A Phase 3 interventional study of Immediate ART Initiation and Delayed ART Initiation in Cryptococcal Antigenemia, HIV-1-infection and Cryptococcal Infection, sponsored by University of Minnesota. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Uganda. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-03.
Sponsored by University of Minnesota · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
This randomized clinical trial will evaluate the optimal duration of fluconazole therapy and timing of antiretroviral therapy initiation among HIV-infected persons with asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia and low cryptococcal antigen titers in Uganda.
Participants with low-titer cryptococcal antigenemia will be followed to assess whether a shorter 10-week course of fluconazole is non-inferior to the standard 24-week fluconazole regimen for 24-week cryptococcal meningitis-free survival. Among participants eligible for antiretroviral therapy timing randomization, the study will also compare immediate antiretroviral therapy initiation with delayed initiation after 14 days to evaluate 10-week hospitalization-free survival.
Participants will be followed for up to 24 weeks, with study visits and contacts to assess survival, cryptococcal meningitis, hospitalizations, adverse events, and fluconazole adherence.
Cryptococcal antigenemia can be detected in the blood before the development of symptomatic cryptococcal meningitis and is associated with increased risk of meningitis and death among persons with advanced HIV disease. Current guidelines recommend cryptococcal antigen screening and preemptive fluconazole therapy for persons with asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia, but the optimal duration of fluconazole therapy and the optimal timing of antiretroviral therapy initiation remain uncertain.
This randomized clinical trial will enroll HIV-infected persons with asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia and low cryptococcal antigen titers in Uganda. The study is designed to answer two main questions. First, it will evaluate whether a shorter 10-week course of fluconazole is non-inferior to the standard 24-week fluconazole regimen for 24-week cryptococcal meningitis-free survival. Second, among participants eligible for antiretroviral therapy timing randomization, it will evaluate whether immediate antiretroviral therapy initiation is non-inferior to delayed initiation after 14 days for 10-week hospitalization-free survival.
At enrollment, eligible participants who meet criteria for antiretroviral therapy timing randomization will be randomized to immediate antiretroviral therapy initiation or delayed antiretroviral therapy initiation after 14 days. All participants will receive fluconazole 800 mg daily beginning at enrollment and continuing for 14 days, followed by fluconazole 400 mg daily through week 10. At week 10, participants who are alive and have not developed cryptococcal meningitis will be randomized to stop fluconazole or to continue fluconazole 200 mg daily for an additional 14 weeks, for a total fluconazole duration of 24 weeks.
Participants will be followed at weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 16, 20, and 24. Study assessments will include interval history, vital status, assessment for signs and symptoms of cryptococcal meningitis, medication review and adherence assessment, physical examination or symptom-directed examination as appropriate, and adverse event monitoring. Participants who miss visits or cannot attend scheduled clinic visits may be contacted by phone or through home visits to assess vital status and meningitis events.
The primary fluconazole-duration endpoint is 24-week cryptococcal meningitis-free survival with retention in care. The primary antiretroviral therapy timing endpoint is 10-week hospitalization-free survival with retention in care. Secondary endpoints include survival, incidence of cryptococcal meningitis, grade 3 to 5 clinical adverse events or serious adverse events, hospitalization, death, and fluconazole adherence.
54 studies on the registry are indexed under Meningitis, Cryptococcal; 6 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 505 is above the median of 143 across 35 interventional studies indexed under Meningitis, Cryptococcal.
Browse Meningitis, Cryptococcal studies →University of Minnesota is the lead sponsor of 1,216 studies on the registry; 197 are open to participants now.
Of its 136 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 95 (70%) have results posted.
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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.
Exclusion Criteria:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Participants eligible for ART timing randomization will initiate antiretroviral therapy immediately at enrollment. Participants who are alive and have not developed cryptococcal meningitis at week 10 will stop fluconazole after completing 10 weeks of preemptive fluconazole therapy.
Drug: Immediate ART Initiation · Drug: 10-Week Fluconazole
Participants eligible for ART timing randomization will initiate antiretroviral therapy immediately at enrollment. Participants who are alive and have not developed cryptococcal meningitis at week 10 will continue fluconazole through 24 weeks of preemptive fluconazole therapy.
Drug: Immediate ART Initiation · Drug: 24-Week Fluconazole
Participants eligible for ART timing randomization will delay antiretroviral therapy initiation until 14 days after enrollment. Participants who are alive and have not developed cryptococcal meningitis at week 10 will stop fluconazole after completing 10 weeks of preemptive fluconazole therapy.
Drug: Delayed ART Initiation · Drug: 10-Week Fluconazole
Participants eligible for ART timing randomization will delay antiretroviral therapy initiation until 14 days after enrollment. Participants who are alive and have not developed cryptococcal meningitis at week 10 will continue fluconazole through 24 weeks of preemptive fluconazole therapy.
Drug: Delayed ART Initiation · Drug: 24-Week Fluconazole
Participants who are already receiving ART or are not eligible for ART timing randomization will continue ART per standard clinical care. Participants who are alive and have not developed cryptococcal meningitis at week 10 will stop fluconazole after completing 10 weeks of preemptive fluconazole therapy.
Drug: 10-Week Fluconazole
Participants who are already receiving ART or are not eligible for ART timing randomization will continue ART per standard clinical care. Participants who are alive and have not developed cryptococcal meningitis at week 10 will continue fluconazole through 24 weeks of preemptive fluconazole therapy.
Drug: 24-Week Fluconazole
Antiretroviral therapy will be initiated immediately at enrollment for participants randomized to immediate ART initiation. ART drug choice will be per clinical standard of care.
Antiretroviral therapy will be initiated 14 days after enrollment for participants randomized to delayed ART initiation. ART drug choice will be per clinical standard of care.
Participants will receive fluconazole 800 mg daily for 14 days, followed by fluconazole 400 mg daily through week 10, then stop fluconazole.
Participants will receive fluconazole 800 mg daily for 14 days, followed by fluconazole 400 mg daily through week 10, then fluconazole 200 mg daily for an additional 14 weeks, for a total fluconazole duration of 24 weeks.
24-week cryptococcal meningitis-free survival with retention in care
Cryptococcal meningitis-free survival with retention in care at 24 weeks will be compared between participants randomized to 10 weeks of fluconazole and participants randomized to 24 weeks of fluconazole. Participants who develop cryptococcal meningitis, die, or are not retained in care will be considered treatment failures.
Time frame: 24 weeks
10-week hospitalization-free survival with retention in care
Hospitalization-free survival with retention in care at 10 weeks will be compared between participants randomized to immediate antiretroviral therapy initiation and participants randomized to delayed antiretroviral therapy initiation. Hospitalization-free survival will include assessment of events such as meningitis, serious opportunistic infections, immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome events, hospitalization, death, and retention in care.
Time frame: 10 weeks
Incidence of grade 3 to 5 clinical adverse events or serious adverse events
Incidence of grade 3 to 5 clinical adverse events or serious adverse events will be assessed among enrolled participants.
Time frame: Up to 24 weeks
24-week known survival
Known survival at 24 weeks will be assessed. Death and loss to follow-up will be considered therapeutic failures.
Time frame: 24 weeks
Incidence of cryptococcal meningitis
Incidence of cryptococcal meningitis will be assessed during study follow-up.
Time frame: Up to 24 weeks
Incidence of hospitalization
Incidence of hospitalization, irrespective of cause, will be assessed during study follow-up.
Time frame: Up to 24 weeks
Incidence of death
Incidence of death, irrespective of cause, will be assessed during study follow-up.
Time frame: Up to 24 weeks
Fluconazole adherence
Fluconazole adherence will be assessed using self-reported compliance, pharmacy records, and tablet counts when available.
Time frame: Up to 24 weeks
Start is estimated for Jan 2027; primary completion for Aug 2031, 55 months later.
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