Rectal Microbicide Acceptability, Tolerability and Adherence

Acceptability, Tolerability, and Adherence of Three Rectal Microbicide Placebo Formulations Among HIV Seronegative Cisgender Men, Transgender Men and Transgender Women Who Engage in Receptive Anal Intercourse

MTN-035 is a multi-site, randomized-sequence, three-period, open label crossover study that will enroll approximately 210 participants randomized (1:1:1:1:1:1) to one of six sequences of rectal microbicide placebo product application.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: HIV Prevention
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Placebo rectal insert; Behavioral: Placebo rectal suppository; Behavioral: Placebo rectal douche

Detailed Description

MTN-035 is a multi-site, randomized-sequence, three-period, open label crossover study that will enroll approximately 210 participants randomized (1:1:1:1:1:1) to one of six sequences of rectal microbicide placebo product application. At the start of each 4-week product use period, participants will receive either rectal inserts, rectal douches, or rectal suppositories and be instructed to use their assigned study product prior to each receptive anal intercourse (RAI) encounter during that period. Participants who do not have RAI in a given week will be asked to use the product without sex. There will be a 1-week washout period between each of the three product use periods. Participant follow-up will take approximately 3.5 months.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 217
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Malawi
  • Blantyre, Malawi
    • Blantyre Clinical Research Site
• Peru
  • San Miguel, Peru, 15088
    • San Miguel Clinical Research Site
• South Africa
  • Johannesburg, South Africa, 2038
    • Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute Clinical Research Site
• Thailand
  • Chiang Mai, Thailand, 50202
    • Chiang Mai University HIV Prevention Clinical Research Site
• United States
  • Alabama
    • Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35294
      • Alabama Clinical Research Site
  • California
    • San Francisco, California, United States, 94102
      • Bridge HIV Clinical Research Site
  • Pennsylvania
    • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15216
      • University of Pittsburgh Clinical Research Site

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Men (cis or transgender) and TGW who are 18-35 years old at Screening, verified per site SOP.
2. Able and willing to provide written informed consent.
3. HIV-1/2 uninfected at Screening and Enrollment, per applicable algorithm in Appendix II and willing to receive HIV test results.
4. Able and willing to provide adequate locator information, as defined in site SOP.
5. Available to return for all study visits and willing to comply with study participation requirements.
6. In general good health at Screening and Enrollment, as determined by the site Investigator of Record (IoR) or designee.
7. At Screening, history of consensual RAI at least three times in the past three months and expecting to maintain at least this frequency of RAI during study participation per participant report.
8. Willing to not take part in other research studies involving drugs, medical devices, genital or rectal products, or vaccines for the duration of study participation (including the time between Screening and Enrollment).
9. For individuals who can get pregnant (i.e., TGM with a female reproductive system): a negative pregnancy test at Screening and Enrollment.

10. For individuals who can get pregnant: Per participant report at Enrollment, using an effective method of contraception for at least 30 days (inclusive) prior to Enrollment and intending to use an effective method for the duration of study participation; effective methods include:

    1. Hormonal methods;
    2. Intrauterine device (IUD) inserted at least 30 days prior to Enrollment (but not past the maximum length of recommended usage according to package instructions);
    3. Sterilization (of participant or, if in a monogamous relationship, of partner, as defined in site SOPs);
    4. Abstinence from RVI for 90 days prior to Enrollment, and intention to abstain from RVI for the duration of study participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. At Screening:

   1. History of inflammatory bowel disease;
   2. Current anorectal condition that would impede product placement or assessment of tolerability by participant report or exam.

2. Anticipated use and/or unwillingness to abstain from using non-study rectally-administered medications and products during study participation, including personal lubricants containing nonoxynol-9 (N-9).

   Note: The use of non-study personal lubricants and usual pre-RAI douches that do not contain N-9 is permitted during study participation.

3. Known adverse reaction to any of the components of the study products.
4. Participation in research studies involving drugs, medical devices, genital products, or vaccines within 30 days of the Enrollment Visit.
5. Participation in research studies involving rectal products (ever).
6. Per participant report, use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for potential HIV exposure within the 3 months prior to Enrollment.
7. In the 3 months prior to Enrollment, participant engagement in condomless RAI or RVI while not on PrEP with a partner who is HIVpositive and either not on ART or of unknown ART use status (by self report).
8. In the month prior to Enrollment, participant engagement in condomless RAI or RVI while not on PrEP with a partner who is of unknown HIV status and unknown PrEP/ART use status (by self-report).
9. Non-therapeutic injection drug use in the 12 months prior to Enrollment.

10. At either Screening or Enrollment, participant-reported symptoms and/or clinical or laboratory diagnosis of active anorectal or reproductive tract infection (RTI) requiring treatment per current WHO guidelines (http://www.who.int/hiv/ pub/sti/pub6/en/), or symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI). Infections requiring treatment include: Neisseria gonorrhea (GC), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), syphilis, active herpes simplex virus (HSV) lesions, anogenital sores or ulcers, or symptomatic genital warts, chancroid, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), symptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV), symptomatic vaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis.

    Note: Otherwise eligible participants with a symptomatic UTI or an STI/RTI requiring treatment per current WHO guidelines may be retested during the screening process and if treatment is completed and symptoms have resolved within the screening window the participant may be enrolled.

    Note: HSV-1 or HSV-2 seropositive diagnosis with no active lesions is permitted since treatment is not required.

