Daily, Weekly, or Event-driven Doxycycline for STI Prevention Among Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) Engaging in Chemsex: The DOSE Non-inferiority Trial (DOSE)

November 3, 2026 updated by: Cherie Blair, MD, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if three different dosing strategies of doxycycline (daily, weekly, and on-demand) works to prevent sexually transmitted infections (gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis) among men who use methamphetamine and who have sex with other men. The main question it aims to answer is:

Does daily, weekly, and on-demand doxycycline dosing strategies lower the incidence of quarterly STIs (gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis)?

Participants will:

Take doxycycline either on-demand (within 72 hours after sex), daily, or weekly doxycycline for one year Visit the clinic once every 3 months to complete questionnaires, undergo HIV/STI testing, and collect samples. Additional visits may be needed to receive STI treatment.

Complete text surveys once every month

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

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

This study will evaluate the acceptability, effectiveness, and adherence of alternative doxycycline dosing strategies to optimize STI prophylaxis in this high-risk population. We will accomplish this through the following independent, yet interrelated Aims: 1) Determine effectiveness of fixed-dose daily, fixed-dose weekly, and event-driven dosing of doxycycline for STI prophylaxis; 2) Assess acceptability and preferences for doxycycline as STI prophylaxis through either fixed dose (daily or weekly) or event-driven (post-exposure) dosing strategies through individual interviews; 3) Evaluate and compare adherence and tolerability of daily, weekly, and event-driven doxycycline dosing strategies. We will conduct an open-label, non-inferior, randomized control trial (RCT) comparing fixed-dose daily, fixed-dose weekly, and event-driven doxycycline dosing strategies on quarterly incidence of STIs among MSM who use MA. We will screen 900 individuals to recruit a cohort of 300 MSM who self-report MA use in conjunction with condomless anal intercourse in the past month. At the Enrollment visit, participants will receive HIV, syphilis, and gonorrhea/chlamydia (GC/CT) testing as well as complete demographic and behavioral questionnaires. Enrolled participants will be randomly assigned 1:1:1 to either fixed-dose daily doxycycline (100mg daily; n=100), fixed-dose weekly doxycycline (200mg weekly; n=100), or event-driven doxyPEP (200mg taken up to 72 hours after a potential STI exposure; n=100; standard of care). All participants will participate in Quarterly follow-up visits where they will be assessed for HIV, bacterial STIs (GC/CT and syphilis), adherence to doxycycline, sexual behaviors/practices, substance use, nasal Staph aureus colonization and doxycycline resistance over 12 months. The primary outcome for this study will be quarterly incidence of, GC, CT, and/or early syphilis (defined as newly positive rapid plasma reagin [RPR] or four-fold rise in RPR titers), by arm.

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.
300

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 Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90038
        • UCLA Vine Street Clinic
        • Contact:

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 and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Born male
  • Age ≥ 18 years old
  • Reports receiving an STI diagnosis (i.e., GC, CT, and/or syphilis) in the past 12 months
  • Reports MA use in conjunction with CAI with a male partner in the 30 days prior to screening
  • Not planning to relocate out of the study area in the 12-month follow-up period
  • Willingness to engage in up to one year of repeated antibiotic exposure
  • Willing and able to give written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Reported allergy to tetracyclines
  • Current or anticipated use of a medication that interacts with doxycycline (prohibited medications listed below)
  • Current or planned use of doxycycline for a prolonged period (> 2 weeks, with the exception of pre-enrollment doxyPEP)
  • Prolonged antibiotic use (> 2 weeks, with the exception of pre-enrollment doxyPEP) in the 30 days prior to study enrollment
  • Co-enrollment in any other concurrent study that may interfere with this study, such as an STI prevention trial, unless approved by the PI or designee
  • Any other medical or psychiatric condition that, in the opinion of the PI or designee, may interfere with study participation or participant safety

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: Prevention
  • Allocation: 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.
Experimental: On-demand doxycycline

Participants randomized to on-demand doxycycline will be instructed to take doxycycline hyclate 200mg once as needed within 24 and up to 72 hours after sex (not to exceed 200mg in 24 hours).
Drug: On demand doxycycline hyclate 200mg

Participants randomized to receive on-demand doxycycline hyclate 200mg will be instructed to take doxycycline hyclate 200mg once as needed within 24 hours and up to 72 hours after sex (not to exceed 200mg in 24 hours)
Experimental: Weekly doxycycline

Participants randomized to receive fixed dose weekly doxycycline hyclate 200mg will be instructed to take doxycycline hyclate 200mg once weekly, regardless of sexual exposure.
Drug: Weekly doxycycline hyclate 100mg

Participants randomized to receive weekly doxycycline hyclate 100mg will be instructed to take doxycycline hyclate 100mg once weekly
Experimental: Daily doxycycline

Participants randomized to receive fixed dose daily doxycycline hyclate 100mg will be instructed to take doxycycline hyclate 100mg once daily, regardless of sexual exposure.
Drug: Daily doxycycline hyclate 100mg

Participants randomized to receive fixed dose daily doxycycline hyclate 100mg will be instructed to take doxycycline hyclate 100mg once daily

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
Time Frame
Quarterly incidence of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and/or early syphilis infection
Time Frame: Quarterly incidence of C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, and/or early syphilis infection by laboratory-based diagnosis (over 1 year time period)
Quarterly incidence of C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, and/or early syphilis infection by laboratory-based diagnosis (over 1 year time period)

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.
University of California, Los Angeles

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.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

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: Cherie Blair, MD, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles

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 (Estimated)

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.
November 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
June 30, 2030

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
June 30, 2031

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).
November 3, 2026

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.
November 3, 2026

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.
November 9, 2026

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.
November 9, 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.
November 3, 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.
November 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.
  • 26-1595
  • 1R01DA066392-01A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

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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