Combating Related Epidemics in HCV (CREST)

April 30, 2026 updated by: Duke University

Combating Related Epidemics in HCV Through Simplified Testing and Treatment. A Cluster Randomized Trial of Point-of-care Hepatitis C Testing and Treatment Among Key Populations

This is a two-arm cluster randomized control trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a single-visit point-of-care (POC) test and treat bundle (intervention arm) compared to the current standard-of-care (SOC, control arm). 1:1 randomization occurs at the site level.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

1280

Phase

  • Phase 4

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Can provide written informed consent or assent
  2. Minimum of 16 years of age
  3. Willing to undergo HIV, HCV, HBV testing
  4. Willing to undergo treatment for HCV and complete study activities

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. History of HCV treatment for current infection
  2. Known preexisting (evidence or history of) decompensated liver disease based on: medical diagnosis through medical record, reporting by the participant, or clinical evidence per the site PI
  3. Contraindication for treatment with sofosbuvir/velpatasvir due to allergy or drug-drug interaction including use of any prohibited concomitant medications within 28 days prior to study entry.
  4. History of clinically significant illness or any other major medical disorder that may interfere with participant treatment, assessment, or compliance with study requirements as determined by the site PI
  5. Ongoing need for use of daily proton pump inhibitor (PPI) at doses ≥40 mg of omeprazole (or equivalent). NOTE: PPI can be discontinued or dose reduced to 20 mg/day of omeprazole (or equivalent) at time of study entry.

Retreatment Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Completion of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir treatment regimen as enrolled participant in CREST and willingness to receive retreatment. FIB-4 & CTP score available within 90-days of retreatment initiation.
  2. Meeting any of the below criteria during post-cessation treatment follow-up. Relapse, defined as HCV RNA <LLOQ/D (TD or TND) during and/or at end of treatment followed by HCV RNA >LLOQ/D or target detected based on qualitative POC test at any time point from end of treatment to 12 weeks after end of treatment OR Re-infection, defined as meeting the primary outcome criteria for SVR4+ followed by HCV RNA >LLOQ/D or target detected based on qualitative POC test at any time point beyond meeting SVR4+ OR Post-treatment virologic failure, defined as HCV RNA >LLOQ/D at any point after end of treatment (after week 24 visit) or during follow-up, not otherwise meeting definition of relapse or re-infection

Retreatment Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Known preexisting (evidence or history of) decompensated liver disease based on: medical diagnosis through medical record, reporting by the participant, clinical evidence per the site PI, or by CTP score ≥7.
  2. Pregnant or breast feeding at time of retreatment with sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir.
  3. Contraindication for treatment with sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (reinfection) or sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir (relapse or virologic failure) due to FDA package insert, allergy, or drug-drug interaction including use of any prohibited concomitant medications within 28 days prior to study entry.
  4. History of clinically significant illness or any other major medical disorder that may interfere with participant treatment, assessment, or compliance with study requirements as determined by the site PI
  5. Ongoing need for use of daily proton pump inhibitor (PPI) at doses ≥40 mg of omeprazole (or equivalent.). NOTE: PPI can be discontinued or dose reduced to 20 mg/day of omeprazole (or equivalent) at time of study entry.

