A Study to Compare the Effectiveness of Different Anti-HIV Drug Regimens in Keeping Levels of HIV in the Blood as Low as Possible

Phase II Randomized, Open-Label Study of Maintenance of HIV RNA Suppression After Switching to ddI/d4T/HU vs. ddI/d4T/EFV vs. Continuing the Pre-Entry Protease Inhibitor Regimen

This study will look at different anti-HIV drug regimens to see which works best to keep the level of HIV (viral load) in the blood as low as possible during maintenance therapy. You will be assigned randomly (like tossing a coin) to 1 of 3 groups:

Group 1: Didanosine plus stavudine plus hydroxyurea (ddI/d4T/HU). Group 2: Didanosine plus stavudine plus efavirenz (ddI/d4T/EFV). Group 3: This group of patients will remain on their current drug regimens. This study will last approximately 3 years; you will receive study medications for the duration of the study.

Anti-HIV drug regimens that include protease inhibitors (PIs) are very good at lowering viral load. However, some patients have a rise in HIV levels while on PI maintenance. It may be possible to keep HIV levels low using another class of drugs for maintenance that are easier to take and less expensive than PIs. If viral load increases while a patient is taking this second group of drugs, it may be possible to restart the PI drug regimen and again decrease HIV levels.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Combination antiretroviral therapies using protease inhibitors (PIs) are capable of suppressing plasma HIV RNA to undetectable levels. However, approximately 10% of patients who achieve undetectable viral loads will experience a detectable rise in HIV RNA each year. When HIV replication has been suppressed to very low levels, it may be possible to consolidate antiretroviral therapy into a simpler and potentially less toxic "maintenance" regimen without a PI. Such a regimen would ideally be potent enough to continue to maintain viral suppression but use agents that are better tolerated, more easily salvaged, less expensive, and/or more convenient than PI-containing regimens. Subsequent rises in HIV viremia with non-PI maintenance regimens may respond to resumption of the pre-maintenance PI-containing regimen, extending the use of the potent PI class.

Patients are randomized 1:1:1 to treatment with ddI/d4T/HU (Arm A) versus ddI/d4T/EFV (Arm B) versus continuation of the pre-entry PI-containing regimen (Arm C). Viral load is measured at Weeks 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24, then every 8 weeks for up to 3 years. Upon virologic failure (plasma HIV RNA greater than or equal to 200 copies/ml), or drug intolerance, patients on the maintenance regimens (Arms A and B) restart their pre-entry PI-containing regimen. Patients on Arm C are managed according to best medical judgment of their primary care provider in the event of virologic failure.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

150

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

    • California
      • Menlo Park, California, United States, 94025
        • Willow Clinic
      • San Jose, California, United States, 951282699
        • Santa Clara Valley Med Ctr / AIDS Community Rsch Consortium
      • Stanford, California, United States, 943055107
        • San Mateo AIDS Program / Stanford Univ
      • Stanford, California, United States, 943055107
        • Stanford Univ Med Ctr
    • Florida
      • Miami, Florida, United States, 331361013
        • Univ of Miami School of Medicine
    • Indiana
      • Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 462025250
        • Indiana Univ Hosp
      • Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 46202
        • Methodist Hosp of Indiana / Life Care Clinic
      • Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 46202
        • Division of Inf Diseases/ Indiana Univ Hosp
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02114
        • Harvard (Massachusetts Gen Hosp)
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215
        • Beth Israel Deaconess - West Campus
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10003
        • Beth Israel Med Ctr
      • New York, New York, United States, 10021
        • Cornell Univ Med Ctr
      • New York, New York, United States, 10016
        • Bellevue Hosp / New York Univ Med Ctr
      • New York, New York, United States, 10021
        • Chelsea Ctr
      • Rochester, New York, United States, 14642
        • Univ of Rochester Medical Center
    • North Carolina
      • Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 275997215
        • Univ of North Carolina
    • Ohio
      • Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 452670405
        • Univ of Cincinnati
      • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 432101228
        • Ohio State Univ Hosp Clinic
    • Pennsylvania
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
        • Univ of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia

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

13 years and older (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for this study if you:

  • Are at least 13 years old (need consent if under 18).
  • Are HIV-positive.
  • Are taking your first anti-HIV drug regimen, which must include a PI and at least one NRTI (nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor) and have been on this regimen for at least 12 months.
  • Have a viral load less than 400 copies/ml for at least 12 months prior to study entry, and have a viral load less than 50 copies/ml within 60 days of study entry.
  • Have a CD4 cell count of at least 200 cells/mm3 within 60 days of study entry.
  • Are willing to go back on the drugs you are currently on, if necessary.
  • Are willing to use effective methods of birth control during the study and for 3 months after.

Exclusion Criteria

You will not be eligible for this study if you:

  • Have taken ddI, d4T, or HU for more than 2 weeks.
  • Have taken any NNRTI (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor) for more than 7 days.
  • Have ever taken EFV.
  • Have received an HIV vaccine within 30 days prior to study entry.
  • Have an AIDS-related cancer that requires chemotherapy.
  • Have or have had pancreatic disease.
  • Are being treated for a significant illness.
  • Abuse drugs or alcohol.
  • Are pregnant or breast-feeding.
  • Are allergic to any study drugs.
  • Have received certain medications.

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
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Study Chair: David Wohl
  • Study Chair: Joe Eron
  • Study Chair: Roy Gulick

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

December 7, 2022

Primary Completion

December 7, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2000

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)

October 29, 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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