An interventional study of Piperaquine (low dose) and Piperaquine (high dose) in Malaria,Falciparum, Gametocytes and Controlled Human Malaria Infection, sponsored by Radboud University Medical Center. Completed at 1 site in Netherlands. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 35 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2020-07-07.
Sponsored by Radboud University Medical Center · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other
This is a single-center, open label study. The primary aim of this project is to develop a controlled human malaria infection transmission model ("CHMI-trans") or "challenge model" to evaluate the capacity of vaccines, biologics (monoclonal antibodies, or mAbs), and drugs to block malaria parasite transmission by assessing infectiousness of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) gametocyte carriers for Anopheles mosquitoes.
A total of 24 volunteers, in two cohorts (n=12), will be randomly assigned to two groups per cohort (n=6). Cohort A will be subjected to a standard controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) delivered by five Pf-infected mosquitoes (groups 1 and 2). Cohort B will be subjected to a standard blood stage challenge with \~2,800 Pf-infected erythrocytes by intravenous injection (groups 3 and 4).
Treatment is subsequently initiated to induce gametocytemia (treatment 1, T1) and to clear pathogenic asexual parasites whilst leaving gametocytes unaffected (treatment 2 and 3, T2 and T3). At the end of the study, treatment of all parasite stages is provided following national treatment guidelines (end treatment, ET).
Once malaria infections are detected by 18S qPCR positive (sporozoite challenge) or on day 8 (blood stage challenge), all volunteers will be treated with a single oral subcurative low-dose of piperaquine (LD-PIP, 480 mg, T1). Using blood samples taken twice daily, the initial clearance of parasitemia will be carefully monitored. After T1, volunteers will receive a second treatment (T2, LD-PIP2, 480mg) if a recrudescence of asexual parasitemia occurs before day 21 post challenge infection. On day 21 or when a recrudescence occurs after T2, volunteers in group 1 and 3 (LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP) will be curatively treated with piperaquine (960mg) and group 2 and 4 (LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (1000mg/50mg). These treatment regimens cure asexual parasitemia while leaving immature and mature gametocytes unaffected. To ensure the radical clearance of all parasite stages, all volunteers will receive a final treatment (ET) according to national guidelines with atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone®) on day 36. Daily blood samples will allow detailed quantification of gametocytes, gametocyte sex ratio and ex vivo assessments of gametocyte fitness. Additionally, blood samples will be obtained for Direct Membrane Feeding Assay (DMFA) and volunteers will be subjected to Direct Skin Feeding Assays (DFA). These assays will provide evidence on the infectivity of volunteers.
In order to be eligible to participate in this study, a subject must meet all of the following criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
A potential subject who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:
Any history, or evidence at screening, of clinically significant symptoms, physical signs or abnormal laboratory values suggestive of systemic conditions, such as cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, hepatic, neurological, dermatological, endocrine, malignant, haematological, infectious, immunodeficient, psychiatric and other disorders, which could compromise the health of the volunteer during the study or interfere with the interpretation of the study results. These include, but are not limited to, any of the following.
1.1. Body weight \<50 kg or Body Mass Index (BMI) \<18 or >30 kg/m2 at screening. 1.2. A heightened risk of cardiovascular disease, as determined by: an estimated ten year risk of fatal cardiovascular disease of ≥5% at screening, as determined by the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE); history, or evidence at screening, of clinically significant arrhythmia's, prolonged QT-interval or other clinically relevant ECG abnormalities; or a positive family history of cardiac events in 1st or 2nd degree relatives \<50 years old.
1.3. A medical history of functional asplenia, sickle cell trait/disease, thalassaemia trait/disease or G6PD-deficiency.
1.4. History of epilepsy in the period of five years prior to study onset, even if no longer on medication.
1.5. Screening tests positive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), active Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) 1.6. Chronic use of i) immunosuppressive drugs, ii) antibiotics, iii) or other immune modifying drugs within three months prior to study onset (inhaled and topical corticosteroids and oral anti-histamines exempted) or expected use of such during the study period.
