Clinical Research Directory

Clinical Trial to Evaluate EuHZV in Healthy Adults Aged 50 to 69 Years

Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety of HZV-1 and HZV-2 vaccines in healthy adults aged 50 to 69 years who have voluntarily given written consent to participate in this study.

Pharmacokinetics of Intravenous Acyclovir in Oncologic Paediatric Patients

* Herpesvirus infections may be severe in immunocompromised patients, with a high risk of complications and mortality. * Recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) or patients receiving high-intensity chemotherapy for hematological malignancies are the most vulnerable individuals. * Although the worldwide prevalence of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV), antiviral prophylaxis in seropositive HSCT recipients has significantly reduced the rate of infection. * Acyclovir (ACV) is the first-choice drug for the prophylaxis or the therapy of that kind of infection. * Since the beginning, ACV has demonstrated to be characterized by a large interpatient variability, especially in children. * Therefore, therapeutic drug monitoring and pharmacokinetic studies may help in optimizing drug in children with malignancies.

Herpes Virus Infections in Kidney Transplant Patients

Kidney transplant recipients are at increased risk of infections, including Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infections. Vaccination against VZV is routinely offered to all kidney transplant recipients and candidates in Denmark. In this exploratory observational study, the VZV specific immune response in kidney transplant candidates and recipients will be characterized at different time points in relation to transplantation, vaccination and infections. More knowledge on the immune reaction to transplantation, VZV vaccination and VZV infections may provide improved strategies for prevention and treatment of VZV infections in kidney transplant candidates and recipients.

VZV-specific Tissue Resident Memory T-cells After Shingrix Vaccination

To evaluate the effect of intramuscular RZV vaccine on VZV-specific skin TRM and circulating T-cells

Herpesvirus Immunology in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients - Liver Transplant Study

Liver transplantation is the only curative treatment of end-stage liver disease, and every year, around 60 patients undergo liver transplantation in Denmark. Immunosuppressive therapy is necessary to avoid rejection of the transplanted organ. Over 90% of adults have been infected with at least one herpesvirus, and it is characteristic for herpesviruses that after a first-time infection, the virus remains dormant in the body and may reactivate, particularly if the host is immunosuppressed. An effective immune response against reactivation depends highly on T cells, but T cells are suppressed by immunosuppressive drugs given to organ transplant recipients. Infections caused by herpesviruses are therefore very common in organ transplant recipients, and particularly two herpesviruses, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) pose challenges after transplantation. CMV causes significant morbidity in transplant recipients, contributes to increased mortality and may contribute to loss of the transplanted organ. CMV infections occur in around 40% of liver transplant recipients within a year of transplantation. VZV causes chickenpox at first-time infection and shingles at reactivation. VZV is the second-most common infection in transplant recipients and occurs in around 9% of liver transplant recipients each year. Organ transplant recipients are at higher risk for disseminated disease with complications compared to immunocompetent persons. A limited number of drugs exist that reduce the risk of and treat CMV infection, but they may cause significant adverse events, and drug resistance is emerging. To avoid CMV infection, some liver transplant recipients receive prophylactic therapy, but due to toxicity, new treatment modalities are warranted. This requires knowledge about herpesvirus specific T cell function in liver transplant recipients, which currently is limited. The aim of this study is to provide an in-depth description of the protective immune response and immunological risk factors for CMV and VZV infections in liver transplant recipients and to identify patients at high risk in order to provide a platform for future treatment modalities against CMV and VZV infections in liver transplant recipients.