Secnidazole Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Secnidazole Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate secnidazole as a single oral microbiologic cure. The modified intent to treat was
dose treatment for bacterial vaginosis in a phase 2 used for efficacy analyses and included all randomized
randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. patients who met the enrollment criteria. Assuming
METHODS: In a phase 2, randomized, double-blind, a clinical cure rate of 40% in the active groups and 15%
dose-ranging, placebo-controlled study, women with in the placebo group, a sample size of 52 patients per
bacterial vaginosis who met all Amsel criteria (discharge; group provided approximately 80% power to detect
pH 4.7 or greater; 20% or greater clue cells; positive whiff a significant difference between groups (.05 level [two-
test) were randomized one to one to one at 24 U.S. sided]) using a Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test.
centers to 1 or 2 g secnidazole compared with placebo. RESULTS: Between May and September 2014, 215 pa-
The primary endpoint was clinical cure (normalization of tients were enrolled. In the intent-to-treat population,
discharge, amine odor, and clue cells) 21–30 days after the clinical cure rate was 65.3% for the 2-g group, 49.3%
treatment. Secondary endpoints included microbiologic for the 1-g group, and 19.4% for the placebo group. The
cure, defined as a Nugent score of 0–3, and therapeutic modified intent-to-treat population included 188 women
cure, defined as meeting criteria for both clinical and (median age 33 years; 32% with four or more bacterial
vaginosis episodes in the previous year; 54% black) with
From the University of Pittsburgh and the Magee-Womens Research Institute, baseline Nugent scores 4 or greater. Clinical, microbio-
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Drexel University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, logic, and therapeutic cure rates were 67.7%, 40.3%, and
Pennsylvania; Downtown Women’s Health Care, Denver, Colorado; the Uni- 40.3% for 2 g secnidazole and 51.6%, 23.4%, and 21.9%
versity of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; Tidewater Clinical
Research, Inc, Virginia Beach, Virginia; and Symbiomix Therapeutics, LLC, and
for 1 g secnidazole compared with 17.7%, 6.5%, and
SAJE Consulting LLC, Baltimore, Maryland. 6.5% for placebo, respectively (P,.05 for secnidazole
Funding for this study was provided to Magee-Womens Research Institute (S.L.H.), compared with placebo; all endpoints). Both doses were
Drexel University (P.N.), Downtown Women’s Health Care (A.S.W.), the well-tolerated.
University of Alabama (J.R.S.), and Tidewater Clinical Research, Inc (F.G.M.)
by Symbiomix Therapeutics, LLC, Baltimore, Maryland. Manuscript editing was CONCLUSION: Oral granules containing 1 and 2 g
also supported by Symbiomix Therapeutics, LLC. secnidazole were superior to placebo in bacterial vagi-
Presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society for nosis treatment (P,.001 for both groups). These data
Obstetrics and Gynecology, August 6–8, 2015, Portland, Oregon. support the development of secnidazole for bacterial
The authors thank Maryn Padula, PhD, of Virtuoso Healthcare Communications vaginosis treatment.
for assistance with manuscript editing.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov,
Each author has indicated that he or she has met the journal’s requirements for NCT02147899.
authorship.
(Obstet Gynecol 2017;0:1–8)
Corresponding author: Sharon L. Hillier, PhD, Magee-Womens Research
DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002135
Institute, 204 Craft Avenue, B511 Pittsburgh, PA 15213; email: shillier@
mail.magee.edu.
