Clinical Research Directory

Doravirine (DOR) in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Infected Children Aged 4 Weeks to <12 Years and <45 kg (MK-1439-066)

This is a single-group, open-label, multi-site study in pediatric participants with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, aged 4 weeks to \<12 years and weighing \<45 kg, who are treatment-naive (TN) or have been virologically suppressed (VS) on stable combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) for ≥3 months with no history of treatment failure. The primary objectives are: * To evaluate the steady state pharmacokinetics (PK) of doravirine (DOR) \[MK-1439\] when given in combination with 2 nucleoside/nucleotide analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) or as part of the fixed-dose combination (FDC) of DOR/lamivudine (3TC)/tenofovir disproxil fumarate (TDF) in participants ≥6 to \<12 years and weighing ≥14 to \<45 kg. * To evaluate the safety and tolerability of DOR when given with 2 NRTIs or as part of the FDC of DOR/3TC/TDF, in participants ≥6 to 12 years and weighing ≥14 to \<45 kg, through Week 24.

Secondary Cervical Cancer Prevention of Vulnerable Women With HPV and HIV Co-infection in India

Cervical cancer (CC) remains one of the most common malignancies among women in India, with nearly 100,000 women diagnosed annually and over 60,000 preventable deaths annually. With high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) as the causative agent for CC, one risk factor that places women at high risk for CC is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), as impaired immune response against Human papillomavirus (HPV) may result in persistent HR-HPV infection, a critical risk factor for progression of HPV-related cervical oncogenesis. Progression of precancerous lesions among women living with HIV (WLH) is also associated with: 1) lack of HPV screening; 2) high levels of depressive symptoms and stigma; and 3) malnutrition, which negatively impacts the activation and proliferation of immune cells. Yet programs that offer WLH with comprehensive services focused on HPV screening and psychological and nutritional support are almost non-existent, and the gap is critical. Nutrition plays an integral role in relationship to HPV/HIV co-infection, as demonstrated by an increased risk of HR-HPV associated with poor nutrition; nutritional deficiencies are likewise linked to cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia. The immunological effect of malnutrition may also be exacerbated among WLH due to elevated energy demands of chronic immune activation; worsened with HPV/HIV co-infection. Further, depressive symptoms (aka depression for brevity) partially mediate the effect of food insecurity on HIV viral suppression. In our completed ASHA-Nutrition R01 study of antiretroviral (ART) adherence, the investigators trained lay community health workers, named Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), to improve the health of 600 rural WLH by providing emotional support, skill-building, nutrition education, and/or protein-enriched food supplements. In that study, our intervention, co-delivered by our trained ASHA, and guided by nurses, led to increased CD4+ T cell recovery and improved anthropometric and psychosocial outcomes. The investigators found that ASHA support plus protein supplements and nutritional education were significantly associated with improved CD4 counts and increased lean mass at 18 months (P \< 0.001), as well as significant improvements in depression, ART adherence, social support and internalized stigma. In our sub study, CC screening of 598 of these WLH revealed that 13% were found to have abnormal cervical lesions and 4 (1%) had squamous CC. Preliminary evidence also revealed that nutritional supplements may be associated with a 40% reduction in the risk of abnormal cervical lesions (adjusted odds ratio \[aOR\] = 0.60), with an association between serum albumin and reduced risk of abnormal lesions (aOR= 0.39). With a focus on secondary prevention of CC, the investigators hope to mitigate the link between HR-HPV persistence and risk of CC as well as improve the health of women co-infected with HPV/HIV (W-Co-V). Our stellar team plans to build upon our prior ASHA-Nutrition intervention, using formative research to refine a nurse-led, ASHA co-delivered, nutrition-enhanced ASHA-Health HPV intervention, adapted for W-Co-V. This will be followed by a randomized controlled trial (RCT), assessing the efficacy of our refined comprehensive, multifaceted ASHA-Health HPV intervention, as compared with an enhanced Standard of Care (SOC+) (usual care + 3 sessions \[wellness, basic nutrition and HPV/HIV health promotion\]) among 420 high-risk co-infected women to prevent CC while remaining engaged in the HIV treatment cascade, and managing nutritional health. Participants, recruited from a total of 24 villages, will be individually randomized in a 1:1 ratio into the two study arms. Our Primary outcome is HR-HPV persistence (2 positive tests for the same HR-HPV type, separated by 12-18 months). The two aims incorporating RCT interventions are as follows: Aim 2. To evaluate the efficacy of ASHA-Health HPV intervention among 420 W-Co-V on the primary outcome (HR-HPV persistence) as compared to the Enhanced Standard of Care (SOC+) program. H2: Compared to the SOC+ participants, ASHA-Health participants will have lower rates of HR-HPV persistence. Aim 3. Assess the impact of the ASHA-Health program secondarily on: 1) HIV indices (HIV viral load; CD4 count); 2) Nutritional index (serum albumin) at 6-, 12-, and 18-months.

Strategies to AchieVe Viral Suppression for Youth With HIV

Although there have been advances in antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV, adolescents and young adults living with HIV (AHIV) continue to have disparate HIV outcomes particularly viral suppression (VS), when compared to other populations likely related to multi-layered challenges (social determinants, cognitive development), system, and biomedical challenges including the reliance on oral ART as the only choice for HIV treatment. Given that approximately 1/3 of AHIV despite being in care fail to attain or sustain VS with resultant individual and public health risk, there is a need to develop real-world implementable interventions that can improve the participants virologic outcomes. The Strategies to AchieVe Viral Suppression for Youth with HIV (SAVVY) Study aims to 1) optimize personal ART choice by using the HIV-ASSIST clinical program to inform CHOICE counseling regarding an AHIV's preferred approach, including the possibility of long-acting injectable ART (LAI-ART); 2) facilitate access to the participants preferred choice through deploying a focused team to navigate barriers to attaining LAI-ART; and 3) decipher and address the patient, provider, and systemic barriers to the uptake and routinization of LAI-ART among AHIV by applying an implementation science framework and assessing cost-effectiveness providing critical data to support comprehensive approaches to optimizing ART and VS for AHIV, a key population identified in the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States Initiative.

Empowering Knowledge, Self-Testing & Resilience Through Innovative Methods for HIV

The goal of this study is to learn whether a digital tool can help improve HIV knowledge, self-awareness, and testing among adolescents in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The tool includes online HIV education, a self-assessment for HIV risk, and access to trained peer educators for support. The study will also explore how comfortable and willing adolescents are to use this kind of digital health service. The main questions the study aims to answer are: * Can this digital tool help adolescents better understand HIV and their personal risk? * Will more adolescents be willing to get tested for HIV after using the tool? * What factors affect whether adolescents accept and use digital HIV services? Researchers will compare two groups of high school students: * One group will use the digital tool for 6 weeks * The other group will receive standard HIV education (not through the tool) Participants will: * Answer surveys before and after the 6-week period * Learn about HIV through videos and interactive content * Use the tool to assess their personal HIV risk * Receive support from trained peer educators (online) The researchers hope this study will lead to new ways of using technology to improve HIV prevention and testing for young people.