Pivotal Study of Fexinidazole for Human African Trypanosomiasis in Stage 2

Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a life-threatening and neglected disease.

Few treatment options are currently available for stage 2 (meningo-encephalitic stage) HAT, with NECT being the most commonly used one since 2010. Though NECT represents a significant improvement over current therapies, it is still far from ideal given the environment in which HAT patients live (remote, poor areas with little health infrastructure, if any, and difficult logistics). There is an urgent need for less toxic and more easily manageable compounds to treat this fatal disease.

Fexinidazole is a 2-5-nitroimidazole, formulated for oral administration, which has been shown to possess in vitro and in vivo activity against both T. b. rhodesiense and T. b. gambiense parasites.

Predicted CSF concentrations reached target levels after repeated dosing. Its efficacy and safety must now be tested in patients with stage 2 HAT.

Inclusion criteria

• 15 years old or more
• Male or female
• Able to ingest at least one complete meal per day (or at least one Plumpy'Nut® sachet)
• Karnofsky index>50 (see Appendix 2 - Karnofsky Scale; p81)
• Parasitologically confirmed late-stage African trypanosomiasis infection with T. b. gambiense in the blood and/or lymph and/or CSF, attested by mobile team report (with detail of exams performed and values of WBC measured in CSF) or done at the study centre. If parasitologically negative in CSF, WBC >20/µl detected in the CSF to document stage 2 infection.
• Having a permanent address and able to comply with follow-up visit schedule
• Signed Informed Consent Form

Exclusion criteria

• Severely malnourished patients, defined as having a BMI < 16.
• Patients unable to take oral medication.*
• Pregnancy or lactation
• Active clinically relevant medical conditions that, in the Investigator's opinion, may jeopardize subject safety or interfere with participation in the study, including but not limited to significant liver or cardiovascular disease, active documented or suspected infection, CNS trauma or seizure disorders, coma or altered consciousness.
• Severely deteriorated general condition, such as cardiovascular shock, respiratory distress, or terminal illness.
• Any condition which compromises ability to communicate with the Investigator as required for the completion of this study.
• Any contraindication to imidazole products (known hypersensitivity to imidazoles) and NECT (known hypersensitivity to eflornithine).
• Patients previously treated for HAT.
• Patients previously enrolled in the study.
• Follow-up expectable difficulties (migrants, refugees, traders, etc.).
• History of alcohol abuse or any drug addiction.
• Clinically significant abnormal laboratory value
• Pregnancy
• Unstable ECG abnormalities
• QTcF≥ 450 msec in resting position (confirmed by 2 measurement).
• Patients not tested for malaria and/or treated adequately for this infection
• Patients not treated adequately for soil transmitted helminthic diseases