1.7. Any recent or current systemic therapy with an antibiotic or drug with potential anti-malarial activity (chloroquine, doxycycline, tetracycline, piperaquine, benzodiazepine, flunarizine, fluoxetine, tetracycline, azithromycin, clindamycin, erythromycin, hydroxychloroquine, etc.) (allowable timeframe for use at the Investigator's discretion).
1.8. History of malignancy of any organ system (other than localized basal cell carcinoma of the skin), treated or untreated, within the past 5 years.
1.9. Any history of treatment for severe psychiatric disease by a psychiatrist in the past year.
1.10. History of drug or alcohol abuse interfering with normal social function in the period of one year prior to study onset, positive urine toxicology test for cocaine or amphetamines at screening or at inclusion, or positive urine toxicology test for cannabis at inclusion.
Cohort A will be subjected to a standard controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) delivered by five Pf-infected mosquitoes. All volunteers will be treated with a single oral subcurative low-dose of piperaquine (LD-PIP, 480 mg, T1). Volunteers will receive a second treatment (T2, LD-PIP2, 480mg) if a recrudescence of asexual parasitemia occurs before day 21 post challenge infection. Volunteers in group 1 (LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP) will be curatively treated with piperaquine (960mg).
Drug: Piperaquine (low dose) · Drug: Piperaquine (high dose) · Drug: Atovaquone Proguanil · Other: malaria challenge infection, P. falciparum 3D7
Cohort A will be subjected to a standard controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) delivered by five Pf-infected mosquitoes. All volunteers will be treated with a single oral subcurative low-dose of piperaquine (LD-PIP, 480 mg, T1). Volunteers will receive a second treatment (T2, LD-PIP2, 480mg) if a recrudescence of asexual parasitemia occurs before day 21 post challenge infection. Volunteers in group 2(LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP) will be curatively treated with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (1000mg/50mg).
Drug: Piperaquine (low dose) · Drug: Sulfadoxine pyrimethamine · Drug: Atovaquone Proguanil · Other: malaria challenge infection, P. falciparum 3D7
Cohort B will be subjected to a standard blood stage challenge with \~2,800 Pf-infected erythrocytes by intravenous injection. All volunteers will be treated with a single oral subcurative low-dose of piperaquine (LD-PIP, 480 mg, T1). Volunteers will receive a second treatment (T2, LD-PIP2, 480mg) if a recrudescence of asexual parasitemia occurs before day 21 post challenge infection. Volunteers in group 3 (LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP) will be curatively treated with piperaquine (960mg)
Drug: Piperaquine (low dose) · Drug: Piperaquine (high dose) · Drug: Atovaquone Proguanil · Other: Blood stage malaria challenge infection, P. falciparum 3D7
Cohort B will be subjected to a standard blood stage challenge with \~2,800 Pf-infected erythrocytes by intravenous injection. All volunteers will be treated with a single oral subcurative low-dose of piperaquine (LD-PIP, 480 mg, T1). Volunteers will receive a second treatment (T2, LD-PIP2, 480mg) if a recrudescence of asexual parasitemia occurs before day 21 post challenge infection. Volunteers in group 4 (LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP) will be curatively treated with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (1000mg/50mg).
Drug: Piperaquine (low dose) · Drug: Sulfadoxine pyrimethamine · Drug: Atovaquone Proguanil · Other: Blood stage malaria challenge infection, P. falciparum 3D7
subcurative regimen (480 mg)
Also known as: piperaquine phosphate
Curative regimen (960mg)
Also known as: piperaquine phosphate
Curative regimen (1000mg/50mg)
Also known as: Fansidar
Curative regimen (1000/400 mg, for 3 days)
Also known as: Malarone
malaria challenge infection by P. falciparum 3D7-infected mosquito bites
Also known as: 3D7 Plasmodium falciparum
P. falciparum 3D7-infected human erythrocytes administered intravenously for the purpose controlled human malaria infection.
