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Current tuberculosis treatments leave most patients with bronchiectasis and fibrosis, permanent conditions that impair lung function and increase all-cause post-TB mortality. Host-directed therapies (HDTs) may reduce lung inflammation and hasten eradication of infection. Biomarkers can accelerate tuberculosis regimen development, but no studies have yet examined early biomarkers of TB-HDTs. Biomarkers of inflammation and microbicidal activity were evaluated as a part of a recent phase-2 randomized controlled trial of four HDTs in 200 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and baseline predictors of poor outcome, including CC-11050 (PDE4i), everolimus (mTORi), auranofin (oral gold salt), and ergocalciferol (vitamin D). Two of the 4 arms (CC-11050 and everolimus) showed superior recovery of lung function at day 180 compared to control; none showed accelerated eradication of MTB infection. Patients underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) on entry and day 56. PET signals were analyzed according to total, maximal, and peak glycolytic activity; CT was analyzed according to total modified Hounsfield units to assess radiodensity. Mycobactericidal activity in ex vivo whole blood culture was measured on days 42, 84, and 140. C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured at multiple time points. All PET/CT parameters showed highly significant reductions from baseline to day 56; however, only maximal or peak glycolytic activity showed further experimental reduction compared to controls, and only in everolimus recipients. CRP dropped precipitously during early treatment, but did so equally in all arms; over the entire period of treatment, the rate of decline of CRP tended to be greater in CC-11050 recipients than in controls but this fell short of statistical significance. Whole blood mycobactericidal activity in ex-vivo culture was enhanced by auranofin compared to controls, but not by other HDTs. None of these early biomarkers correctly predicted HDT effects on inflammation or infection across all four experimental arms. Instead, they each appear to show highly specific responses related to HDT mechanisms of action.

Young women in southern Africa have substantial risk of HIV acquisition. Female-controlled biomedical interventions are needed to mitigate this risk. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of a pericoitally applied tenofovir 1% gel. We did a phase 3, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial at nine community-based clinical trial sites in South Africa to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tenofovir 1% gel. Sexually active women who were HIV negative and aged 18–30 years were enrolled. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) using sequential participant numbers to either tenofovir 1% gel or a placebo gel (one dose within 12 h before sex and one dose within 12 h after sex [BAT-24 regimen]), using dynamic permuted block sizes of 8 and 16 within each site. Women received monthly HIV-1 testing, risk reduction support, physical examinations, and product dispensing for up to 27 months. The primary efficacy outcome was incident HIV infection and the primary safety outcome was occurrence of grade 2–4 adverse events, both analysed in the modified intention-to-treat population. To assess the efficacy of tenofovir gel, the cumulative probability of HIV infection was calculated for each treatment using the Kaplan-Meier method. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01386294. From Oct 11, 2011, to Aug 29, 2014, 3844 women were screened, 2059 enrolled, and 2029 included in the primary analysis (1032 in the tenofovir group and 1027 in the placebo group); 39 (4%) in the tenofovir group and 36 (4%) in the placebo group were lost to follow-up. 123 HIV-1 infections occurred over 3036 woman-years of observation; 61 in the tenofovir group (HIV incidence 4·0 per 100 woman-years, 95% CI 3·1–5·2) and 62 in the placebo group (4·0 per 100 woman-years, 3·1–5·2; incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0·98, 95% CI 0·7–1·4). A higher incidence of grade 2 adverse events was observed in the tenofovir group than in the placebo group (IRR 1·09, 95% CI 1·0–1·2; p=0·02). The most common grade 2 or higher product-related adverse events were hypophosphataemia (n=22 for tenofovir vs n=22 for placebo), genital symptoms (n=6 for tenofovir vs n=2 for placebo), or elevated transaminases (n=2 for tenofovir vs n=2 for placebo). No product-related serious adverse events were reported, and no differences in product-related adverse events (p=0·78), grade 3 events (p=0·64), or grade 4 events (p=0·74) were observed between treatment groups. Overall, pericoital tenofovir gel did not prevent HIV-1 acquisition in this population of young women at risk of HIV infection in South Africa. Alternate safe and effective products that are less user dependent than this product or do not require high adherence are needed. The US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the South African Department of Science and Technology and Department of Health.

