Durban

Researchers are evaluating new treatment options for people living with HIV-1 Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 who have not been treated before. The current standard treatment, antiretroviral therapy ART, involves taking multiple medicines daily and may cause other health problems. This study aims to compare a new study ART combining two medicines, islatravir and ulonivirine, taken once a week, against the standard daily ART to see if it works as well and is safe and tolerable. Participants will receive one of several treatments for 96 weeks the study ART with islatravir and ulonivirine taken once weekly, the standard ART with bictegraviremtricitabinetenofovir alafenamide BICFTCTAF taken once daily, or combinations involving placebos matching these treatments. The study includes two phases Phase 2 which is open-label, and Phase 3 which is double-blind and randomized. During the study, participants will have regular assessments including measuring the amount of HIV-1 RNA in their blood and monitoring for adverse events and medication tolerance. Researchers will evaluate how well the treatments control the virus and affect immune cells over 24, 48, and 96 weeks. Safety monitoring will continue for about 102 weeks. The total study duration for participants is up to 96 weeks of treatment plus follow-up.

Researchers are evaluating new medicines to prevent HIV-1 Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 infection. This Phase 3 clinical study aims to determine if taking the drug MK-8527 once a month can prevent HIV-1 infection as well as or better than the standard daily pre-exposure prophylaxis PrEP. The study also assesses the safety and tolerance of MK-8527 in participants. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group receives 11 mg of MK-8527 once monthly along with a daily placebo pill matching FTCTDF. The other group receives a daily dose of FTC245 mg TDF and a monthly placebo matching MK-8527. This treatment period lasts for approximately two years, followed by an additional 28-day period where all participants receive open-label FTCTDF daily. During the study, participants will undergo regular monitoring to check for HIV-1 infection and any adverse events. Researchers will track the number of participants who acquire HIV-1, experience side effects, or stop treatment due to side effects over the two-year period. Safety and adherence assessments will be conducted to evaluate the study treatments. The total participation time includes the two-year treatment phase plus the 28-day follow-up with open-label FTCTDF.

Respiratory syncytial virus RSV is a common virus affecting children, especially young babies, premature infants, and those with heart or lung problems. It is a leading cause of hospitalization for children under 5 years old globally, with many severe cases and deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. This research evaluates the safety of an RSV vaccine called ABRYSVO given to pregnant women and how well it protects their infants from severe RSV infections during the first six months of life, particularly in African and lower-middle income countries where data is limited. Pregnant women will receive either the ABRYSVO vaccine or a placebo in a randomized, double-blind trial. The vaccine contains stabilized RSV prefusion F antigens from virus subgroups A and B. The study will enroll pregnant women at the approved gestational age for vaccination, with participants randomly assigned to receive either the vaccine or placebo in equal numbers. The trial will monitor the safety of the vaccine in mothers and infants and measure how well the vaccine prevents severe RSV lower respiratory tract infections in babies up to 180 days old. Participants will attend antenatal clinics and provide informed consent for themselves and their infants. Researchers will follow the women through pregnancy and delivery, recording any preterm births and birth weights. Infants will be monitored for RSV infections confirmed by laboratory tests, and hospitalizations due to RSV will be tracked up to six months of age. Safety assessments include monitoring adverse events in mothers and babies, with follow-up visits and telephone contacts to ensure comprehensive data collection throughout the trial period.

Researchers are evaluating the efficacy and safety of elecoglipron, an oral tablet taken once daily, for weight management in adults with obesity or overweight. This Phase III global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial includes two independent pivotal studies one in adults without type 2 diabetes T2DM and the other in adults with T2DM, all having at least one weight-related health condition. The goal is to understand how elecoglipron compares to placebo when combined with diet and exercise. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either one of two doses of elecoglipron or a matching placebo daily. Study 1 involves about 3000 adults living with obesity or overweight without T2DM, while Study 2 involves about 1500 adults with obesity or overweight and T2DM. Both studies last 72 weeks, during which changes in body weight and other health measures will be monitored. During the trial, participants will undergo regular health assessments including measurements of body weight, waist circumference, blood sugar control, blood pressure, and other related health indicators. Researchers will track percent change in body weight from baseline at 72 weeks as the primary outcome. Participants will be monitored closely throughout the study to assess safety and effectiveness of the treatment in managing weight and associated health conditions.

Researchers are evaluating VENT-03 in adults with active cutaneous lupus erythematosus CLE, including those who may also have systemic lupus erythematosus SLE. This Phase 2a clinical trial aims to determine if VENT-03 affects the activity and severity of CLE and to assess its safety and how the body processes the drug. Participants will be compared to a placebo group to better understand VENT-03s effects. Participants will take either VENT-03 tablets or a placebo for the first 4 weeks. After this double-blind phase, all participants switch to taking VENT-03 for an additional 8 weeks in an open-label extension. The study uses a randomized, double-blind design with monthly clinic visits for checkups and tests throughout the treatment periods. During the study, participants will visit the clinic once a month for assessments including physical exams and tests to monitor the drugs effects and safety. Researchers will evaluate changes in interferon gene signature in the skin, CLE disease severity, skin biopsy markers, and record any treatment-emergent adverse events. Blood samples will be collected to study the drugs concentration over time. The total treatment duration is 12 weeks with ongoing safety and efficacy monitoring.

