Johannesburg

Researchers are studying metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer mCRPC to find new treatment options. This trial evaluates if the study medicine ifinatamab deruxtecan I-DXd or MK-2400 helps people live longer overall and experience slower cancer growth or spread compared to chemotherapy. The study is a Phase 3 trial comparing I-DXd with standard chemotherapy for mCRPC patients. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either I-DXd at 12 mgkg every 3 weeks through intravenous infusion or docetaxel chemotherapy at 75 mgm2 every 3 weeks combined with daily prednisone pills. Treatment continues until the disease progresses, unacceptable side effects occur, or treatment is stopped for other reasons. Premedication is given before each dose of I-DXd to help prevent nausea and vomiting. During the study, participants will have regular visits for treatment and monitoring. Researchers will assess overall survival and radiographic progression-free survival for up to about 36 months. Additional measures include response rates, time to pain progression, PSA progression, and adverse events. The study tracks safety, treatment effects, and quality of life over a long follow-up period to better understand the potential benefits and risks of I-DXd compared to chemotherapy.

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.

Researchers are investigating new treatments for metastatic cervical cancer, which is cancer that has spread beyond the cervix, the lower part of the uterus. This study evaluates the safety and effectiveness of the antibody drug conjugate sacituzumab tirumotecan sac-TMT combined with pembrolizumab and bevacizumab. The goal is to find out if these treatments, given together or with some variations, help patients live longer or delay cancer progression compared to standard care. The study has two parts. In Part 1, participants receive sac-TMT, pembrolizumab, and bevacizumab together to assess safety. In Part 2, all participants first get standard induction treatment with pembrolizumab, paclitaxel, and cisplatin or carboplatin, possibly with bevacizumab. Those whose cancer does not worsen then enter maintenance treatment, where they are randomly assigned to receive either pembrolizumab alone or sac-TMT plus pembrolizumab, with optional bevacizumab. Participants are involved for up to about 20 months during maintenance treatment after up to 4 months of induction. The study monitors safety by tracking side effects and treatment discontinuations. Effectiveness is measured by progression-free survival and overall survival up to several years. Quality of life and physical functioning are also assessed through questionnaires. Treatments and evaluations occur through regular intravenous infusions and periodic monitoring visits.

Researchers are investigating new treatments for high-risk, early-stage breast cancer, specifically targeting two types triple-negative breast cancer TNBC and hormone receptor-low positiveHER2-negative breast cancer. These cancers are characterized by low or no HER2 protein and low hormone receptor presence. The study aims to evaluate if adding sacituzumab tirumotecan sac-TMT to pembrolizumab and chemotherapy can better reduce cancer cells in tumors and lymph nodes and improve the length of time patients live without cancer progression compared to pembrolizumab with chemotherapy alone. Participants in this trial receive one of two treatment plans. One group gets sacituzumab tirumotecan intravenously every two weeks plus pembrolizumab every three weeks for 12 weeks, followed by pembrolizumab with carboplatin and paclitaxel for another 12 weeks. After 3 to 6 weeks, surgery and optional radiation therapy take place, followed by pembrolizumab for about 28 weeks. Participants with remaining disease may receive additional treatments chosen by their doctors, including olaparib, capecitabine, doxorubicin, epirubicin, or cyclophosphamide. The other group receives chemotherapy drugs carboplatin and paclitaxel with pembrolizumab initially, then pembrolizumab with cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin or epirubicin, followed by surgery, optional radiation, and pembrolizumab for about 28 weeks, with similar additional options for residual disease. During the study, participants undergo core needle biopsies, receive intravenous infusions of study drugs, and have surgery and possible radiation therapy. Researchers assess outcomes such as the percentage of participants with no detectable cancer cells at surgery pathological complete response, event-free survival up to about 92 months, and overall survival up to nearly 10 years. Quality of life and side effects are monitored through questionnaires and adverse event tracking. The study lasts several years, with various assessments throughout treatment and follow-up periods to gather comprehensive data on treatment effects and safety.

