Evaluation of Doxycycline Post-exposure Prophylaxis to Reduce Sexually Transmitted Infections in PrEP Users and HIV-infected Men Who Have Sex With Men

Summary

The purpose of this study is to understand if taking an antibiotic called doxycycline by mouth as soon as possible after sexual contact without a condom can reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. The study will also look at the safety of doxycycline PEP and the impact that PEP may have on the bacteria that cause STIs as well as on bacteria that normally live on the body. While doxycycline is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), taking doxycycline immediately after sexual contact to prevent infection is investigational and is not approved by the FDA for this use. Participants will take part in the study for 1 year.

Timeline

Start

2019-11-26

Primary completion

2023-06-12

Completion

2023-06-12

Publications

• Background Molina JM, Charreau I, Chidiac C, Pialoux G, Cua E, Delaugerre C, Capitant C, Rojas-Castro D, Fonsart J, Bercot B, Bebear C, Cotte L, Robineau O, Raffi F, Charbonneau P, Aslan A, Chas J, Niedbalski L, Spire B, Sagaon-Teyssier L, Carette D, Mestre SL, Dore V, Meyer L; ANRS IPERGAY Study Group. Post-exposure prophylaxis with doxycycline to prevent sexually transmitted infections in men who have sex with men: an open-label randomised substudy of the ANRS IPERGAY trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2018 Mar;18(3):308-317. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(17)30725-9. Epub 2017 Dec 8.
• Background The Lancet Hiv. U=U taking off in 2017. Lancet HIV. 2017 Nov;4(11):e475. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3018(17)30183-2. No abstract available.
• Background Harrison WO, Hooper RR, Wiesner PJ, Campbell AF, Karney WW, Reynolds GH, Jones OG, Holmes KK. A trial of minocycline given after exposure to prevent gonorrhea. N Engl J Med. 1979 May 10;300(19):1074-8. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197905103001903.
• Background Steen R, Chersich M, Gerbase A, Neilsen G, Wendland A, Ndowa F, Akl EA, Lo YR, de Vlas SJ. Periodic presumptive treatment of curable sexually transmitted infections among sex workers: a systematic review. AIDS. 2012 Feb 20;26(4):437-45. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0b013e32834ed991.
• Background Bolan RK, Beymer MR, Weiss RE, Flynn RP, Leibowitz AA, Klausner JD. Doxycycline prophylaxis to reduce incident syphilis among HIV-infected men who have sex with men who continue to engage in high-risk sex: a randomized, controlled pilot study. Sex Transm Dis. 2015 Feb;42(2):98-103. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000216.
• Background Sloan B, Scheinfeld N. The use and safety of doxycycline hyclate and other second-generation tetracyclines. Expert Opin Drug Saf. 2008 Sep;7(5):571-7. doi: 10.1517/14740338.7.5.571.
• Background Turner RB, Smith CB, Martello JL, Slain D. Role of doxycycline in Clostridium difficile infection acquisition. Ann Pharmacother. 2014 Jun;48(6):772-6. doi: 10.1177/1060028014528792. Epub 2014 Mar 28.
• Background Nadelman RB, Nowakowski J, Fish D, Falco RC, Freeman K, McKenna D, Welch P, Marcus R, Aguero-Rosenfeld ME, Dennis DT, Wormser GP; Tick Bite Study Group. Prophylaxis with single-dose doxycycline for the prevention of Lyme disease after an Ixodes scapularis tick bite. N Engl J Med. 2001 Jul 12;345(2):79-84. doi: 10.1056/NEJM200107123450201.
• Background Angelakis E, Armstrong N, Nappez C, Richez M, Chabriere E, Raoult D. Doxycycline assay hair samples for testing long-term compliance treatment. J Infect. 2015 Nov;71(5):511-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2015.08.003. Epub 2015 Aug 20.
• Perkins R, Fredericksen RJ, Christopoulos KA, Beima-Sofie K, Cohen SE, Dombrowski JC, Dright A, Gardner S, Kohler P, Luetkemeyer AF, Pintye J, Celum C. "It's Been a Very Liberating Experience": Doxycycline Postexposure Prophylaxis for Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention and Experiences With Sexual Pleasure by Men Who Have Sex With Men. Sex Transm Dis. 2025 Dec 1;52(12):728-733. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000002220. Epub 2025 Jul 10.
• Luetkemeyer AF, Donnell D, Cohen SE, Dombrowski JC, Grabow C, Haser G, Brown C, Cannon C, Malinski C, Perkins R, Nasser M, Lopez C, Suchland RJ, Vittinghoff E, Buchbinder SP, Scott H, Charlebois ED, Havlir DV, Soge OO, Celum C. Doxycycline to prevent bacterial sexually transmitted infections in the USA: final results from the DoxyPEP multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial and open-label extension. Lancet Infect Dis. 2025 Aug;25(8):873-883. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00085-4. Epub 2025 Mar 24.
• Chu VT, Glascock A, Donnell D, Grabow C, Brown CE, Ward R, Love C, Kalantar KL, Cohen SE, Cannon C, Woodworth MH, Kelley CF, Celum C, Luetkemeyer AF, Langelier CR. Impact of doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis for sexually transmitted infections on the gut microbiome and antimicrobial resistome. Nat Med. 2025 Jan;31(1):207-217. doi: 10.1038/s41591-024-03274-2. Epub 2024 Oct 3.
• Fredericksen RJ, Perkins R, Brown CE, Cannon C, Lopez C, Cohee A, Dombrowski JC, Cohen S, Malinski C, Powell M, Luetkemeyer AF, Celum C, Christopoulos K. Doxycycline as Postsexual Exposure Prophylaxis: Use, Acceptability, and Associated Sexual Health Behaviors Among a Multi-Site Sample of Clinical Trial Participants. AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2024 Apr;38(4):155-167. doi: 10.1089/apc.2023.0289.
• Luetkemeyer AF, Donnell D, Dombrowski JC, Cohen S, Grabow C, Brown CE, Malinski C, Perkins R, Nasser M, Lopez C, Vittinghoff E, Buchbinder SP, Scott H, Charlebois ED, Havlir DV, Soge OO, Celum C; DoxyPEP Study Team. Postexposure Doxycycline to Prevent Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections. N Engl J Med. 2023 Apr 6;388(14):1296-1306. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2211934.

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