The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and ability of panobinostat to re-activate HIV transcription in latently infected CD4+ T-cells among HIV-infected patients on stable antiretroviral therapy
Despite effective highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART), HIV-infection persists and rebounds upon treatment interruption, presumably due to latently infected resting CD4+ T-cells. To achieve eradication of HIV-infection this reservoir of latently HIV-infected cells must be depleted. Several therapeutic strategies are considered in HIV-cure related research. One approach is to exploit the ability of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors to reactivate HIV-1 expression in latently infected cells in the presence of HAART. This is an investigator initiated single-group, non-randomized interventional phase I/II trial designed to evaluate the safety and ability of oral panobinostat to activate HIV-transcription in latently infected CD4+ T-cells of HIV-infected patients on suppressive HAART. The study will enrol 16 patients. Each subject will be used as his/her own control in a before-after design: endpoints measured after study intervention will be compared to baseline for each subject. The main study will comprise three phases: 1. A pre-treatment screening/observation phase of 4 weeks (weeks 0-4) 2. A treatment phase of 8 weeks (weeks 4-12), where 20 mg panobinostat will be administered orally on days 1, 3, and 5 (TIW) every other week (QOW) while maintaining background HAART (co-therapy) 3. A post-treatment follow-up phase of 24 weeks (weeks 12-36) to evaluate the effect of study treatment Study participants will be reviewed 13 times during the course of study treatment and follow-up. Blood will be drawn for HIV viral load assessments, CD4 cell counts, biochemistry, hematology and additional immunological and virological analyses. An electrocardiogram of the heart (ECG) will be taken at screening, day 10 and 24 post treatment initiation. The safety and tolerability of panobinostat will be evaluated based on physical exams, laboratory tests and questions about any problems patients may have experienced during the study. A pre-specified schedule based will guide dose modification in case of unacceptable adverse effects.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
15
20 mg panobinostat will be administered orally on days 1, 3, and 5 (TIW) every other week (QOW) for a period of 8 weeks while maintaining background HAART
Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital
Aarhus, Denmark
Change from baseline in HIV transcription in latently infected CD4+ T-cells as measured by copies of unspliced HIV-RNA in the CD4+ T-cells of HIV-infected patients on suppressive HAART
Time frame: Day 1 (before study drug and 2 hours after first dose), Day 2, 5, 10, 15, 24, 29, 38, 43, 52
Change from baseline in the size of the latent HIV-reservoir as measured by copies of proviral HIV-DNA per 10⁶ CD4+ T-cells
Time frame: 12 and 32 weeks after initiation of study treatment
Change from baseline in the frequency of cells latently infected with replication competent HIV expressed as infectious units per million (IUPM)
Time frame: 12 weeks after initiation of study treatment
Safety evaluation, as measured by adverse events (AE), adverse reactions (AR), serious adverse events (SAE), serious adverse reactions (SAR), and serious unexpected serious adverse reactions (SUSAR)
Time frame: Active follow-up until 32 weeks after initiation of study treatment
Plasma HIV-RNA as measured by the single copy assay
Time frame: Day 1 (before study drug and 2 hours after first dose), Day 2, 5, 10, 15, 24, 29, 38, 43, 52, 84, 224
During an optional HAART-interruption study (if performed, see below): 1) Time to viremia >1000 copies/ml; 2) Time to meet criteria to restart HAART
Upon completion of the study, subjects may be invited to participate in an additional observational study in which HAART will be interrupted to evaluate the effect of study treatment on virological control. Enrolment into this study is optional and conditioned by the following criteria pertaining to the effect of study treatment on the latent HIV-1 reservoir: * Significant increase in unspliced HIV-RNA during in accordance with the primary endpoint measure * CD4+ T-cell count \>500/mm3
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Time frame: To be performed upon completion of 32 weeks follow-up based on the below specified criteria