Researchers are evaluating the safety and effects of marstacimab, a study medicine, for potential treatment of hemophilia in boys and male children aged 1 to 17 years. The trial focuses on those with severe Hemophilia A or moderately severe to severe Hemophilia B, including participants with or without inhibitors. The study aims to compare participants experiences with marstacimab to their historical bleeding episodes without the medicine. All participants will receive weekly subcutaneous injections of marstacimab. The first dose is administered at the study site by staff, and subsequent doses can be given at home or by study staff during the 12-month treatment period. Enrollment opens sequentially by age groups, starting with adolescents 12-17 years, followed by children 6-11 years, and finally children 1-5 years. The study includes about 1 month of screening, 12 months of treatment, and 1 month of follow-up. Participants will visit the study site at least 10 times during the study, with the option for two visits to occur at home if allowed. They will also receive six phone calls approximately every two months. Researchers will monitor bleeding rates, adverse events, injection site reactions, and immune responses. The overall participation lasts about 14 months, including screening, treatment, and follow-up periods.

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.

This research aims to improve how appendicitis, a common emergency surgery condition, is managed worldwide by studying different emergency care systems. Appendicitis requires quick diagnosis and treatment to avoid complications. Using appendicitis as a marker, the study looks at access, quality, and efficiency across hospitals in various countries, including low- and middle-income regions, to find ways to enhance emergency surgical care. The study collects data from about 500 hospitals globally between February and May 2025, focusing on patients undergoing appendicectomy using any surgical method, including open, laparoscopic, or robotic approaches. Hospitals will record information for consecutive patients over 14-day periods. The study includes two sub-studies one on sustainability and waste management in operating rooms and another on the financial impact of surgery on patients, especially in resource-limited settings. Participants will have their care observed through routine health records without extra follow-up visits. Researchers will measure key factors such as time from symptoms to surgical assessment, rates of minimally invasive surgery, complications within 30 days, and hospital stay length. This data will help identify gaps and guide improvements in emergency surgical care worldwide, aiming to make treatment safer, faster, and more affordable.

Researchers are evaluating the efficacy and safety of combining durvalumab and domvanalimab compared to durvalumab plus placebo in adults with locally advanced Stage III, unresectable non-small cell lung cancer NSCLC whose disease has not progressed after definitive platinum-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy cCRT. This Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, international study aims to provide new insights into treatment options for this patient population. Participants will receive either durvalumab and domvanalimab or durvalumab plus placebo as intravenous infusions every four weeks, beginning on Day 1 and continuing for up to 12 months. The study includes two groups one receiving the combination of durvalumab and domvanalimab, and the other receiving durvalumab with a placebo. Both treatments are given through infusion to assess their effects on disease progression and safety. During the trial, participants will undergo regular assessments including monitoring progression-free survival for up to 8 years after randomization. Other measures include overall survival, response rates, duration of response, and various time-to-event outcomes related to disease progression and symptom deterioration. Researchers will also evaluate drug concentrations and immune responses approximately 12 weeks after the last dose. Participants can expect scheduled visits for infusions and evaluations as part of this long-term study.

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 two approaches to deliver brief interventions aimed at people whose Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test AUDIT scores indicate potentially unhealthy alcohol use. This study compares the effectiveness of an electronic brief intervention eBI delivered via an app on a handheld device with a traditional face-to-face brief intervention conducted by trained health educators. The study is designed as a non-inferiority trial to determine if the electronic method is at least as effective as the in-person approach in reducing alcohol consumption and related risky behaviors. Participants will be randomly assigned by week to receive either the electronic brief intervention through an app or the traditional in-person brief intervention. The interventions provide personal feedback on drinking risk levels and guidance to develop realistic plans to reduce alcohol consumption. The study is conducted in hospitals and clinics in Zacatecas, Mexico, and Alexandra Township, South Africa, involving patients who score 8 or higher on the AUDIT and have not been screened in the past six months. Participants will complete an initial alcohol screening and a brief survey including demographic and alcohol use questions. Follow-up surveys will be completed at 3 and 6 months to monitor changes in alcohol consumption patterns. The main outcomes measured include average daily quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption within the last 30 days, along with other related measures such as maximum drinking quantity, frequency of heavy drinking episodes, and total AUDIT scores. Incentives are provided for survey completion, and contact information is collected to facilitate follow-up.