecal sample during the first week postpartum will be collected in its place. Samples will be cryopreserved at -80C.

An electronic database will be used to track sample collection and storage history.

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 (Actual)

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.
359

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.
  • Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Alabama
      • Mobile, Alabama, United States, 36688
        • USA Children's and Women's Hospital
    • California
      • San Diego, California, United States, 92123
        • Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns
    • Connecticut
      • New Haven, Connecticut, United States, 06520-8064
        • Yale University School of Medicine
    • Florida
      • Tampa, Florida, United States, 33606
        • University of South Flordia Health
    • Kentucky
      • Louisville, Kentucky, United States, 40202
        • University of Louisville Research Foundation Inc./Kosair Charities Pediatric Clinical Research Unit
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10032-3702
        • The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
      • Rochester, New York, United States, 14642
        • Golisano Children's Hospital at University of Rochester
      • Valhalla, New York, United States, 10595
        • Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center
    • North Carolina
      • Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, 27157
        • Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
    • Pennsylvania
      • Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States, 17033
        • Penn State Medical College
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
        • Pennsylvania Hospital/The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19107
        • Alfred I. duPont for Children of the Nemours Foundation
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15213
        • Magee Womens Hospital
    • Texas
      • San Antonio, Texas, United States, 78229
        • University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

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

No older than 4 hours (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

I. Inclusion criteria: We will enroll newborn infants with gestational age of 23-30 weeks 6 days infants at participating study sites will be eligible.

II. Exclusion criteria:

  1. Infants born for maternal indications via caesarean section with rupture of membranes at delivery, without attempts to induce labor, and without concern for maternal infection

  2. Infants at high risk of EOS

    • Infants born to mothers with intrapartum fever (> 38C) or clinical diagnosis of chorioamnionitis
    • Infants born to mothers with previous infant with GBS disease/infection
  3. Infants with respiratory insufficiency requiring invasive mechanical ventilation and FiO2 > 0.40 or non-invasive ventilation and FiO2 > 0.60 at time of randomization
  4. Infants with ongoing hemodynamic instability requiring vasopressors or fluid boluses at time of randomization
  5. Clinician concern infant is at high risk for sepsis due to infant physical exam findings or clinical history of mother or infant
  6. Major congenital anomalies
  7. Infants not anticipated to survive beyond 72 hours
  8. Infants who have received antibiotics prior to randomization
  9. Mothers that are <18 years old at time of enrollment

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: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

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.
Active Comparator: Empiric antibiotics
Infants will receive standard antibiotic coverage of ampicillin and gentamycin at site approved dosing guidelines while completing an evaluation for early-onset neonatal sepsis.
Drug: Ampicillin
Intravenous ampicillin
Drug: Gentamycin
Intravenous gentamycin
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Infants will receive a volume matched placebo of normal saline while completing an evaluation for early-onset neonatal sepsis.
Drug: Normal saline
Intravenous normal saline

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
Composite incidence of NEC, LOS, or death
Time Frame: From the time and day of randomization through the subject's date of death from any cause or discharge from the birth hospital, whichever comes first, assessed up until 50 weeks.
NEC will be assessed by clinical presentation and an abdominal x-ray obtained and read by a certified radiologist. NEC will be defined strictly by Bell's stage II or III criteria for moderate or advanced NEC. To reduce overlap between NEC and diagnosis of spontaneous intestinal perforation, the diagnosis of NEC will only be considered in infants > 7 days of age. LOS is defined as defined as a positive blood culture obtained after 72 hours of life and intent to treat with antibiotics for 5 days or more. Death is defined as death during the index hospitalization.
From the time and day of randomization through the subject's date of death from any cause or discharge from the birth hospital, whichever comes first, assessed up until 50 weeks.

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
NEC
Time Frame: From the time and day of randomization through the subject's date of death from any cause or discharge from the birth hospital, whichever comes first, assessed up until 50 weeks.
NEC will be assessed by clinical presentation and an abdominal x-ray obtained and read by a certified radiologist. NEC will be defined strictly by Bell's stage II or III criteria for moderate or advanced NEC. To reduce overlap between NEC and diagnosis of spontaneous intestinal perforation, the diagnosis of NEC will only be considered in infants > 7 days of age.
From the time and day of randomization through the subject's date of death from any cause or discharge from the birth hospital, whichever comes first, assessed up until 50 weeks.
LOS
Time Frame: From the time and day of randomization through the subject's date of death from any cause or discharge from the birth hospital, whichever comes first, assessed up until 50 weeks.
LOS is defined as defined as a positive blood culture obtained after 72 hours of life and intent to treat with antibiotics for 5 days or more.
From the time and day of randomization through the subject's date of death from any cause or discharge from the birth hospital, whichever comes first, assessed up until 50 weeks.
Death
Time Frame: From the time and day of randomization through the subject's date of death from any cause or discharge from the birth hospital, whichever comes first, assessed up until 50 weeks.
Death is defined as death during the index hospitalization.
From the time and day of randomization through the subject's date of death from any cause or discharge from the birth hospital, whichever comes first, assessed up until 50 weeks.

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Microbial diversity within infant fecal samples
Time Frame: Weekly stool samples will be collected for the first 8 weeks of life and then monthly through death or discharge from the subject's birth hospital , assessed up to 50 weeks.
Bacterial DNA will be sequenced according to established protocols. In analyses of these samples, we shall investigate three important parameters, namely, alpha diversity (Richness and Shannon Index), beta diversity, and the differential abundance of individual bacterial taxa.
Weekly stool samples will be collected for the first 8 weeks of life and then monthly through death or discharge from the subject's birth hospital , assessed up to 50 weeks.

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.
Michael Morowitz

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

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

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 (Actual)

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.
August 5, 2020

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.
January 15, 2026

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.
January 15, 2026

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).
June 2, 2019

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.
June 21, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

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.
June 25, 2019

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 24, 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.
April 1, 2026

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.
  • STUDY20110298
  • R01HD097578 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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