title: A multicenter phase I/II dose escalation study of single-dose cidofovir gel for treatment of recurrent genital herpes.
abstract: A randomized, double-blind, clinic-initiated, sequential dose-escalation pilot study was performed to compare the safety and efficacy of single applications of 1, 3, and 5% cidofovir gel with placebo in the treatment of early, lesional, recurrent genital herpes at five Canadian outpatient sites. Ninety-six patients began treatment within 12 h of lesion appearance and were evaluated twice daily until healing of the lesion occurred. Cidofovir gel at all strengths significantly decreased the median time to negative virus culture in a dose-dependent fashion (3.0 days in the placebo group versus 2.2, 1.3, and 1.1 days in the 1, 3, and 5% cidofovir gel treatment groups, respectively; P = 0.02, 0.0001, and 0.0003, respectively). A trend toward a reduction in the median time to complete healing in association with treatment was present, but the differences were not statistically significant (5.0 days in the placebo group versus 4.3, 4.1, and 4.6 days in the 1, 3, and 5% cidofovir gel treatment groups, respectively). Application site reactions occurred in 3, 5, 19, and 22% of the patients in these four groups, respectively. Treatment-associated lesion recrudescence with delayed healing, which is suggestive of local toxicity, was observed in three patients treated with 5% cidofovir gel and one patient treated with 3% cidofovir gel. In summary, single-dose application of cidofovir gel confers a significant antiviral effect on lesions of recurrent genital herpes. Additional studies are warranted to further identify the optimal efficacious dose of cidofovir in association with the maximum gel strength that can be tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Viridae Clinical Sciences, Inc., and Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. sacks@viridae.com
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Sacks
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Shafran
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Diaz-Mitoma
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trottier
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Sibbald
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Safrin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rudy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jaffe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077404:Cidofovir; D003596:Cytosine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063065:Organophosphonates; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D005782:Gels; D063065:Organophosphonates; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D003596:Cytosine; D000077404:Cidofovir