Stop Transmission of Gambiense Human African Trypanosomiasis (STROgHAT)

Summary

This protocol describes both the epidemiological study which aims at assessing whether over a three-year period a zero prevalence can be achieved when implementing a screen \& treat approach with acoziborole, as well as a nested clinical study aimed at generating further evidence on safety of acoziborole in gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (gHAT) seropositives individuals. The overall coordinator will be ITM. ITM will be fully responsible for the epidemiological study (study Part A), including cost effectiveness and evaluation of diagnostic tests. DNDi will be the legal sponsor of the nested safety clinical study (study Part B) and will ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and good clinical practices (GCP) for this part of the study. The investigators hypothesize that by systematically screening the populations of all endemic villages in a well-defined HAT focus and by expanding gHAT treatment to all seropositives, that it will be able to arrive at a zero prevalence over a three-year period. The objectives are to evaluate whether a strategy based on widened treatment for all parasitologically negative seropositive gHAT suspects with acoziborole can lead to interruption of transmission of T.b.gambiense in a mainland focus and to assess the safety of acoziborole in gHAT seropositve individuals and parasitologically negative.

Timeline

Start

2024-04-08

Primary completion

2026-12-30

Completion

2027-12-30

Publications

• Background Robays J, Bilengue MM, Van der Stuyft P, Boelaert M. The effectiveness of active population screening and treatment for sleeping sickness control in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Trop Med Int Health. 2004 May;9(5):542-50. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2004.01240.x.
• Background Dickie EA, Giordani F, Gould MK, Maser P, Burri C, Mottram JC, Rao SPS, Barrett MP. New Drugs for Human African Trypanosomiasis: A Twenty First Century Success Story. Trop Med Infect Dis. 2020 Feb 19;5(1):29. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed5010029.
• Background Simarro PP, Cecchi G, Franco JR, Paone M, Diarra A, Ruiz-Postigo JA, Fevre EM, Mattioli RC, Jannin JG. Estimating and mapping the population at risk of sleeping sickness. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2012;6(10):e1859. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001859. Epub 2012 Oct 25.
• Background Ngay Lukusa I, Van Reet N, Mumba Ngoyi D, Miaka EM, Masumu J, Patient Pyana P, Mutombo W, Ngolo D, Kobo V, Akwaso F, Ilunga M, Kaninda L, Mutanda S, Muamba DM, Valverde Mordt O, Tarral A, Rembry S, Buscher P, Lejon V. Trypanosome SL-RNA detection in blood and cerebrospinal fluid to demonstrate active gambiense human African trypanosomiasis infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021 Sep 17;15(9):e0009739. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009739. eCollection 2021 Sep.
• Background Van Reet N, Patient Pyana P, Dehou S, Bebronne N, Deborggraeve S, Buscher P. Single nucleotide polymorphisms and copy-number variations in the Trypanosoma brucei repeat (TBR) sequence can be used to enhance amplification and genotyping of Trypanozoon strains. PLoS One. 2021 Oct 25;16(10):e0258711. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258711. eCollection 2021.
• Background Simarro PP, Sima FO, Mir M, Mateo MJ, Roche J. [Control of human African trypanosomiasis in Luba in equatorial Guinea:evaluation of three methods]. Bull World Health Organ. 1991;69(4):451-7.
• Background Buscher P, Mertens P, Leclipteux T, Gilleman Q, Jacquet D, Mumba-Ngoyi D, Pyana PP, Boelaert M, Lejon V. Sensitivity and specificity of HAT Sero-K-SeT, a rapid diagnostic test for serodiagnosis of sleeping sickness caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense: a case-control study. Lancet Glob Health. 2014 Jun;2(6):e359-63. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(14)70203-7. Epub 2014 May 9.
• Background Camara O, Camara M, Falzon LC, Ilboudo H, Kabore J, Compaore CFA, Fevre EM, Buscher P, Bucheton B, Lejon V. Performance of clinical signs and symptoms, rapid and reference laboratory diagnostic tests for diagnosis of human African trypanosomiasis by passive screening in Guinea: a prospective diagnostic accuracy study. Infect Dis Poverty. 2023 Mar 20;12(1):22. doi: 10.1186/s40249-023-01076-1.
• Background Compaore CFA, Kabore J, Ilboudo H, Thomas LF, Falzon LC, Bamba M, Sakande H, Kone M, Kaba D, Bougouma C, Adama I, Amathe O, Belem AMG, Fevre EM, Buscher P, Lejon V, Jamonneau V. Monitoring the elimination of gambiense human African trypanosomiasis in the historical focus of Batie, South-West Burkina Faso. Parasite. 2022;29:25. doi: 10.1051/parasite/2022024. Epub 2022 May 11.
• Nicco E, Lejon V, Mwamba Miaka E, Mumba D, Mpanya A, Kambo C, Ngolo D, Mutombo W, Hugonnet S, Rembry S, Tipple C, Inocencio Da Luz R, Snijders R, Vander Kelen C, Roge S, Van Reet N, Tarral A, Verle P, Hasker E. The STROGHAT study protocol: An intervention study to evaluate safety, effectiveness and feasibility of treating gambiense HAT seropositive subjects with acoziborole. Open Res Eur. 2025 Jan 24;5:23. doi: 10.12688/openreseurope.19077.1. eCollection 2025.

Drugs

Indications