11. For individuals who can get pregnant: Pregnant or breastfeeding at either Screening or Enrollment or planning to become pregnant during study participation.
12. For individuals who can get pregnant: Last pregnancy outcome 90 days or less prior to Screening.
13. Has any other condition that, in the opinion of the IoR/designee, would preclude informed consent, make study participation unsafe, complicate interpretation of study outcome data, or otherwise interfere with achieving study objectives.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

6

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: Product Sequence A; Participants will use placebo rectal inserts during the first 4-week product use period, placebo rectal douches during the second 4-week product use period, and placebo rectal suppositories during the third and final 4-week product use period.	Behavioral: Placebo rectal insert; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo insert prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.; Behavioral: Placebo rectal suppository; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo suppository prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.; Behavioral: Placebo rectal douche; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo douche (enema bottle with approximately 120 mL of clean tap water or bottled water) prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI, or if no other RAI activity occurs in that 7-day period, to take a dose in the absence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.
Other: Product Sequence B; Participants will use placebo rectal douches during the first 4-week product use period, placebo rectal suppositories during the second 4-week product use period, and placebo rectal inserts during the third and final 4-week product use period.	Behavioral: Placebo rectal insert; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo insert prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.; Behavioral: Placebo rectal suppository; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo suppository prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.; Behavioral: Placebo rectal douche; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo douche (enema bottle with approximately 120 mL of clean tap water or bottled water) prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI, or if no other RAI activity occurs in that 7-day period, to take a dose in the absence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.
Other: Product Sequence C; Participants will use rectal suppositories during the first 4-week product use period, rectal inserts during the second 4-week product use period, and rectal douches during the third and final 4-week product use period.	Behavioral: Placebo rectal insert; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo insert prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.; Behavioral: Placebo rectal suppository; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo suppository prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.; Behavioral: Placebo rectal douche; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo douche (enema bottle with approximately 120 mL of clean tap water or bottled water) prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI, or if no other RAI activity occurs in that 7-day period, to take a dose in the absence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.
Other: Product Sequence D; Participants will use placebo rectal inserts during the first 4-week product use period, placebo rectal suppositories during the second 4-week product use period, and placebo rectal douches during the third and final 4-week product use period.	Behavioral: Placebo rectal insert; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo insert prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.; Behavioral: Placebo rectal suppository; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo suppository prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.; Behavioral: Placebo rectal douche; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo douche (enema bottle with approximately 120 mL of clean tap water or bottled water) prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI, or if no other RAI activity occurs in that 7-day period, to take a dose in the absence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.
Other: Product Sequence E; Participants will use placebo rectal douches during the first 4-week product use period, placebo rectal inserts during the second 4-week product use period, and placebo rectal suppositories during the third and final 4-week product use period.	Behavioral: Placebo rectal insert; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo insert prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.; Behavioral: Placebo rectal suppository; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo suppository prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.; Behavioral: Placebo rectal douche; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo douche (enema bottle with approximately 120 mL of clean tap water or bottled water) prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI, or if no other RAI activity occurs in that 7-day period, to take a dose in the absence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.
Other: Product Sequence F; Participants will use placebo rectal suppositories during the first 4-week product use period, placebo rectal douches during the second 4-week product use period, and placebo rectal inserts during the third and final 4-week product use period.	Behavioral: Placebo rectal insert; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo insert prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.; Behavioral: Placebo rectal suppository; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo suppository prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.; Behavioral: Placebo rectal douche; Participants will be instructed to insert in the rectum a placebo douche (enema bottle with approximately 120 mL of clean tap water or bottled water) prior to RAI. If a dose is missed, participants will be instructed to wait to take a dose at the next occurrence of RAI, or if no other RAI activity occurs in that 7-day period, to take a dose in the absence of RAI. Furthermore, if no RAI activity occurs at all in a given 7-day period, participants will be instructed to take a dose on the seventh day in the absence of RAI.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Acceptability of Future Product Use	Using a 10-point scale (1=Very Unlikely; 10=Very Likely), participants were asked to answer the following question about their most recently used product: "Think about the positive and negative experiences you have had using the [study product] during the past 4-week period. If this [study product] was available and it provided some protection against HIV, how likely would you be to use it before receptive anal sex?". The endpoint was operationalized as binary, with scores 1 to 6 grouped as "low acceptability" and scores 7 to 10 as "high acceptability".	14 weeks (three 4-week product use periods with 1-week washout periods between them)
Adherence to Placebo Products	Percentage of participants who used each study product as instructed	14 weeks (three 4-week product use periods with 1-week washout periods between them)
Number of Grade 2+ Related Adverse Events	Number of all Grade 2 or higher related adverse events (AE) reported in the study as defined by the DAIDS AE Grading Table	14 weeks (three 4-week product use periods with 1-week washout periods between them)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Microbicide Trials Network
• Collaborators: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD); National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
• Investigators: Study Chair: José A Bauermeister, PhD, MPH, University of Pennsylvania

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Bauermeister J, Tingler R, Liu A, Chariyalertsak S, Hoesley C, Gonzales P, et al. Acceptability and choice for three placebo products used with receptive anal sex. Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), Mar 6-10, 2021; Abstract # 716

Helpful Links

• Primary result abstract published by CROI

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 26, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 27, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): July 27, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 23, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 12, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): September 14, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 20, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 4, 2023
• Last Verified: January 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Acceptability; Rectal microbicide
• Other Study ID Numbers: MTN-035; UM1AI068633 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract); UM1AI068615 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract); UM1AI106707 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract); 38459 (Other Identifier: DAIDS)

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No