T
Financial Disclosure reatments for bacterial vaginosis currently rec-
Dr. Hillier has received compensation as a consultant for Symbiomix
Therapeutics, LLC, Perrigo, Merck, and Cepheid Diagnostics. Drs. Hillier,
ommended by the Centers for Disease Control
Nyirjesy, Waldbaum, Schwebke, and Morgan all received grant support from and Prevention (CDC) include multidose oral and
Symbiomix Therapeutics, LLC, to their respective institutions for participation in vaginal formulations of metronidazole and clindamy-
this study. Ms. Adetoro and Dr. Braun (deceased) were employed by Symbiomix
Therapeutics, LLC, during the conduct of this study. cin.1 Alternative regimens include oral formulations
of tinidazole or clindamycin and intravaginal formu-
© 2017 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Published
by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. lations of clindamycin and metronidazole.2,3 Currently,
ISSN: 0029-7844/17 there are no U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Table 1. Demographics and Baseline Characteristics (Modified Intent-to-Treat Population) Overall and by
Treatment Group
Age (y) 34 (19, 49) 31 (19, 54) 33 (19, 49) 33 (19, 54)
Race
White 18 (28.1) 32 (51.6) 24 (38.7) 74 (39.4)
Black or African American 42 (65.6) 26 (41.9) 34 (54.8) 102 (54.3)
Asian 1 (1.6) 1 (1.6) 2 (3.2) 4 (2.1)
Native American or Alaska Native 1 (1.6) 1 (1.6) 0 2 (1.1)
Other 2 (3.1) 2 (3.2) 2 (3.2) 6 (3.2)
No. of BV episodes in past 12 mo 3 (1, 13) 2 (1, 12) 3 (1, 12) 3 (1, 13)
BV strata: no. of BV episodes in past 12
mo
3 or fewer 44 (68.8) 41 (66.1) 43 (69.4) 128 (68.1)
4 or more 20 (31.3) 21 (33.9) 19 (30.6) 60 (31.9)
Baseline Nugent score 9 (5, 10) 8 (4, 10) 8 (4, 10) 8 (4, 10)
BV, bacterial vaginosis.
Data are median (minimum, maximum) or n (%).
Clinical cure
Primary endpoint* 33 (51.6) 42 (67.7) 11 (17.7)
95% exact binomial CI for responder rate 38.7–64.2 54.7–79.1 9.2–29.5
†
P ,.001 ,.001 —
Microbiologic cure
‡
Secondary endpoint 15 (23.4) 25 (40.3) 4 (6.5)
†
P .007 ,.001 —
Therapeutic cure
§
Secondary endpoint 14 (21.9) 25 (40.3) 4 (6.5)
†
P .011 ,.001 —
Data are n (%) unless otherwise specified.
* Clinical cure was defined as a patient who had all three of the following at days 21–30: normal vaginal discharge, negative potassium
hydroxide whiff test, and clue cells less than 20%.
†
P compared with placebo from a Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test adjusted for bacterial vaginosis strata (fewer than three or more than three
episodes in the past 12 months).
‡
Microbiologic cure was defined as a Nugent score 0–3, based on centralized review, at days 21–30. Missing Nugent scores were classified
as abnormal.
§
Therapeutic cure was defined as both clinical and microbiologic cure.
therapeutic cure, regardless of the number of prior moderate in intensity. No serious adverse events were
episodes of bacterial vaginosis (three or fewer or four reported. No secnidazole dose relationship or differ-
or more in the past 12 months) in the modified intent- ences from placebo were observed in physical exam-
to-treat population. The study was not powered to ination, clinical laboratory, or vital sign parameters.
determine statistical differences in a three-way strati- Furthermore, no notable differences were observed in
fied comparison. However, with respect to the nomi- the mean, median, minimum, or maximum changes
nal a5.05 level of significance, all three outcomes from baseline in any laboratory parameter.
were favorable in the 2-g treatment arm in the sub-
population of patients with four or more episodes DISCUSSION
(P,.001 for all assessments) and for the clinical cure This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of two
assessment for the 1-g treatment arm (P5.023; doses of secnidazole. Both dose levels of secnidazole
Table 3). Analyses of the primary and secondary end- were superior to placebo, although the study was not
points in the per-protocol population (1-g group, powered to detect differences between the two treat-
n555; 2-g group, n547; placebo group, n550), which ment groups. This study had a balanced inclusion of
included patients in the modified intent-to-treat pop- women having recurrent bacterial vaginosis over the
ulation who had no major protocol violations, also three treatment arms. Although cure rates were lower
showed results similar to those in the modified overall among women having recurrent bacterial
intent-to-treat population (clinical cure: 1 g, 52.7%, vaginosis, the 2-g secnidazole treatment was statisti-
P,.001; 2 g, 72.3%, P,.001; placebo, 20%). cally superior to placebo, even among those women
The safety and tolerability of secnidazole admin- having recurrent infections. A strength of the study
istered in the 2- or 1-g granule form was evaluated in was the recruitment of women from across the United
all 215 randomized patients who were treated with States and substantial representation by African
a single dose of the study drug (Table 4). Treatment- American women.
