Johns Hopkins University has partnered with several different entities within Thailand including Thailand’s Chiang Mai University of Public Health’s Research Institute for Health Sciences [RIHES] and its Faculty of Medicine, HIV Network for Prevention Trials participating medical centers in Thailand and the Northern Drug Dependence Treatment Center to form the Prevention Trial Network (PTN) Unit for Thailand. This PTN Unit conducts state-of-the-art preventative interventions to slow the acquisition and transmission of HIV infection in Southeast Asia. Three phase III HIV prevention trials are currently being conducted in multi-site or single-site investigations. They include:
(1) HPTN 037, a Phase III behavioral study of the efficacy of a social network intervention in preventing HIV infection among IDUs, began in March 2004 and has recruited over 500 participants from an overall target of 760.
(2) HPTN 043, a Phase III study of the effectiveness of community mobilization, mobile voluntary HIV counseling and testing, and post-test support services as compared to fixed clinic based VCT. Over 75,000 participants from 14 communities in northern Thailand have enrolled. HIV incidence will be used to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention which is also being assessed by collaborating sites in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Baseline assessments were completed in August 2005, and the intervention, which will last for two and a half years, began in January 2006.
(3) HPTN 052 is a Phase III IND clinical trial of the efficacy of highly active antiretroviral therapy in reducing sexual transmission of HIV among HIV discordant couples. Target enrollment for this third study, which began in June 2005 is 243 couples.
Dr. David Celentano of Johns Hopkins University and Dr. Thira Sirisanthana from Chiang Mai University are Principal Investigators of the Thailand HPTU. The Thailand HPTU which is supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease is currently funded through the end of this year.