Also known as: P. falciparum 3D7-infected human erythrocytes
Frequency of Adverse Events in the CHMI-trans Model
Frequency of adverse events in the CHMI-trans model.
Time frame: up to day 51 after challenge infection
Gametocyte Prevalence
Number of individuals in each study arm that show prevalence of gametocytes as defined by quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) for CCp4 (female) and PfMGET (male) mRNA with a threshold of 5 gametocytes/mL for positivity.
Time frame: up to day 51 after challenge infection
Magnitude of Adverse Events in the CHMI-trans Model
symptoms will be ranked as (1) mild, (2) moderate, or (3) severe, depending on their intensity according to the following scale: * Mild (grade 1): awareness of symptoms that are easily tolerated and do not interfere with usual daily activity * Moderate (grade 2): discomfort that interferes with or limits usual daily activity * Severe (grade 3): disabling, with subsequent inability to perform usual daily activity, resulting in absence or required bed rest
Time frame: up to day 51 after challenge infection
Peak Density Gametocytes
Peak density of gametocytes by qRT-PCR.
Time frame: up to day 51 after challenge infection
AUC Gametocytes
The area under the curve of gametocyte density versus time. The median AUC was calculated for both cohorts. Since onset of gametocytaemia differs depending on method of infection a window of 15 days was used to calculate AUC, from the time-point where a minimum of 50% of participants within a cohort had detectable gametocytemia.
Time frame: up to day 51 after challenge infection
Gametocyte Commitment
The gametocyte commitment rate is estimated by dividing the peak gametocyte by the peak of asexual parasites.
Time frame: up to day 51 after challenge infection
Gametocyte Sex-ratio
Proportion of male gametocytes
Time frame: up to day 51 after challenge infection
Number of Participants Infectious for Mosquitoes Through DFA
Prevalence of gametocyte infectiousness for Anopheles mosquitoes through Direct Feeding Assays (Direct Skin Feeding Assay, DFA).
Time frame: up to day 51 after challenge infection
| Milestone | Group 1 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 2 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Group 3 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 4 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Started | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Completed | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Not completed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Frequency of adverse events in the CHMI-trans model.
| Adverse events | Group 1 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 2 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Group 3 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 4 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency of Adverse Events in the CHMI-trans Model | 95 | 95 | 107 | 52 |
Number of individuals in each study arm that show prevalence of gametocytes as defined by quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) for CCp4 (female) and PfMGET (male) mRNA with a threshold of 5 gametocytes/mL for positivity.
| Participants | Group 1 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 2 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Group 3 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 4 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gametocyte Prevalence | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
symptoms will be ranked as (1) mild, (2) moderate, or (3) severe, depending on their intensity according to the following scale: * Mild (grade 1): awareness of symptoms that are easily tolerated and do not interfere with usual daily activity * Moderate (grade 2): discomfort that interferes with or limits usual daily activity * Severe (grade 3): disabling, with subsequent inability to perform usual daily activity, resulting in absence or required bed rest
| Adverse events | Group 1 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 2 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Group 3 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 4 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mild (grade I) | 64 | 56 | 86 | 41 |
| Moderate (grade II) | 22 | 22 | 17 | 8 |
| Severe (grade III) | 9 | 17 | 4 | 3 |
Peak density of gametocytes by qRT-PCR.
| Gametocytes/mL | Group 1 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 2 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Group 3 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 4 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak Density Gametocytes | 13.9 (2.5 to 727.9) | 21.4 (6.16 to 181.6) | 1442.2 (246.6 to 3826.1) | 813.2 (179.5 to 1617.0) |
The area under the curve of gametocyte density versus time. The median AUC was calculated for both cohorts. Since onset of gametocytaemia differs depending on method of infection a window of 15 days was used to calculate AUC, from the time-point where a minimum of 50% of participants within a cohort had detectable gametocytemia.
