Balan HOPE

HOPE MTN-025: A Phase 3B Open-Label Follow-on Trial to Assess the Continued Safety of and Adherence to a Vaginal Ring Containing Dapivirine in Women

Principal Investigator: 

Co-Investigator(s):

Nyaradzo Mgodi, MBChB, MMed  
Thesla Palanee-Phillips, PhD  
Bonus Makanani, MBBS, FCOB(SA)  
Gonasagrie Nair, MBChB  
Danielle Crida, MBChB  
Francis Martinson, MBChB, PhD  
Logashvari Naidoo, MBChB  
Nishanta Singh  
Anamika Premrajh   
Brenda Gati, MBChB, Msc  
Felix Muhlanga, MBChB, MMed

Funding Agency:

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Collaborating Institution: 

Microbicide Trials Network  
University of Zimbabwe  
University of California at San Francisco   
Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda  
Johns Hopkins University  
Medical Research Council-HIV Prevention Research Unit, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa  
UNV Project, Tidziwe Centre, Kamazu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi  
Emavundleni Research Centre, Cape Town, South Africa  
eThekwini Clinical Research Site, Durban, South Africa  
Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute

Study Location:

Durban, South Africa  
Johannesburg, South Africa  
Cape Town, South Africa  
Kampala, Uganda  
Harare, Zimbabwe  
Lilongwe, Malawi (2 study sites)

Description:

The HOPE open-label extension study follows MTN-020 (ASPIRE), which showed that the dapivirine vaginal ring is safe and prevents HIV infection. ASPIRE study participants are offered enrollment in the HOPE study, which is designed to learn more about the ring's safety and its use by women. Participating women can choose to receive a vaginal ring with the dapivirine to use for four weeks. They return monthly for the first three months and can receive a new study ring at each visit. Starting at month 3, they are given 3 rings at each visit and have visits every three months, returning at months 6, 9 and 12, with instructions to use a new ring every four weeks.

The purpose of the client-centered counseling intervention is to explore participants' use of the vaginal ring, the reasons they decide to use (or not use) the ring, and factors that help them use it or keep them from using it. In order to accomplish this goal, the team trained counselors at the study sites to deliver the counseling sessions and is responsible for quality control monitoring of the counseling intervention.