Researchers are evaluating the safety, tolerability, and dosing of three drugsAZD2284, AZD2287, and AZD2275in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. This first-in-human, Phase I trial aims to understand how these drugs behave in the body and to explore their potential effects in this advanced prostate cancer population. The study is divided into two parts Part A focuses on imaging and dosing optimization, while Part B focuses on dose escalation and therapeutic evaluation. Participants in Part A receive AZD2287 alone or combined with AZD2275 to find the best dosing approach. In Part B, different doses of AZD2284 are given based on findings from Part A, with several dose levels tested to assess safety and potential effectiveness. Expansion cohorts in Part B further explore the effects of AZD2284 at selected doses. Throughout the study, participants will undergo imaging scans such as SPECTCT, laboratory tests, and monitoring for side effects and drug levels. Researchers will track adverse events, dose-limiting toxicities, and radiation doses, as well as tumor uptake of the drugs. Longer-term outcomes like prostate-specific antigen response, progression-free survival, and overall survival will be followed for up to five years. The total duration of follow-up varies by study part and dose level.

Researchers are evaluating AZD8965 in a Phase IIb trial to study its safety, tolerability, and effectiveness in treating Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis IPF. The study compares three doses of AZD8965 to a placebo in participants with IPF, including those who are on stable doses of approved antifibrotic therapies such as nintedanib, pirfenidone, or nerandomilast, as well as those not taking antifibrotic treatment. The trial is randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, and parallel-group in design. Participants are assigned to one of four groups placebo, low dose AZD8965, medium dose AZD8965, or high dose AZD8965. The treatment lasts for 24 weeks, during which participants receive their assigned medication. The study includes approximately 360 participants across around 200 sites worldwide. Researchers aim to assess the clinical efficacy of AZD8965 by measuring changes in lung function and study the relationship between dose and outcomes. During the study, participants will undergo various assessments including lung function tests such as forced vital capacity FVC, monitoring for adverse events, and pharmacokinetic analyses of AZD8965. Safety and tolerability are monitored up to 25 weeks. Researchers will also track any serious adverse events and treatment discontinuations. The total participation time covers the 24-week treatment period with scheduled visits to assess the study outcomes and participant health.

Researchers are evaluating the combination of baxdrostat and dapagliflozin in people with chronic kidney disease CKD and high blood pressure hypertension. This Phase III, double-blind, placebo-controlled study aims to assess whether this combination reduces the risk of serious kidney damage, heart failure events, or cardiovascular death compared to dapagliflozin alone. The study includes participants with CKD and hypertension who meet specific kidney function and blood pressure criteria. Participants who are not already taking SGLT2 inhibitors will first complete a 4-week dapagliflozin run-in period. Then, they will be randomly assigned to receive either baxdrostat plus dapagliflozin or a placebo plus dapagliflozin. Baxdrostat dosing may start low and be increased if needed. Study visits will occur at 2, 4, 8, 16, 34, and 52 weeks after randomization, and then approximately every four months until the study ends, which is based on the number of key kidney or heart-related events. Throughout the study, participants will have regular assessments including blood tests to monitor kidney function and potassium levels, blood pressure measurements, and evaluations of heart and kidney health. If participants stop the blinded study drug early, they will continue dapagliflozin if possible and remain in the study for ongoing visits and monitoring. The main outcome is whether the combination treatment reduces the risk of a 50% sustained decline in kidney function, kidney failure, heart failure events, or cardiovascular death over up to 37 months.

Researchers are evaluating AZD0780, an oral PCSK9 inhibitor, in a phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled study. This trial focuses on patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease ASCVD or those at high risk for a first ASCVD event. The study aims to assess how AZD0780 compares to placebo in reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, also known as MACE-PLUS, over the course of the trial. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either oral AZD0780 once daily or a matching placebo once daily. The study continues until a primary analysis censoring date, which may be up to approximately 54 months from randomization. After this, a study closure visit will be conducted as the final visit for each participant. During the study, participants will be regularly monitored for cardiovascular events including heart attacks, strokes, urgent coronary revascularizations, and other related outcomes. Researchers will track the time to first occurrence of these events as the primary outcome. Safety and other secondary outcomes like all-cause mortality will also be assessed. The total participation time can last up to about 54 months, with ongoing evaluations throughout this period.

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of elecoglipron alone or combined with dapagliflozin compared with a placebo in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus T2DM who are not adequately controlled by lifestyle management alone or who are on other background glucose-lowering medications. This Phase III study aims to understand how these treatments impact blood sugar control and related health factors. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups elecoglipron at dose level 1 with dapagliflozin-matched placebo, elecoglipron at dose level 2 with dapagliflozin-matched placebo, a combination of elecoglipron at one of the studied doses with dapagliflozin, or matching placebos for both drugs. All treatments are taken orally once daily. The study uses a quadruple-blind design to compare these options over a treatment period lasting up to 40 weeks. During the study, participants will have their blood sugar levels measured by changes in Hemoglobin A1c HbA1c from baseline to week 40. Other assessments include body weight, blood pressure, and the time to start any additional rescue medication. Participants will attend regular visits for monitoring and safety evaluations throughout the study duration, which extends until the primary completion date in July 2028.