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Microbiota Restoration Therapy in HIV With Repeated Low-Dose Interventions

A Phase I/II Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Study of Repeated Low-Dose Fecal Microbiota Restoration in HIV-Infected Subjects. The REFRESH Study

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 1Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03008941
Acronym
REFRESH
Enrollment
30
Registered
2017-01-04
Start date
2017-01-31
Completion date
2018-10-31
Last updated
2018-10-30

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

HIV Infection

Keywords

HIV, microbiota, inflammation, fecal microbiota restoration

Brief summary

Altered interplay between gut mucosa and dysbiotic bacteria during HIV infection seems to contribute to chronic immune dysfunction. Manipulation of the intestinal microbiota with nutritional interventions exert limited immunologic effects, but a deep understanding of how these interventions could ameliorate gut dysbiosis and influence health among HIV-infected individuals remain unexplored. In this Phase I clinical trial, 30 HIV-infected subjects on effective ART with evidence of persistent immune dysfunction, indicated by a CD4/CD8 ratio\<1 will be included and randomized to either repeated low-dose oral fecal microbiota transplantation or placebo during 8 weeks. The primary outcome will be safety. Secondary outcomes will include changes in CD4+ T cell counts, CD8+ T cell counts, CD4/CD8 ratio, inflammatory markers, T cell activation and markers of enterocyte barrier function through week 48. Engraftment on host microbiota will be examined using Illumina sequencing of the V3-V4 16S RNA, and changes in bacterial metabolism and in the plasma metabolite fingerprint will be studied by combination of untargeted mass spectrometry and two different and complementary separation techniques in bacterial and plasma samples.

Interventions

BIOLOGICALFMT

Capsules with fecal microbiota from healthy donors

OTHERPlacebo

Placebo capsules

Sponsors

Fundacion para la Investigacion Biomedica del Hospital Universitario Ramon y Cajal
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* On stable antiretroviral therapy with plasma HIV RNA \<20 copies/mL during at least 48 weeks. * CD4/CD8 ratio \<1

Exclusion criteria

* Pregnancy * Gastrointestinal diseases, including cirrhosis * Active infections, including HCV * EBV and/or CMV negative patients (donors are not screened for EBV/CMV). * Planned used of chemotherapy or antibiotics * Allergy to sodium chloride or glycerol (the former components are capsule ingredients Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) * Current or planned use of antimicrobial agents (including prophylactic treatments against P. jiroveci) other than ART. * Neutropenia \<500 cells/uL or CD4 counts \<350 cells/uL * Patients unable to give informed consent * Patients unable to comply with the protocol requirements * Predicted death within time period of follow-up * Any other condition for which the treating physician thinks the treatment may pose a health risk * Dysphagia: oropharyngeal, esophageal, functional, neuromuscular (e.g. stroke, multiple sclerosis, ALS) * History of aspiration * History of gastroparesis

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Number of participants with treatment-related adverse events as assessed by CTCAE v4.0From baseline through week 48

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Changes in CD8+ T cell countsFrom baseline through week 481. Inflammation: interleukin (IL)-6, high sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP), interferon gamma-induced protein (IP)-10. 2. Monocyte/macrophage activation: sCD14, SCD163, 3. Gut epithelial integrity: zonulin-1, intestinal fatty acid binding protein (IFABP). 4. Bacterial translocation: lipoteichoic acid (LTA) 5. Indolamine deoxygenase-1 induction: kynurenine/tryptophan ratio 6. Coagulation: D-dimers
Changes in CD4/CD8 ratioFrom baseline through week 481. Inflammation: interleukin (IL)-6, high sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP), interferon gamma-induced protein (IP)-10. 2. Monocyte/macrophage activation: sCD14, SCD163, 3. Gut epithelial integrity: zonulin-1, intestinal fatty acid binding protein (IFABP). 4. Bacterial translocation: lipoteichoic acid (LTA) 5. Indolamine deoxygenase-1 induction: kynurenine/tryptophan ratio 6. Coagulation: D-dimers
Changes in microbiota alpha diversity metricsFrom baseline through week 48
Changes in microbiota Unifrac distancesFrom baseline through week 48
Changes in microbiota Canberra distancesFrom baseline through week 48
Changes in CD4+ T cell countsFrom baseline through week 48
Changes in plasma hs-CRP levelsFrom baseline through week 48
Changes in plasma lipoteichoic acid levelsFrom baseline through week 48
Changes in plasma LBP levelsFrom baseline through week 48
Changes in plasma kynurenine/tryptophan ratioFrom baseline through week 48
Percentage of HLA-DR+/CD38+ T cells in bloodFrom baseline through week 48
Changes in plasma Interleukin-6 levelsFrom baseline through week 48

Countries

Spain

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 24, 2026