A Randomized Phase II Study of Two Doses of Interferon Alfa-2a (IFN Alfa-2a) in Combination With Zidovudine (AZT) and Dideoxycytidine (ddC) Versus AZT and ddC Only in Patients With HIV Infection and Less Than 400 CD4 Cells/mm3

To determine the safety and efficacy of two doses of interferon alfa-2a ( IFN alfa-2a ) in combination with zidovudine ( AZT )/zalcitabine ( ddC ) versus AZT/ddC only in patients with HIV infection and CD4 count < 400 cells/mm3.

AZT and ddC inhibit HIV by acting as reverse transcriptase chain terminators, while IFN alfa-2a inhibits translation of viral proteins. Combining agents that act at different sites of viral replication may improve HIV inhibition and produce more effective and sustained anti-HIV effects.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

AZT and ddC inhibit HIV by acting as reverse transcriptase chain terminators, while IFN alfa-2a inhibits translation of viral proteins. Combining agents that act at different sites of viral replication may improve HIV inhibition and produce more effective and sustained anti-HIV effects.

Patients are randomly assigned to one of three treatment arms to receive AZT/ddC alone or combined with one of two doses of IFN alfa-2a. Treatment continues for up to 12 months after enrollment of the last patient. Patients are followed at 2, 4, and 8 weeks and every 8 weeks thereafter. Mean duration of follow-up is expected to be 13 months.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

60

Phase

  • Phase 2

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

    • Alabama
      • Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35294
        • Alabama Therapeutics CRS
    • California
      • La Jolla, California, United States
        • Ucsd, Avrc Crs
      • San Diego, California, United States
        • UCSD Maternal, Child, and Adolescent HIV CRS
    • Florida
      • Miami, Florida, United States
        • Univ. of Miami AIDS CRS

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria

Concurrent Medication:

Allowed:

  • Isoniazid for < grade 2 peripheral neuropathy (if patient is also taking 50 mg/day pyridoxine).
  • Phenytoin for < grade 2 peripheral neuropathy.
  • A 21-day course of adjuvant systemic corticosteroid therapy for moderate to severe Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP).
  • Chemoprophylaxis for PCP, candidiasis, herpes simplex infection (up to 1 g acyclovir daily), and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Patients must have:

  • HIV infection.
  • CD4 count < 400 cells/mm3 within 30 days prior to study entry.

NOTE:

  • Minimal Kaposi's sarcoma is allowed.

Exclusion Criteria

Co-existing Condition:

Patients with the following symptoms and conditions are excluded:

  • Active opportunistic infection requiring acute therapy.
  • Need for maintenance therapy for cytomegalovirus infection, toxoplasmic encephalitis, or mycobacterial infection.
  • Malignancy (other than minimal Kaposi's sarcoma) requiring therapy.
  • Grade 2 or worse peripheral neuropathy.

Concurrent Medication:

Excluded:

  • Other antiretroviral drugs, biologic response modifiers, cytotoxic chemotherapy, or investigational drugs (unless approved by the protocol chairs).
  • Recombinant erythropoietin, G-CSF, or GM-CSF.
  • Drugs that cause peripheral neuropathy, e.g., gold, hydralazine, nitrofurantoin, vincristine, cisplatin, disulfiram, and diethyldithiocarbamate (unless approved by the protocol chairs).

Concurrent Treatment:

Excluded:

  • Radiation therapy (unless approved by the protocol chairs).

Patients with the following prior conditions are excluded:

  • History of intolerance to AZT at 600 mg/day or less.
  • Unexplained temperature of 38.5 degrees C persisting for 14 days or longer.
  • Unexplained, chronic diarrhea defined as 3 or more stools per day persisting for 14 days or longer.

Prior Medication:

Excluded:

  • Acute therapy for opportunistic infection within 14 days prior to study entry.
  • Prior ddC, ddI, or IFN alfa-2a.

Active substance abuse.

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

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Richman DD

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.

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 Completion (Actual)

February 1, 1995

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 2, 1999

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 30, 2001

First Posted (Estimate)

August 31, 2001

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 4, 2021

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 27, 2021

Last Verified

October 1, 2021

More Information

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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