Cefixime for Alternative Syphilis Treatment

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2

Conditions: Syphilis; Early Syphilis

Treatments: Drug: Benzathine Penicillin G; Drug: Cefixime 400 milligram Oral Capsule [Suprax]

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03660488

18-000665

20181796 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of oral cefixime as an alternative treatment for syphilis infection.

One hundred adult patients (≥18 years old) with syphilis infection (positive Treponema Pallidum Particle Agglutination assay and RPR titer ≥ 1/8) will be recruited. Participants will be randomized (1:1) to receive either the standard of care Penicillin or Cefixime.

During the study, participants will visit the clinic up to 5 times; at baseline visit, at 3, 6, 12 months after treatment initiation. Participants of the cefixime group will be required to visit the clinic 14 days after treatment initiation. In each visit, participants will be asked about current symptoms and do laboratory tests for syphilis (RPR). Subjects who have a 4-fold decrease (from study entry RPR) in RPR titers from baseline at 6 months will be considered a positive treatment response.

Full description

Syphilis is a major issue worldwide causing 5.6 million new cases of syphilis worldwide, of which over 900,000 are pregnant women. It is also responsible for congenital infections causing fetal loss or stillbirth or, in a live-born infant, neonatal death, prematurity and low birth weight. Penicillin is the currently used treatment. However, lack of penicillin and alternatives to treatment often hinder treatment and prevention efforts.

Cefixime is an FDA-approved, orally administered third-generation cephalosporin that is currently used for the treatment of a wide range of infections, including urinary tract infections. Our goal is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral cefixime as an alternative treatment for syphilis infection.

One hundred adult patients (≥18 years old) with syphilis infection will be recruited. Eligible participants will have laboratory-confirmed syphilis infection with a positive Treponema pallidum Particle Agglutination (TPPA) assay and RPR (Rapid Plasma Reagin ) titer ≥ 1/8. Participants will be randomized (1:1) to receive either the standard of care Penicillin or Cefixime.

During the study, participants will visit the clinic 5 times; at baseline visit, demographic, clinical information and laboratory test results for syphilis will be recorded and treatment will start. Depending on the study group, the treatment plan will be oral Cefixime 400mg, twice per day for ten consecutive days or one dose of intramuscular Penicillin. Patients will be required to visit the clinic two weeks after treatment initiation to verify adverse effects. Follow up visits will occur at 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment initiation. In each visit, participants will be asked about current symptoms, interval sexual history, concomitant antibiotic use and possible adverse reactions. Subjects will also have a venipuncture blood specimen collected for syphilis testing (RPR). Subjects who have a 4-fold decrease (from study entry RPR) in RPR titers from baseline at 6 months will be considered a positive treatment response.

Enrollment: 58 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. 18 years of age or older and able to provide informed consent
2. Cases of primary, secondary or early latent syphilis with RPR titer ≥1:8 within 3 weeks prior to enrollment.
3. HIV infected individuals willing to participate in the study must have CD4 count ≥350 cells/μl within the last 4 weeks and be virally suppressed (i.e., viral load ≤ 200 copies/mL) for HIV for the 6 months prior to enrolment with the most recent results within the last 4 weeks. inclusion
4. Non-cephalosporin allergic
5. Able to travel to the clinic once a day or be available for phone calls or receive text messages for at least 7-10 days and willing to attend follow-up visits
6. Able to swallow pills

Exclusion criteria

1. Pregnancy or positive pregnancy test
2. Serofast RPR titer (prior titer 1:8 or greater)
3. Recent (less than 7 days) or concomitant antimicrobial therapy with activity against syphilis.
4. Cephalosporin allergy: previous episode of flushing, urticaria, angioedema, rhinitis, bronchospasm, and anaphylactic shock, rash after taking cephalosporin.
5. Penicillin allergy: previous episode of flushing, urticaria, angioedema, rhinitis, bronchospasm, and anaphylactic shock, rash after receiving Penicillin.
6. Has a medical condition or other factor that might affect their ability to follow the protocol

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

58 participants in 2 patient groups

Benzathine Penicillin G

Active Comparator group

Description:

Patients of the "Penicillin Group" will receive the standard of care treatment. This is one intramuscular injection of 2.4 million units Benzathine Penicillin G. The group will consist of 50 patients.

Treatment:

Drug: Benzathine Penicillin G

Cefixime Group

Experimental group

Description:

Patients of the "Cefixime Group" will receive Cefixime 400 mg, per os, one tablet, two times per day, for ten consecutive days. The study team will provide the medication. The group will consist of 50 patients.

Treatment:

Drug: Cefixime 400 milligram Oral Capsule [Suprax]