| (gametocytes*days)/mL | Cohort A | Cohort B |
|---|---|---|
| AUC Gametocytes | 99 (16.6 to 5330) | 11043 (1643 to 37326) |
The gametocyte commitment rate is estimated by dividing the peak gametocyte by the peak of asexual parasites.
| gametocytes/asexual parasite | Cohort A | Cohort B |
|---|---|---|
| Gametocyte Commitment | 0.0011 (0.0002 to 0.0141) | 0.0323 (0.0121 to 0.0891) |
Proportion of male gametocytes
| Proportion of male gametocytes | Cohort A | Cohort B |
|---|---|---|
| Gametocyte Sex-ratio | 0.20 (0.14 to 0.50) | 0.31 (0.22 to 0.51) |
Prevalence of gametocyte infectiousness for Anopheles mosquitoes through Direct Feeding Assays (Direct Skin Feeding Assay, DFA).
| Participants | Cohort A | Cohort B |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants Infectious for Mosquitoes Through DFA | 0 | 9 |
Collected over From inclusion until 51 days post infection. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.
| Group | Deaths | Serious | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | 0/6 (0%) | 0/6 (0%) | 6/6 (100%) |
| Group 2 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | 0/6 (0%) | 0/6 (0%) | 6/6 (100%) |
| Group 3 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | 0/6 (0%) | 0/6 (0%) | 6/6 (100%) |
| Group 4 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | 0/6 (0%) | 0/6 (0%) | 6/6 (100%) |
| Event | Group 1 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 2 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Group 3 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 4 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FeverInfections and infestations | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 3/6 |
| HeadacheInfections and infestations | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 |
| NauseaInfections and infestations | 5/6 | 4/6 | 6/6 | 3/6 |
| ChillsInfections and infestations | 6/6 | 1/6 | 4/6 | 1/6 |
| MyalgiaInfections and infestations | 1/6 | 5/6 | 4/6 | 4/6 |
| FatigueInfections and infestations | 4/6 | 5/6 | 5/6 | 3/6 |
| Abdominal painInfections and infestations | 0/6 | 2/6 | 5/6 | 2/6 |
| MalaiseInfections and infestations | 4/6 | 4/6 | 1/6 | 2/6 |
| Decreased appetiteGastrointestinal disorders | 3/6 | 2/6 | 2/6 | 0/6 |
| DizzinessInfections and infestations | 2/6 | 1/6 | 2/6 | 2/6 |
| Age, Continuous(years) | Group 1 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 2 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Group 3 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 4 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median | 24.5 (18 to 30) | 22.5 (19 to 26) | 25.5 (20 to 29) | 20.0 (19 to 26) | 24 (18 to 30) |
| Sex: Female, Male(Participants) | Group 1 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 2 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Group 3 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 4 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 15 |
| Male | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| Race/Ethnicity, Customized(Participants) | Group 1 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 2 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Group 3 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 4 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caucasian | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 20 |
| Other/unknown | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Region of Enrollment(participants) | Group 1 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 2 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Group 3 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 4 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 24 |
| Hemoglobin(mmol/L) | Group 1 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 2 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Group 3 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 4 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median | 8.8 (8.0 to 9.7) | 8.2 (7.6 to 9.9) | 8.8 (7.6 to 10.0) | 8.7 (7.5 to 9.4) | 8.7 (7.5 to 10.0) |
| Body Mass Index (kg/m2)(Kg/m^2) | Group 1 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 2 (Cohort A) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Group 3 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/PIP | Group 4 (Cohort B) LD-PIP/LD-PIP2/SP | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median | 22.2 (20.8 to 29.3) | 24.2 (22.7 to 26.9) | 20.4 (18.1 to 22.8) | 24.7 (20.8 to 27.7) | 22.75 (18.10 to 29.3) |
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Radboud University Medical Center