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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06225700

Clinical Validation of Novel Malaria Diagnostic Tools for POC Point-of-Care Testing

The aim of this study is to perform a performance evaluation of novel diagnostic tools for detecting malaria in malaria-endemic countries. At the beginning of 2022, FIND launched a call for innovation with the distinct aim to identify malaria innovations that have the potential to address the technical and operational limitations of current malaria RDTs, particularly in view of the emergence of P. falciparum parasites with hrp2/3 deletions, the need for improved tools to identify all Plasmodium species and/or the need for improved surveillance.

This study will generate valuable data on the performance of these novel non-HRP2-based tests and inform FIND and developers on technical and operational assay optimization requirements for accelerated access of these tools to market.

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Key information

Conditions

Malaria Diagnoses Disease Infections Mosquito-Borne Diseases Parasitic Diseases Protozoan Infections RDT Vector Borne Diseases

Age range

5 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Stansile

Kigali, KG622, Rwanda

About this study

This study aims to support product development efforts towards novel malaria diagnostics not HRP2-based by providing early-stage technology developers with valuable information on performance and basic feasibility data that can help to accelerate development. The WHO now recommends that where pfhrp2/3 gene deletions are reported (within countries or in neighboring countries), representative baseline surveys are to be conducted among suspected cases. If >5% of false negative RDT results are attributed to these deletions, a change in RDT is necessary. Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH), appears as a good alternative to HRP2 as it is an essential protein expressed by all human-infecting Plasmodium species. However, pLDH-based RDTs have shown to perform poorly at low parasitaemia, which is common among patients infected with P. vivax, P. malariae and P. ovale species as well as in asymptomatic infections. Thus, RDTs not based on HRP2 are limited; moreover, WHO prequalified ones that can detect and distinguish between Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are non-existent. The current malaria diagnostic landscape demands more innovation supporting and accelerating the development of new malaria diagnostic tools that that tackle these emerging issues.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Aged 5 years or older
  • Presenting at the study site with symptoms and signs suggestive of malaria
  • Freely agreeing to participate by signing an informed consent form (adults aged 18 and older and parent/legal guardian of a child) and providing assent (children aged 13-17)
  • Willing to provide venous blood sample and other samples such as foot odour.

Exclusion criteria

  • Presence of symptoms and signs of severe disease and/or central nervous system infections, as defined by WHO guidelines

Participants are excluded from the foot odour collection if the following exclusion criteria apply:

  • Skin lesions on the feet
  • Infected skin on the feet
  • Infected toenails

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Performance of nPOC

    Time frame: 3 months

    Point estimates of clinical performance characteristics (sensitivity, specificity, NPV, PPV, and DOR) with 95% confidence intervals of nPOC using nPCR as reference for detecting malaria in patients with symptoms suggestive of malaria.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Performance of LM

    Time frame: 3 months

    Point estimates of clinical performance characteristics with 95% confidence intervals (sensitivity, specificity, NPV, PPV, and DOR) of light microscopy using nPCR as reference for detecting malaria in patients with symptoms suggestive of malaria

  2. Performance of comparator RDT

    Time frame: 3 months

    Point estimates of clinical performance characteristics with 95% confidence intervals (sensitivity, specificity, NPV, PPV, and DOR) of the comparator tests using nPCR as reference for detecting malaria in patients with symptoms suggestive of malaria

  3. Comparison between nPOC [Truenat® Malaria Pv/Pf; Truenat® Malaria Pv/Pf Hi-Sens; Humasis Hs-Malaria P.f/Pan test, Hemozoin Imager] and LM

    Time frame: 3 months

    Comparison between the clinical performance of nPOC and light microscopy

  4. Comparison between Hemozoin Imager and comparator RDT

    Time frame: 3 months

    Comparison between the clinical performance of between the clinical performance of Hemozoin Imager and comparator rapid diagnostic test [SD Bioline Combo/ First Response].

    The percentage difference between the clinical performance characteristics of nPOC and comparator RDT with 95% confidence intervals using Tango's score method.

  5. Comparison of Truenat Pv/Pf and Truenat Pv/Pf High-Sens

    Time frame: 3 months

    Comparison between clinical performance of Truenat® Pv/Pf and Truenat® Pv/Pf Hi-Sens.

    The percentage difference between the clinical performance characteristics of Truenat® Pv/Pf and Truenat® Pv/Pf Hi-Sens with 95% confidence intervals using Tango's score method.

  6. Comparison between Truenat Pv/Pf and Truenat Pv/Pf High-Sens and Realstar

    Time frame: 3 months

    Comparison between the clinical performance of Truenat® Pv/Pf and Truenat® Pv/Pf Hi-Sens with that of RealStar® Malaria Screen & Type PCR Kit 1.0.

    The percentage difference between the clinical performance characteristics of the Truenat® tests (Truenat® Pv/Pf and Truenat® Pv/Pf Hi-Sens) and RealStar® Malaria Screen & Type PCR Kit 1.0 with 95% confidence intervals using Tango's score method.

  7. Foot odour collection

    Time frame: 3 months

    The number of volatile organic compound (foot odour samples) from Plasmodium positive and negative febrile patients that have been collected.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, Switzerland

Other

Collaborators

  • Australian Government

Registry information

Official study title

Clinical Validation of Novel Malaria Diagnostic Tools for Point-of-Care Testing

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2023
First posted
Jan 26, 2024
Registry last updated
Jan 26, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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