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: Diagnostic
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Standard of Care (control arm)
Participants will complete standard local clinical practice for HCV, HIV, and HBV testing and for initiation of treatment of HCV.
Drug: Sofosbuvir / Velpatasvir Oral Tablet [Epclusa]
Participants with detectable HCV RNA on Xpert test will receive sofosbuvir/velpatasvir at the same visit as the POC test in the intervention arm. Participants in the SOC arm will receive sofosbuvir/velpatasvir after standard of care testing and treatment assessment has been completed.
Other Names:
  • Direct acting antiviral
Experimental: Single-visit POC test & treat (intervention arm)
Sites randomized to the single-visit point-of-care test (POC) & treat arm will undergo fingerstick POC HCV RNA, HIV antibody/antigen, and HBsAg and for those with detectable HCV RNA, HCV treatment will be initiated.
Drug: Sofosbuvir / Velpatasvir Oral Tablet [Epclusa]
Participants with detectable HCV RNA on Xpert test will receive sofosbuvir/velpatasvir at the same visit as the POC test in the intervention arm. Participants in the SOC arm will receive sofosbuvir/velpatasvir after standard of care testing and treatment assessment has been completed.
Other Names:
  • Direct acting antiviral
Device: Cepheid GeneXpert HCV Test
Cepheid Xpert HCV Test, performed on the GeneXpert Xpress system, in an automated in vitro reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for the qualitative detection of Hep C (HCV) RNA in human fingerstick.
Device: Abbott Determine HIV - 1/2 Ag/Ab
Abbott Determine HIV - 1/2 Ag/Ab combo is an in vitro, visually read, qualitative immunoassay for the simultaneous detection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type-1 (HIV-1) p24 antigen (Ag) and antibodies (Ab) to HIV type-1 and type-2 in fingerstick. Intended use is point-of-care test to aid in the diagnosis of infection.
Device: Abbott Determine HbsAg 2
Determine HBsAg 2 is an in vitro, visually read, qualitative immunoassay for detection of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) in human fingerstick. The test is intended as an aid to detect HBAg from infected individuals.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Proportion of participants who complete the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) care cascade within 24 weeks of study entry in intervention versus Standard of Care (SOC) arm.
Time Frame: 24 weeks from study enrollment
Proportion of participants in the primary analysis population (as defined as detectable HCV RNA on dried blood spot testing at screening) who complete the HCV care cascade within 24 weeks of study entry in intervention versus SOC arm. Completion of the care cascade will be defined as HCV RNA<lower limit of quantification/detection (LLOQ/D) at a minimum of 4 weeks post-cessation of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy sustained virologic response (SVR4+).
24 weeks from study enrollment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time from enrollment to treatment initiation
Time Frame: up to 24 weeks
HCV related [all outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms].
up to 24 weeks
Proportion of participants with HCV RNA not detected based on dried blood spot at week 24 and week 60
Time Frame: Week 24 and 60
HCV related [all outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms].
Week 24 and 60
Proportion of participants who have received any HIV test result within 24 weeks of entry
Time Frame: 24 weeks of entry
HIV related outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by entry dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms.
24 weeks of entry
Proportion of participants who initiate PrEP within 24 weeks of entry
Time Frame: 24 weeks of entry
HIV related outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by entry dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms.
24 weeks of entry
Time from enrollment to PrEP initiation
Time Frame: up to 60 weeks
HIV related [all outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms].
up to 60 weeks
All cause and liver specific hospitalizations through week 60
Time Frame: 60 weeks
Safety [all outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms].
60 weeks
All cause and liver specific mortality through week 60
Time Frame: Week 60
Safety [all outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms].
Week 60
Adverse device effects related to study devices
Time Frame: up to 60 weeks
Safety [all outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms].
up to 60 weeks
Proportion of participants initiating same-visit direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment following enrollment (intervention arm only)
Time Frame: Day 1
Proportion of participants initiating same-visit DAA treatment following enrollment (intervention arm only)
Day 1
Proportion of participants initiating direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy within 12 weeks of entry
Time Frame: 12 weeks
HCV related outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by entry dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms.
12 weeks
Proportion of participants initiating direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy within 24 weeks of entry
Time Frame: 24
HCV related [all outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms].
24
Proportion of participants completing direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy within 24 weeks of entry
Time Frame: 24 weeks
HCV related outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by entry dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms.
24 weeks
Proportion of participants achieving sustained virologic response (SVR4+) within 60 weeks of entry
Time Frame: 60 weeks
HCV related outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by entry dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms.
60 weeks
Cumulative incidence of HCV reinfection following sustained virologic response (SVR4+) within 60 weeks of entry
Time Frame: within 60 weeks
HCV related outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by entry dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms.
within 60 weeks
Cumulative retreatment following sustained virologic response (SVR4+) or relapse within 60 weeks of entry
Time Frame: within 60 weeks
HCV related [all outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms]. This analysis for retreatment is limited to participants 18 years old and older.
within 60 weeks
Proportion of participants with HIV who commence direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy within 24 weeks of entry
Time Frame: 24 weeks of entry
HIV related outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by entry dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms.
24 weeks of entry
Proportion of participants with HIV not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at screening who commence ART within 24 weeks of entry
Time Frame: 24 weeks of entry
HIV related outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by entry dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms.
24 weeks of entry
Proportion of participants with HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at screening who remain on ART at week 24 and week 60
Time Frame: Week 24 and 60
HIV related [all outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms].
Week 24 and 60
On direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment serious suspected adverse events leading to discontinuation of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir
Time Frame: 60 weeks
Safety [all outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms].
60 weeks
Adverse maternal and fetal outcomes for those on direct-acting antiviral (DAA) at any time during pregnancy
Time Frame: up to 60 weeks
Safety [all outcomes are assessed in the primary analysis population (as defined by dried blood spot testing at screening) and compared between intervention and SOC arms].
up to 60 weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Health-related quality of life (EQ5D) and social functioning through week 60
Time Frame: Week 60
Week 60
Changes in health-related quality of life (EQ5D) from baseline to week 24 and week 60
Time Frame: from baseline to Week 24 and 60
from baseline to Week 24 and 60
Among participants pregnant at time of enrollment: Proportion of participants completing DAA therapy within 24 weeks of entry and achieving SVR4+ within 60 weeks of entry
Time Frame: Week 24 and 60
Week 24 and 60
Adherence to direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy as measured by participant self-report
Time Frame: 12 and 24 weeks
12 and 24 weeks
Among participants pregnant at time of enrollment: Proportion of participants initiating direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy within 12 and 24 weeks of entry
Time Frame: Weeks 12 and 24
Weeks 12 and 24

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Duke University

Collaborators

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Yale University
Gilead Sciences
Abbott
Kirby Institute
West Virginia University
Cepheid
University of San Diego
Flinders University International Centre for Point-of-care Testing

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Susanna Naggie, MD, MHS, Duke University

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.

General Publications

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)

August 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 30, 2030

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 30, 2030

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 2, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 23, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

April 30, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 5, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 30, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Pro00118863
  • 1U01AI195193 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

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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