Clinical Research Directory

Low Dose Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole for the Treatment of Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is an opportunistic fungal infection of immunocompromised hosts which causes in significant morbidity and mortality. The current standard of care, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) at a dose of 15-20 mg/kg/day of TMP, is associated with serious adverse events, including hypersensitivity reactions, drug-induced liver injury, cytopenia, and renal failure occurring among 20-60% of patients. The frequency of adverse events increases in a dose dependent manner and commonly limits the use of TMP-SMX. Reduced treatment doses of TMP-SMX for PCP reduced ADEs without mortality differences in a recent meta-analysis of observational studies. We therefore propose a Phase III randomized, placebo-controlled trial to directly compare the efficacy and safety of low dose (10 mg/kg/day of TMP) compared to the standard-of-care (15 mg/kg/day) among patients with PCP for the primary outcome of Win Ratio hierarchical composite of death, ECMO, invasive ventilation, grade 4 toxicity, non-invasive ventilation, change of therapy and length of stay.

How Long Should we Give Steroids for Patients With Severe PCP

The HOW LONG trial is an international, multicenter, Phase IV randomized clinical trial evaluating the optimal duration of adjunctive systemic corticosteroids in immunocompromised adults with severe Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) who demonstrate early clinical recovery. Participants who no longer require supplemental oxygen by day 10 of corticosteroid therapy are randomized to discontinue corticosteroids at day 10 (or hospital discharge, if earlier) versus continue corticosteroids for a total of 21 days. The trial assesses whether earlier discontinuation reduces steroid-related complications while maintaining clinical outcomes.

Pneumocystis Jirovecii Genotyping

We share our lives with microorganisms, and these generally do not pose a problem if an individual is healthy with a normal immune system. However, if the immune system was not functioning properly (e.g., cancer patients), they are at risk of infection. One microorganism, a fungus called Pneumocystis jirovecii (PCP), can cause severe chest infections in patients without properly functioning immune systems, leading to hospitalisation and death if untreated. If patients remain without a functioning immune system, they have a greater chance of repeated infection. PCP spreads through air from person-to-person and can survive on environmental surfaces. Patients can be infected after contact with these surfaces. Hospitals have a responsibility to ensure PCP infected patients do not pass it on to other unwell patients. In cases where PCP has infected multiple patients, knowing if the same fungi has been passed along (or transmitted) from patient-to-patient is vital in understanding if there is an outbreak in the hospital. Understanding how similar (the relatedness) the PCP strain is allows healthcare workers to detect any transmission between patients or the environment. To understand how related each patient's PCP infection is we will utilise a laboratory test called multilocus sequence typing (MLST). This test looks at sections of the fungi's genetic code using deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing to create a code (genotype) which tells us how related one PCP is to others tested, allowing comparison between patients and ultimately spotting transmission. Our aim is to develop this sequencing test using PCP positive patient samples and ensure it performs to high-quality standards. Surplus material from seventy known PCP positive patient samples will be tested. Each sample will be analysed to see if the DNA genotype matches or is similar to other patient samples we have tested, helping to understand how PCP may spread between patients.

Rezafungin for Treatment of Pneumocystis Pneumonia in HIV Adults

This study aims to generate clinical data on the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of rezafungin combined with 7 days of co-trimoxazole for treatment of Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in adults living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which would expand the knowledge of clinical use of rezafungin.

CaspoNEB: Efficacy and Safety of Caspofungin Aerosols for the Curative Treatment of Pneumocystis Pneumonia

To assess the efficacy of administrating daily caspofungin aerosols versus placebo for seven days, in adjunction of conventional systemic antifungal therapy during curative treatment of Pneumocystis pneumonia, on the clinical outcome at the end of the nebulized therapy, in order to support a "GO / NO GO" decision towards a phase III trial of nebulized caspofungin in those patients.

Caspofungin for Pneumocystis Pneumonia in PLWHIV.

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia is a significant concern in peaple with HIV/AIDS, often severe and potentially fatal. While trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole remains the primary treatment, safety concerns exist with alternative options. Research on Pneumocystis jirovecii's beta-D glucan composition has prompted investigations into echinocandins like caspofungin, showing promise in murine models and some positive results in human studies. Evaluating caspofungin's efficacy through observational studies is crucial due to safety advantages over current treatments and limited documented data.

Droplet Digital PCR and PCR-free BIOSensors for the Detection of Resistance-associated SNPs in Pneumocystis Jirovecii

The main objective of the proposed research is to identify Pneumocystis jirovecii mutant strains on 4 genes encoding therapeutic targets such as dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), cytochrome b (CYB), inosine-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) and therefore to assess the prevalence of potentially resistant strains in patients infected with P. jirovecii.