Interferon Gamma for Drug Resistant Tuberculosis

Treatment of Multiply Drug Resistant Tuberculosis With Interferon Gamma: A Phase I/II Dose Escalation Trial

This study will determine what dose of recombinant interferon-gamma is safe and effective for treating multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis. Recombinant interferon-gamma is a genetically engineered form of a substance normally produced by the body and is used to boost immune function.

Patients 5 years of age and older with multiply drug-resistant tuberculosis may be eligible for this study.

Participants will be admitted to either the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, the Texas Center for Infectious Diseases in San Antonio or the South Texas Hospital or Valley Baptist Hospital, both in Harlingen, Texas. On admission, patients will have a medical history, physical examination, blood and urine tests, sputum culture, X-rays, pulmonary function tests and a computed tomography (CT) scan. CT produces 3-dimensional images of body tissues and organs in small sections. For the procedure, the patient lies still on a table surrounded by the scanner.

All patients will continue treatment with anti-tuberculosis antibiotics during and after the study period and may elect whether or not to take gamma interferon in addition to the antibiotic. Five patients will receive only antibiotic treatment, and 5 each will receive one of 3 doses (0.025, 0.05 or 0.1 milligrams per square meter of body surface area) of interferon-gamma injected under the skin 3 times a week. The patient or caregiver will be taught to give the injections, which are similar to insulin injections for diabetes.

Patients will be in isolation in the hospital from the start of therapy until sputum samples show no evidence of tuberculosis for 3 consecutive weeks. Following that, they will repeat the tests done on admission (except CT) during follow-up visits (1- to 2-day hospitalizations) at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 24 months after the start of therapy. Patients taking interferon gamma will have blood drawn more frequently (monthly) for the first 6 months, and patients with lung infection will have sputum samples collected more frequently-weekly for the first 3 months or until three consecutive negative samples are obtained and then monthly throughout the course of therapy. Patients with lung infection will also have repeat CT scans at 6 and 12 months while on interferon gamma. In one or two patients on the drug, blood will be drawn frequently following one injection of gamma interferon (just before the injection and again at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 48 hours after it) to see if a difference in blood levels of the drug can be detected.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This is a phase I/II, controlled, open label, dose escalation study to determine the tolerance, toxicity, and clinical effect of the administration of interferon-gamma on the clinical condition and immune function of patients with multiply drug resistant M. tuberculosis infections (MDRTB). The study drug (interferon gamma) will be administered subcutaneously three times a week at three dose levels (0.025 mg/m(2), 0.05 mg/m(2), 0.1 mg/m(2)) for one year in addition to anti-tuberculous medications, as determined by in vitro sensitivities.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

30

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

    • Maryland
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
        • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

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

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

ELIGIBLITY CRITERIA:

Clinical and microbiologic/histologic demonstration of MDRTB, either disseminated (i.e. infection at 2 or more non-contiguous sites) or pulmonary.

Preserved renal function (creatinine less than or equal to 2 mg/100 ml; less than or equal to 2+ proteinuria).

Preserved hepatic function (bilirubin less than or equal to 1.5 mg/100 ml; prothrombin time less than or equal to 1.3x control).

Preserved hematologic function (WBC greater than or equal to 3000/mm3; granulocytes greater than 1500/mm3; platelets greater than or equal to 100,000/mm3).

Patients of childbearing potential may be entered if using effective contraception and having a negative serum or urine HCG within one week of beginning therapy.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Presence of causes of secondary immunodeficiency such as HIV or malignancy.

Currently receiving cytotoxic therapy, or have received it within the last 3 months.

Pregnant or lactating women may not be entered.

Patients with a known seizure disorder may not be entered.

Patients with known symptomatic cardiac disease, such as arrhythmias or coronary artery disease may not be entered.

Patients unable, in the judgment of the PI, to comply with the treatment regimen will be excluded.

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.

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 Start

May 1, 1994

Study Completion

May 1, 2003

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 3, 1999

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 3, 1999

First Posted (Estimate)

November 4, 1999

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

March 4, 2008

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 3, 2008

Last Verified

May 1, 2003

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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