A Phase 2 interventional study of Hecolin® (Recombinant Hepatitis E Vaccine (Escherichia coli)). and Isotonic Sodium Chloride injection in Hepatitis E Infection, sponsored by International Vaccine Institute. Recruiting at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to female participants aged 16 Years to 45 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-09-27.
Sponsored by International Vaccine Institute · Phase 2, Interventional, and Prevention
This is a phase II randomized, observer-blinded, placebo-controlled study with 3 arms enrolling a total of 2,358 participants. The arms are composed of Arm 1, pregnant participants receiving Hecolin® (N=1,104) with immunogenicity subset (n=150), Arm 2, pregnant participants receiving placebo (N=1,104) with immunogenicity subset (n=150), and Arm 3, non-pregnant participants receiving Hecolin® (N=150) of which all participants in this arm will be included in the immunogenicity subset.
Hecolin® is licensed in China and Pakistan indicated to be used for prevention of hepatitis E in healthy adult. The primary goal of this clinical trial is to establish the safety and immunogenicity of Hecolin® during pregnancy. As secondary and exploratory objectives, infant immune response through passive immunization of infants achieved through transplacental transfer of maternal IgG antibodies from the pregnant mother who has received Hecolin® in the second or third trimester will be evaluated.
Hecolin® follows a 3-dose schedule (0-1-6 months). For Arm 1 and 2, pregnant participants will receive 2 doses of Hecolin® or placebo at a 4 weeks interval and the third dose will be administered postpartum, approximately 20 weeks after the second dose. The neonates from these Arms will be followed for 24 weeks after birth. For Arm 3, non-pregnant participants will receive Hecolin® at 0-1-6 months schedule.
After each dose of IP injection to pregnant/non-pregnant participants, immediate AE (30 minutes post injection), solicited AE (7 days post injection), unsolicited AE (28 days post injection) and AESI/SAE (during the whole study period) will be collected.
For the immunogenicity subset, the participants' blood will be drawn before and 4 weeks post each dose of IP injection. At delivery, maternal blood will be drawn. Breast milk samples will be taken at delivery, 6 weeks, and 24 weekss after delivery.
All infant AESI/SAE will be collected throughout the study period and developmental assessment will be performed at age of 6 weeks, and 24 weeks. Blood will be drawn from infant immunogenicity subset at the same time points, umbilical cord blood (neonate blood will be collected if cord blood is not available for collection) at delivery, venous blood at age of 6 weeks and 24 weeks.
37 studies on the registry are indexed under Hepatitis E; 9 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 2,358 is above the median of 330 across 26 interventional studies indexed under Hepatitis E.
Browse Hepatitis E studies →International Vaccine Institute is the lead sponsor of 47 studies on the registry; 12 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
In order to be eligible to participate in this study, a pregnant/non-pregnant woman must meet all of the following criteria:
Pregnant women only:
Non-pregnant women only:
Exclusion Criteria:
A pregnant/non-pregnant woman who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:
Pregnant women only:
Non-pregnant women only:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Childbearing potential
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Excipients
The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Immunosuppression
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
1 (N=1,104): Pregnant participants receiving Hecolin® (n=150 immunogenicity subset). For Arm 1, pregnant participants will receive 2 doses of Hecolin® at a 4 weeks interval and the third dose will be administered postpartum, approximately 20 weeks after the second dose.
Biological: Hecolin® (Recombinant Hepatitis E Vaccine (Escherichia coli)).
Arm 2 (N=1,104): Pregnant participants receiving placebo (n= 150 immunogenicity subset). For Arm 2, pregnant participants will receive 2 doses of placebo at a 4 weeks interval and the third dose will be administered postpartum, approximately 20 weeks after the second dose.
Other: Isotonic Sodium Chloride injection
Arm 3 (N=150): Non-Pregnant participants receiving Hecolin® (n= 150 immunogenicity subset). For Arm 3, non-pregnant participants will receive Hecolin® at 0-1-6 months schedule.
Biological: Hecolin® (Recombinant Hepatitis E Vaccine (Escherichia coli)).
Hecolin® will be administered 2 doses administered 4 weeks apart during pregnancy and 1 dose administered after delivery at least 20 weeks following the second dose for the pregnant participants (arm 1), and 0, 1 and 6 months for the non-pregnant participant (arm 3).
Also known as: 26 kDa protein (239 amino acids, aa368 to aa606) encoded by ORF2 of the HEV1 (Chinese HEV strain, genotype 1) and is expressed in Escherichia coli as a non-fusion protein.
Placebo will be administered 2 doses administered 4 weeks apart during pregnancy and 1 dose administered after delivery at least 20 weeks following the second dose for the pregnant participants (arm 2)
Also known as: Sterile 0.9% sodium chloride
Proportion of pregnancy-related AESI and SAE from vaccination in pregnant participant.
* Proportion of pregnancy-related AESI from the vaccination throughout the entire study in pregnant participants. * Proportion of SAE from the vaccination throughout the entire study in pregnant participants.
Time frame: Throughout the study period, approximately 24 months.