Linezolid plays a crucial role in the first-line treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis globally. Its prolonged use can lead to neurological and haematological toxicity, highlighting the need for safer oxazolidinones. Delpazolid, a novel oxazolidinone, might be safer. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of delpazolid and identify an optimal dose. PanACEA-DECODE-01 was a prospective, randomised, open-label, phase 2b, multicentre, dose-finding trial done in five tuberculosis trial sites in Tanzania and South Africa. Adults aged 18–65 years, who weighed 40–90 kg, and had newly diagnosed, smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1:1) through centralised allocation, using a probabilistic minimisation algorithm to receive no delpazolid (D0), delpazolid 400 mg once daily (D400), delpazolid 800 mg once daily (D800), delpazolid 1200 mg once daily (D1200), or delpazolid 800 mg twice daily (D800BD), all administered orally for 16 weeks with follow-up to week 52. All participants received bedaquiline (400 mg orally once daily for the first 14 days, then 200 mg orally thrice weekly), delamanid (100 mg orally twice daily), and moxifloxacin (400 mg orally once daily). Randomisation was stratified based on bacterial load in sputum as measured by GeneXpert cycle threshold (<16 vs ≥16), site, and HIV status. The primary efficacy objective was to establish an exposure–response model with the primary endpoint, measured in the modified intention-to-treat population, of change in mycobacterial load measured by time to positivity using the liquid culture mycobacterial growth indicator tube system. A secondary outcome was the time on treatment to sustained conversion to negative sputum culture in liquid media. The primary safety outcome was the occurrence of oxazolidinone class toxicities defined as peripheral or optical neuropathy, incident leukopenia, anaemia or thrombocytopenia, or adverse events in line with tyramine pressor response, all of grade 2 or higher, possibly, probably or definitely related to delpazolid. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04550832. Between Oct 28, 2021, and Aug 31, 2022, 156 individuals were screened for eligibility, 76 of whom were enrolled and randomly assigned to D0 (n=15), D400 (n=15), D800 (n=15), D1200 (n=16), or D800BD (n=15). 60 (79%) of 76 participants were male and 16 (21%) were female. Population pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic modelling suggests maximal microbiological activity at a daily total exposure of delpazolid (area under the concentration curve from 0 h to 24 h [AUC0–24]) of 50 mg/L per h; close to the median exposure observed after a 1200 mg dose. This maximal effect was estimated at a 38% (95% CI 4–83; p=0·025) faster decline in bacterial load compared with no delpazolid. In the secondary time-to-event analysis, there was no significant difference in time to culture conversion between treatment arms or exposure tertile. When all delpazolid-containing groups were combined, the hazard ratio for the time to sustained culture conversion to negative, comparing all delpazolid-containing groups with the group without delpazolid was 1·53 (95% CI 0·84–2·76). Two drug-related serious adverse events (one gastritis and one anaemia) occurred in the D800BD group, with high individual AUC0–24. Apart from the anaemia and one event of brief, moderate neutropenia observed at only one visit in the D800 group not in line with the characteristics of oxazolidinone class toxicity, no oxazolidinone class toxicities occurred. The pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic modelling results suggest that delpazolid adds efficacy on top of bedaquiline, delamanid, and moxifloxacin; and that a dose of 1200 mg once daily would result in exposures with maximum efficacy. That dose was shown to be safe, raising hope that linezolid toxicities could be averted in long-term treatment. Delpazolid is a promising drug for future tuberculosis treatment regimens and could be widely usable if safety and efficacy are confirmed in larger trials. LigaChem Biosciences, EDCTP2 programme supported by the EU; German Ministry for Education and Research; German Center for Infection Research; Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation; and Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek.

Linezolid is a key component globally in first-line therapy for drug-resistant tuberculosis but has considerable toxicity. New and safer alternative oxazolidinones are needed. Sutezolid is one such promising alternative. We aimed to evaluate preliminary efficacy and safety of sutezolid and to identify an optimal dose. PanACEA-SUDOCU-01 was a prospective, open-label, randomised, phase 2b dose-finding study in four tuberculosis trial sites in Tanzania and South Africa. Adults aged 18–65 years with newly diagnosed, drug-sensitive, smear-positive tuberculosis were enrolled and randomly assigned (1:1:1:1:1) by a probabilistic minimisation algorithm using a web-based interface, stratified by site, sex, and HIV status, to receive no sutezolid (U0), sutezolid 600 mg once daily (U600), sutezolid 1200 mg once daily (U1200), sutezolid 600 mg twice daily (U600BD), or sutezolid 800 mg twice daily (U800BD), all administered orally for 12 weeks followed by standard therapy for 6 months. All participants received oral bedaquiline (400 mg once daily for 14 days followed by 200 mg thrice weekly), oral delamanid (100 mg twice daily), and oral moxifloxacin (400 mg once daily). For the primary endpoint, measured in the modified intention-to-treat population, sputum samples were taken weekly to measure the change in bacterial load measured by time to positivity using the mycobacterial growth indicator tube system. Safety was assessed through weekly electrocardiography, safety blood tests, vision testing, and physical and neurological examinations. Intensive pharmacokinetic measurements were done on day 14 to determine exposure to sutezolid, bedaquiline, delamanid, and moxifloxacin. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03959566). Between May 20, 2021, and Feb 17, 2022, 186 individuals were screened for eligibility, 75 of whom were enrolled and randomly assigned to U0 (n=16), U600 (n=15), U1200 (n=14), U600BD (n=15), or U800BD (n=15). 56 (75%) participants were male and 19 (25%) were female. The final pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic model showed a benefit of sutezolid, with an increase in time to positivity slope steepness of 16·7% (95% CI 0·7–35·0) at the maximum concentration typical for the 1200 mg dose, compared with no sutezolid exposure. A maximum effect of sutezolid exposure was not observed within the investigated dose range. Six (8%) participants (one in the U600 group, two in the U600BD group, one in the U800BD group, and two retrospectively identified in the U600 group) had an increase in a QT interval using Fridericia correction greater than 60 ms from baseline. Two (3%) participants in the U600BD group had grade 4 adverse events, one each of neutropenia and hepatotoxicity, but they were not deemed associated with the use of sutezolid by the investigators. No neuropathy was reported. Sutezolid, combined with bedaquiline, delamanid, and moxifloxacin, was shown to be efficacious and added activity to the background drug combination, although we cannot make a final dose recommendation yet. This study provides valuable information for the selection of sutezolid doses for future studies, and described no oxazolidinone class toxicities at the doses used. EDCTP2 programme funded by the EU; German Ministry for Education and Research; German Center for Infection Research; and Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek.