Actively Recruiting

Phase 1
Age: 18Years +
All Genders
ID06559618

A Phase 1B Study to Assess Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of Bacteriophage Therapy in Spinal Cord Injury Patients With Bacteriuria

Led by Barbara Trautner · Updated on 2026-05-05

30

Participants Needed

2

Research Sites

65 weeks

Total Duration

On this page

AI-Summary

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating an investigational phage therapy for adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) who have neurogenic bladders colonized by Escherichia coli bacteria. This Phase 1b study aims to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of the therapy. Participants have bacteriuria and use either indwelling catheters or require intermittent catheterization for bladder drainage. The study is randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and conducted at a single center. About 30 participants will be randomized to receive either the investigational phage therapy or a placebo. The phage therapy involves a personalized mixture of up to three phages targeting the participant's dominant E. coli strain. This sterile solution is instilled directly into the bladder via catheter twice daily for 7 days. The placebo group receives sterile saline solution administered the same way and schedule. Treatment includes 14 doses over 7 days, followed by a flush of sterile saline after each dose. Participants may be inpatients or outpatients and will undergo up to 30 days of screening before randomization. After treatment, follow-up visits occur on Days 14, 21, 28, and 35 to monitor safety and collect data. Assessments include adverse event monitoring, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluations, and bladder-related health checks. The total study duration per participant is up to 65 days. Safety and tolerability are the primary outcomes measured during and after treatment.

CONDITIONS

Brief Title

Bacteriophage Therapy in Spinal Cord Injury Patients With Bacteriuria

Who Can Participate

Age: 18Years +
All Genders

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible

You may qualify if you...

  • Signed and dated informed consent form provided.
  • Willingness to comply with study procedures and available for the study duration.
  • Adult (over 18 years) diagnosed with spinal cord injury or disease and neurogenic bladder.
  • Asymptomatic bacteriuria with Escherichia coli present at 10,000 CFU/mL or higher.
  • Use of indwelling (transurethral or suprapubic) catheter or intermittent catheterization for bladder drainage.
  • Women of childbearing potential and men with partners of childbearing potential must use two forms of effective contraception during the study and for two weeks after.
  • Willingness to be hospitalized during treatment or attend clinic visits daily for 7 days or on Day 1 and Day 7 of dosing.
  • Ability to receive in-person training on instillation of the investigational product into the bladder on Day 1.
Not Eligible

You will not qualify if you...

  • Unable to provide informed consent.
  • Use of new antibiotics expected to kill Gram-negative organisms in urine between enrollment and randomization.
  • History of neutropenia (ANC less than 1000 per microliter) within 6 months before screening.
  • History of organ transplantation.
  • Presence of surgically modified bladder, except repaired ruptured bladder.
  • HIV with CD4 count less than 200 cells per microliter.
  • Unstable vital signs such as fever or low blood pressure.
  • Symptoms of active urinary tract infection including fever, increased spasticity, bladder spasms, new sweating, increased abdominal pain, increased burning or pain during urination or catheterization, blood in urine, or increased urinary urgency.
  • Known urinary obstruction.
  • Presence of medical devices in urinary tract other than urinary catheters.
  • Use of medications or supplements that acidify urine unless approved by sponsor-investigator.
  • Stage 4 or greater chronic kidney disease.
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
  • Three or more episodes of autonomic dysreflexia in prior 30 days.
  • Medical or psychiatric illness interfering with participation such as severe or uncontrolled diseases affecting liver, blood, digestive, hormonal, lung, heart, or nervous system.

AI-Screening

AI-Powered Screening

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Your Study Journey

Screening

Duration - Up to 30 days

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.

1 screening and enrollment visit

Treatment

Duration - 7 days

Participants receive investigational phage therapy or placebo instilled into the bladder via catheter twice a day for 7 days.

Daily visits or inpatient care for 7 days

Follow-up

Duration - 28 days (Days 8 to 35)

Participants attend study assessments after treatment on Days 14, 21, 28, and 35 to monitor safety and treatment effects.

4 visits on Days 14, 21, 28, and 35

Trial Site Locations

Total: 2 locations

1

Washington University in St Louis

St Louis, Missouri, United States, 63110

Actively Recruiting

2

Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center

Houston, Texas, United States, 77030

Actively Recruiting

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Research Team

B

Barbara W Trautner, MD, PhD

R

Rogelio Hernandez, MS

How is the study designed?

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Masking

QUADRUPLE

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Model

PARALLEL

Primary Purpose

TREATMENT

Number of Arms

2

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Published Research Related To This Trial

Phage Therapy Related Microbial Succession Associated with Successful Clinical Outcome for a Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection.

Austen Terwilliger, Justin Clark, Maile Karris...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34696479

Bacteriophages from ExPEC Reservoirs Kill Pandemic Multidrug-Resistant Strains of Clonal Group ST131 in Animal Models of Bacteremia.

Sabrina I Green, Jason T Kaelber, Li Ma...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28401893

Antiviral Resistance and Phage Counter Adaptation to Antibiotic-Resistant Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli.

Keiko C Salazar, Li Ma, Sabrina I Green...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33906920

A Retrospective, Observational Study of 12 Cases of Expanded-Access Customized Phage Therapy: Production, Characteristics, and Clinical Outcomes.

Sabrina I Green, Justin R Clark, Haroldo H Santos...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37279523