Immunogenicity in pregnant and non-pregnant participants
GMC of anti-HEV IgG at 4 weeks post second dose of Hecolin® administered 4 weeks apart in pregnant women and non-pregnant women.
Time frame: 4 weeks post second dose of Hecolin®
Proportion of AESIs and SAE in neonate/infant participants.
* Proportion of neonatal/infant AESIs. * Proportion of SAE through the 6 months of life in neonate/infant.
Time frame: 6 months of life in neonate/infant
Proportion of immediate adverse events in pregnant and non-pregnant participants
Proportion of immediate adverse events within 30 minutes post each dose of vaccination in pregnant and non-pregnant participants.
Time frame: Within 30 minutes post each dose of vaccination.
Proportion of Solicited local and system adverse events in pregnant and non-pregnant participants
Proportion of solicited local and systemic adverse events within 7 days post each dose of vaccination in pregnant and non-pregnant participants.
Time frame: Within 7 days post each dose of vaccination.
Proportion of unsolicited adverse events in pregnant and non-pregnant participants
Proportion of unsolicited adverse events within 28 days post each dose of vaccination in pregnant and non-pregnant participants.
Time frame: Within 28 days post each dose of vaccination.
Immunogenicity in pregnant and non-pregnant participants
SCR (antibody response greater than four times or more increase of anti-HEV IgG in paired sera) at 4 weeks post second dose of Hecolin® administered 4 weeks apart in pregnant and non-pregnant participants.
Time frame: 4 weeks post second dose of vaccination.
Immunogenicity in pregnant and non-pregnant participants
GMC of anti-HEV IgG at 4 weeks post third dose of Hecolin® (2 doses in pregnancy and 1 dose after delivery) in pregnant and non-pregnant participants.
Time frame: 4 weeks post third dose of vaccination.
Immunogenicity in pregnant and non-pregnant participants
SCR (antibody response greater than four times or more increase of anti-HEV IgG in paired sera) at 4 weeks post third dose of Hecolin® (2 doses in pregnancy and 1 dose after delivery) in pregnant and non-pregnant participants.
Time frame: 4 weeks post third dose of vaccination.
Immunogenicity in pregnant and non-pregnant participants
GMC of anti-HEV IgG at 4 weeks post first dose of Hecolin® in pregnant and non-pregnant participants.
Time frame: 4 weeks post first dose of vaccination.
Immunogenicity in pregnant and non-pregnant participants
SCR (antibody response greater than four times or more increase of anti-HEV IgG in paired sera) at 4 weeks post first dose of Hecolin® in pregnant and non-pregnant participants.
Time frame: 4 weeks post first dose of vaccination.
Immunogenicity in pregnant and non-pregnant participants
GMC of anti-HEV IgG at 4 weeks post second dose of Hecolin® in pregnant participants of GA 14-27 weeks (second trimester) and 28-34 weeks (third trimester) and non-pregnant participants as measured by anti HEV IgG ELISA.
Time frame: 4 weeks post second dose of vaccination.
Immunogenicity in pregnant and non-pregnant participants
SCR (antibody response greater than four times or more increase of anti-HEV IgG in paired sera) at 4 weeks post second dose of Hecolin® in pregnant participants of GA 14-27 weeks (second trimester) and 28-34 weeks (third trimester) and non-pregnant participants.
Time frame: 4 weeks post second dose of vaccination.
Proportion of vaginal delivery, elective cesarian section and emergency cesarian section in pregnant participants.
Time frame: throughout the study
Immunogenicity in neonate/infant participants
* GMC of anti-HEV IgG in neonates/infants at delivery and age of 6 weeks and 6 months. * Anti-HEV IgG Subclass
Time frame: at delivery, infant age of 6 weeks and 6 months
Immunogenicity in maternal blood and umbilical cord at delivery
* GMC of anti-HEV IgG in maternal blood and umbilical cord at the time of delivery * Anti-HEV IgG Subclass
Time frame: at time of delivery
Immunogenicity in breastmilk
* GMC of anti-HEV IgG in breastmilk at delivery and postpartum 6 weeks and 6 months. * Anti-HEV IgG Subclass
Time frame: at delivery, 6 weeks and 6 months post partum
Counts and proportion of laboratory confirmed Hepatitis E among pregnant recipients of Hecolin® and placebo and their infants during pregnancy and 6 months after birth.
Time frame: throughout the study period, approximately 24 months
Safety in seropositive and seronegative pregnant participants at baseline
* Proportion of pregnancy-related AESI from the vaccination throughout the entire study in pregnant participants by serostatus. * Proportion of SAE from the vaccination throughout the entire study in pregnant by serostatus.
Time frame: throughout the study period, approximately 24 months
Immunogenicity in seropositive and seronegative pregnant and non-pregnant participants
GMC of anti-HEV IgG at 4 weeks post third dose of Hecolin® (2 doses in pregnancy and 1 dose after delivery) in pregnant and non-pregnant participants depending on serostatus.
Time frame: 4 weeks post third dose of vaccination.
Plan to share: No
Started May 2024 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Nov 2025, 18 months after the start.
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Studies of the drug tested here: Escherichia coli
International Vaccine Institute