Clinical Trial: A Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Double-blind Pilot Study of Single-dose Humanized Anti-IL5 Antibody (Reslizumab) for the Reduction of Eosinophilia Following Diethylcarbamazine Treatment of Loa Loa Infection

Study Status: Active, not recruiting
Recruit Status: Active, not recruiting
Study Type: Interventional



Official Title: A Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study of Single-Dose Humanized Anti-IL5 Antibody (Reslizumab) for the Reduction of Eosinophilia Following Diethylcarba

Brief Summary:

Background:

  • Loa loa is a parasitic worm that infects people in West and Central Africa and is spread by the bite of a deerfly. Adult worms (macrofilariae) live under the skin and cause symptoms such as swellings, itching, and hives. Smaller worms (microfilariae) are found in the bloodstream. Diethylcarbamazine (DEC), the recommended medication for Loa loa infection, can produce very serious side effects, especially in people with high numbers of parasites in the blood. Researchers are investigating new treatments for Loa loa that have fewer or less serious side effects.
  • DEC is the standard treatment for Loa loa infection, but it can cause mild side effects in persons with low numbers of parasites in their blood, including itchiness, muscle or joint pains, or swelling of the face or limbs. Currently, there is no way to effectively prevent these side effects.
  • Researchers believe that a certain kind of blood cells called eosinophils, which increase in the blood after DEC treatment, may be one of the causes of the side effects seen with DEC treatment. Reslizumab is a drug that helps prevent the increase of eosinophils in the blood. Giving reslizumab before DEC treatment might prevent the eosinophils from increasing and thereby might reduce some of the side effects from DEC.

Objectives:

  • To determine whether reslizumab can prevent or reduce the side effects of treatment with DEC for Loa loa infestation.
  • To evaluate the effect of reslizumab as part of the treatment for Loa loa infestation.

Eligibility: