WHO Drug Study for Buruli Ulcer - Comparison of SR8 and CR8

Summary

This is a WHO-sponsored trial. Combination therapy with streptomycin and rifampicin has been the standard antibiotic treatment for M. ulcerans infection since 2004. In March 2010, a WHO Technical Advisory Group recommended that a trial be carried out to develop a fully oral treatment for the disease. Although the current treatment is effective, injection with streptomycin is a problem. Several small observational studies (published and unpublished) have shown that a fully oral treatment is promising. This WHO sponsored study will be a randomized, controlled open label non-inferiority phase II/III, multi-centre trial (1 centre in Benin and 4 centres in Ghana), with two parallel treatment groups. The ultimate goal is to search for an effective alternative treatment to the current standard WHO-recommended therapy for all forms of Buruli ulcer, which includes injections of streptomycin with inherent logistic, operational and safety disadvantages. Financial and material support: 1. American Leprosy Missions, USA 2. Raoul Follereau Foundation, France 3. MAP International, USA 4. Sanofi, France 5. 7th Framework Programme of the European Union: BuruliVac project (241500) 6. Aranz Medical Limited, New Zealand

Timeline

Start

2012-12

Primary completion

2017-12

Completion

2018-01

Publications

• Background Nienhuis WA, Stienstra Y, Thompson WA, Awuah PC, Abass KM, Tuah W, Awua-Boateng NY, Ampadu EO, Siegmund V, Schouten JP, Adjei O, Bretzel G, van der Werf TS. Antimicrobial treatment for early, limited Mycobacterium ulcerans infection: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2010 Feb 20;375(9715):664-72. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61962-0. Epub 2010 Feb 3.
• Background Chauty A, Ardant MF, Marsollier L, Pluschke G, Landier J, Adeye A, Goundote A, Cottin J, Ladikpo T, Ruf T, Ji B. Oral treatment for Mycobacterium ulcerans infection: results from a pilot study in Benin. Clin Infect Dis. 2011 Jan 1;52(1):94-6. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciq072.
• Background Gordon CL, Buntine JA, Hayman JA, Lavender CJ, Fyfe JA, Hosking P, Starr M, Johnson PD. All-oral antibiotic treatment for buruli ulcer: a report of four patients. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2010 Nov 30;4(11):e770. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000770. No abstract available.
• Background O'Brien DP, McDonald A, Callan P, Robson M, Friedman ND, Hughes A, Holten I, Walton A, Athan E. Successful outcomes with oral fluoroquinolones combined with rifampicin in the treatment of Mycobacterium ulcerans: an observational cohort study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2012 Jan;6(1):e1473. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001473. Epub 2012 Jan 17.
• Phillips RO, Robert J, Abass KM, Thompson W, Sarfo FS, Wilson T, Sarpong G, Gateau T, Chauty A, Omollo R, Ochieng Otieno M, Egondi TW, Ampadu EO, Agossadou D, Marion E, Ganlonon L, Wansbrough-Jones M, Grosset J, Macdonald JM, Treadwell T, Saunderson P, Paintsil A, Lehman L, Frimpong M, Sarpong NF, Saizonou R, Tiendrebeogo A, Ohene SA, Stienstra Y, Asiedu KB, van der Werf TS; study team. Rifampicin and clarithromycin (extended release) versus rifampicin and streptomycin for limited Buruli ulcer lesions: a randomised, open-label, non-inferiority phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2020 Apr 18;395(10232):1259-1267. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30047-7. Epub 2020 Mar 12.
• Converse PJ, Almeida DV, Tasneen R, Saini V, Tyagi S, Ammerman NC, Li SY, Anders NM, Rudek MA, Grosset JH, Nuermberger EL. Shorter-course treatment for Mycobacterium ulcerans disease with high-dose rifamycins and clofazimine in a mouse model of Buruli ulcer. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2018 Aug 13;12(8):e0006728. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006728. eCollection 2018 Aug.

Drugs

Indications