Clinical Research Directory

Testing the Feasibility of Different HPV Screening and Care Strategies for Women Living With HIV

The overall goal of this study is to inform the design and establish feasibility for a future clinical trial to determine the optimal management of women living with HIV (WLWH) with high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) detected on HPV-based cervical cancer screening. WLWH have a higher diversity of anogenital HPV types causing cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (hHSIL) and invasive cancer compared to women without HIV. While there is consensus that women testing positive for HPV 16 and/or 18 should be immediately managed and treated, optimal management strategies for women with other hrHPV types (non-16/18) are not well defined. This prospective cohort study will enroll WLWH undergoing cervical cancer screening using primary HPV testing. Women will self-collect vaginal specimens for hrHPV testing using the Abbott Alinity m HPV assay, which provides extended HPV genotyping and a proxy for HPV viral load based on cycle threshold (CT) values. Women with hrHPV detected will return for further evaluation and treatment as indicated. A subset of women will return at Month 6 for repeat evaluation. The study will evaluate feasibility for a future trial by examining recruitment, retention, return for evaluation, and completion of treatment. It will also explore management strategies for women with non-16/18 hrHPV based on extended genotyping and HPV viral load compared to standard of care approaches using visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA).

Emergency Department-based Cervical Cancer Screening Through Self-sampling

This project will compare the uptake of cervical cancer screening through ED HPV sampling among patients presenting to the ED.

Testing for Safety and Immune Effects of PDS0101, an Anti-HPV Therapy, Among People Living With HIV

This study is testing the immunotherapeutic agent, PDS0101, in adults living with HIV who are also infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16. The purpose of the study is to learn whether PDS0101 is safe and whether it can help the body's immune system respond to HPV 16. Researchers will enroll 27 adults between the ages of 25 and 65 who have been receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) for at least 12 months, have a cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) cell count of at least 200 cells/mm³, and have an HIV viral load below 200 copies/mL. All participants must have HPV 16 detected in the cervix, vagina, or anus. Some participants will have high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), a condition that can lead to cancer. At least 10 participants will have cervical HSIL, and at least 10 will have anal HSIL. Participants with both cervical and anal HSIL will count in both groups. Others may have HPV 16 without HSIL. This is a single-arm, open-label trial, which means that all participants will receive the same treatment, and both the investigators and the participants will know what the treatment is. Each participant will receive three doses of the PDS0101 vaccine. Participants who receive at least one dose will be included in the study's main safety analysis. If a participant does not receive all three doses and does not experience a serious side effect related to the vaccine (defined as a Grade 3 or higher toxicity), that participant may be replaced to make sure that 27 participants either complete the full vaccination schedule or experience a primary safety event. Participants who do have a qualifying safety event will not be replaced. Even if someone stops the study early, their data will still be included in the final analysis. The main goals of this study are to evaluate the safety of PDS0101 and to measure the immune response it produces. The safety evaluation includes monitoring for serious or unexpected side effects, especially those that are Grade 3 or higher in severity. The immune response will be assessed by looking at how the body's T cells respond to HPV 16 after PDS0101 administration. The total time a participant is involved in the study includes the PDS0101 administration period and several follow-up visits, which may take place over the course of several months. This research may help inform future strategies for preventing or treating HPV-related disease in people living with HIV.

Phase II Clinical Trial of De-Intensified Therapy in Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Associated Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

HPV-associated Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OPSCC) is a type of cancer that affects parts of the throat, like the tonsils and the base of the tongue. The treatments for OPSCC, which may include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, often cause serious side effects, such as loss of taste, dry mouth, and long-term problems with swallowing. These side effects can lower patients' quality of life and make it difficult for them to eat and speak normally. This study aims to explore whether using lower doses of radiation after surgery can help improve long-term swallowing function in patients with HPV-positive OPSCC. By doing this, the study team hopes to reduce treatment-related side effects while maintaining good cancer control.