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Subcutaneous Piperacillin/Tazobactam Compared With Intravenous Treatment

Evaluation of the Pharmacokinetics of Subcutaneous Administration of Piperacillin/Tazobactam: an Open-Label, Multicentric, Non-inferiority Randomized Clinical Trial

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07481539
Acronym
STUPITA01
Enrollment
240
Registered
2026-03-19
Start date
2026-03-24
Completion date
2027-04-30
Last updated
2026-03-19

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

Conditions

Bacteria Infection, Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination

Keywords

Bacterial Infections, Piperacillin/Tazobactam

Brief summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether subcutaneous piperacillin/tazobactam can provide drug exposure similar to standard intravenous piperacillin/tazobactam in adults who need treatment for an infection. It will also assess safety and clinical outcomes. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does subcutaneous piperacillin/tazobactam achieve pharmacokinetic exposure comparable to intravenous treatment? * Is subcutaneous piperacillin/tazobactam safe and feasible in this population? Researchers will compare subcutaneous continuous infusion with intravenous continuous infusion to see whether the subcutaneous route is not clinically worse than the standard intravenous route. Participants will: * Receive piperacillin/tazobactam by subcutaneous or intravenous continuous infusion after randomization * Have blood samples collected for pharmacokinetic assessments * Undergo safety, clinical, and end-of-treatment assessments during the study period

Interventions

Participants randomized to the experimental arm will receive piperacillin/tazobactam by continuous subcutaneous infusion from D1 to D7 (end at D8), at a total daily dose of 18 g/day, administered via syringe pump. The study drug will be prepared every 12 hours as 9 g in 40 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride in a polypropylene syringe and infused through a small subcutaneous cannula (22-24G). Preferred insertion sites are the abdomen, followed by the thigh or arm. Cannula insertion and management will follow aseptic no-touch technique, with site change only if clinically indicated based on patient comfort or local site findings. Renal dose adjustments will be applied according to protocol.

Sponsors

Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Piperacillin/tazobactam is administered as continuous infusion at a total daily dose of 18 g/day from D1 to D7 (end at D8), with renal dose adjustment according to protocol. Participants are randomized 1:1 on D0 to receive the study drug by either the subcutaneous route using a syringe pump or the intravenous route using a volumetric/electronic pump. The first 3 days of piperacillin/tazobactam treatment (D-2 to D0) are provided as standard of care before randomization. Treatment is followed by pharmacokinetic sampling and safety/clinical assessments according to the study schedule.

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* Free, written and informed consent signed by the participant; * At least 18 years old on the day of inclusion; * Male and female participants; * Clinical indication for treatment with piperacillin/tazobactam 18g/die in continuous infusion, including severe pneumonia, neutropenic fever suspected to be caused by bacterial infection or other severe bacterial infections for which, based on investigator's judgment, this dosage regimen is appropriate; * Evidence of postmenopausal status, defined as no menses for at least 12 consecutive months without an alternative medical cause and, if clinically indicated, confirmed by serum FSH levels in the postmenopausal range; or Negative serum pregnancy test at the screening visit (sensitivity ≥25 mIU/mL) and negative urine β-HCG test at the End-of-Treatment (D8) for females of childbearing potential who are sexually active with a non-sterilized male partner. Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) are defined as all women who are not surgically sterile (bilateral salpingectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, or complete hysterectomy) and who are not postmenopausal; \- Admitted to one of the wards authorized for the enrollment.

Exclusion criteria

* Known hypersensitivity to penicillins, cephalosporins, other β-lactamase inhibitors, or any component of the formulation; * Pregnant or breastfeeding women, and women intending to become pregnant during the study or within the End-of-Treatment visit; * Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) unwilling or unable to use at least one highly effective method of contraception, as defined in Section 7.4, throughout study participation and for at least at the End-of-Treatment visit; * No indication for treatment with TZP; * Known resistance to TZP; * Any other disease, metabolic dysfunction, physical examination finding, or clinical laboratory finding that contraindicates the use of an investigational drug, may affect the interpretation of the results, or may render the patient at high risk from treatment complications; * Participation in another clinical trial with administration of an investigational medicinal product (IMP) within 30 days prior to screening or within 5 half-lives of that IMP, whichever is longer.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
PK profileDay 3Area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of piperacillin/tazobactam measured from plasma antibiotic concentrations collected for pharmacokinetic assessment at steady state.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Achieving target concentrationsDays 0, 1, 3, and 6Proportion of participants achieving the prespecified target piperacillin plasma concentration of at least 40 mg/L based on therapeutic drug monitoring and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic criteria.
Clinical cure at end of treatmentDay 8Clinical cure rate at the end of treatment, defined as partial or complete resolution of baseline clinical signs and symptoms of infection without need for additional antibiotic therapy for the index infection.
Incidence of local and systemic adverse eventsUp to Day 9Incidence of local adverse events related to the administration route (including edema, pain, erythema, and necrosis) and systemic adverse events recorded during treatment.
Health-related quality of life assessed by EQ-5D-5LDays 0, 3, and 9Health-related quality of life assessed with the EuroQol 5 Dimensions 5 Levels questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). The EQ-5D-5L descriptive system includes 5 dimensions scored on 5 levels from 1 to 5; lower levels indicate better health status. Participants also complete the EQ Visual Analogue Scale (EQ VAS), ranging from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate better perceived health.
Patient-reported experience assessed by PREM questionnaireDay 9Patient-reported experience assessed using the study PREM questionnaire.
Perception of nursesThrough study completionNurses' perceptions of subcutaneous versus intravenous administration of piperacillin/tazobactam explored through semi-structured interviews addressing ease of administration, perceived benefits and challenges, patient responses, and logistical or technical issues.

Countries

Italy

Contacts

CONTACTCarlo Tascini, Full Professor
carlo.tascini@uniud.it+39-0432-559355
CONTACTChiara Moreal, MSn RN
moreal.chiara@spes.uniud.it+39-339-4091948
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORCarlo Tascini, Professor

Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 20, 2026