Innovating(IN) Shorter(S), All- Oral, Precised(P), Individualized(I) Treatment Regimen(RE) for Rifampicin Resistant Tuberculosis(INSPIRE-TB)

Overview

The INSPIRE-TB study is a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised, controlled, non-inferiority open-label trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of seven 9-month oral regimens compared to a 9-month standard of care (SOC) regimen in RR-TB participants susceptible to fluoroquinolones, and a bedaquiline-containing 9-month oral regimen compared to a 20-month conventional regimen in RR-TB participants resistant to fluoroquinolones

RR-TB patients susceptible to fluoroquinolones are identified with the Xpert MTB/XDR assay (Cepheid; Sunnyvale, CA, USA). Experimental arms are seven oral regimens with a five-drug combination of the following: bedaquiline, linezolid, a fluoroquinolone (moxifloxacin or levofloxacin), cycloserine, clofazimine, and pyrazinamide.To minimize potential toxicity, each regimen includes no more than two major QT-prolonging drugs (bedaquiline, clofazimine, and moxifloxacin). Treatment duration of the experimental regimens is 9 months. A 2-month extension of treatment is allowed with the presence of cavities at month 9 or in case of a positive culture at month 2. Baseline molecular drug susceptibility test (DST) of pyrazinamide will be performed using whole gene sequencing (WGS) technique. The result of molecular DST of pyrazinamide will be interpreted by technical staff at central laboratory of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University. Once a participant is proved resistant to pyrazinamide by WGS results at baseline, pyrazinamide will be discontinued with no need for extra drug replacement. The control regimen for RR-TB patients susceptible to fluoroquinolones is the current SOC oral regimen recommended by the national guidelines. Pre-XDR TB patients are identified with the Xpert MTB/XDR assay. The experimental arm is a 9-month regimen consisting of bedaquiline, cycloserine, clofazimine, linezolid, and pyrazinamide. Treatment extension to 11 months is allowed with the presence of cavities at month 9 or in case of a positive culture at month 2. Pyrazinamide will be discontinued from the study regimen if baseline molecular DST results reveal pyrazinamide resistance. The comparator is a conventional longer regimen (20 months) consistent with the national guidelines.