emergent adverse events were reported in 19% (14/ Since this study was conducted, the FDA has
72), 13% (9/71), and 10% (7/72) in the 2-g secnida- issued new draft guidance regarding drug develop-
zole, 1-g secnidazole, and placebo groups, respec- ment for bacterial vaginosis. Interpreting the results of
tively. Infections were the most common events in this study requires an understanding of this context, in
all treatment groups, but were similar in incidence which the FDA recommends the inclusion of a con-
across the three treatment groups (Table 4). Vaginal current placebo arm as part of the design and that
yeast infections were infrequent, occurring in seven clinical cure being defined as the resolution of three
women, five of whom received secnidazole. All clinical signs (discharge, amine odor, clue cells) of
treatment-emergent adverse events were mild or bacterial vaginosis.9 Using this definition, cure rates
Treatment Group
Secnidazole 1 g Secnidazole 2 g Placebo
3 or Fewer BV 4 or More BV 3 or Fewer BV 4 or More BV 3 or Fewer BV 4 or More BV
Episodes Episodes Episodes Episodes Episodes Episodes
Endpoint (n544) (n520) (n541) (n521) (n543) (n519)
Clinical cure
Primary endpoint* 26 (59.1) 7 (35.0) 30 (73.2) 12 (57.1) 10 (23.3) 1 (5.3)
95% exact 43.2–73.7 15.4–59.2 57.1–85.8 34.0–78.2 11.8–38.6 0.1–26.0
binomial CI for
responder rate
†
P ,.001 .023 ,.001 ,.001 — —
Microbiologic cure
Secondary 13 (29.5) 2 (10.0) 18 (43.9) 7 (33.3) 4 (9.3) 0
‡
endpoint
†
P .018 .162 ,.001 .006 — —
Therapeutic cure
Secondary 13 (29.5) 1 (5.0) 18 (43.9) 7 (33.3) 4 (9.3) 0
§
endpoint
†
P .018 .330 ,.001 .006 — —
BV, bacterial vaginosis.
Data are n (% cured) unless otherwise specified.
* Clinical cure was defined as a patient who had normal vaginal discharge, negative potassium hydroxide whiff test, and clue cells less than
20% at days 21–30.
†
P compared with placebo from a Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test adjusted for BV strata (three or fewer or four or more episodes in the past
12 months).
‡
Microbiologic cure at days 21–30 was defined as a Nugent score 0–3, based on centralized review, at days 21–30. Missing Nugent scores
were classified as abnormal.
§
Therapeutic cure was defined as both clinical and microbiologic cure.
for oral 500 mg metronidazole twice daily for 7 days mens and similar or superior to the published data for
have been reported to be 58%5; the 7-day clindamycin single-dose clindamycin2 and metronidazole3 intrava-
cream treatment has provided a similar response.2 In ginal treatments. Treatment with a single dose of oral
a multicenter, placebo-controlled randomized trial of secnidazole yielded similar cure rates when compared
oral tinidazole given at either 2 g daily for 2 days or 1 with 7 days of oral metronidazole in a European
g for 5 days, resolution of bacterial vaginosis as study.5 A consistent trend across studies is the lower
defined by absence of three or more Amsel criteria microbiologic cure rate than the clinical rate, suggest-
was reported in 46% of women who received the 2- ing the presence of microbes persist after resolution of
day regimen and in 64% of those who received the 5- clinical symptoms, and lactobacilli species have not
day regimen.10 yet recovered to levels reflective of a healthy vaginal
Two single-dose intravaginal treatments have environment. An improved understanding of the tip-
been FDA-approved for treatment of bacterial vagi- ping point, the point at which the imbalance of vagi-
nosis. Single-dose clindamycin cream has been re- nal microbiota leads to signs and symptoms of
ported to provide clinical and microbiologic cure for bacterial vaginosis, is warranted to further understand
64% and 57% of women, respectively, although only whether differences in microbiologic cure affect risk
47% of enrolled women were evaluable in this study.2 of recurrence.
A single-dose 1.3% metronidazole gel has a reported Side effects of oral metronidazole include nausea,
clinical cure rate of 37% and a microbiologic cure of a metallic taste, headaches, and gastrointestinal dis-
18% at the 21-day visit.3 In the present study, the tress. In this study, the incidence of adverse events
single-dose oral treatment with secnidazole granules was low, with only 1 of 144 women randomized to
provided a clinical cure rate of 68% and a microbio- secnidazole having nausea and only one woman
logic cure rate of 40%, which appears to be similar to reporting a metallic taste. The low incidence of
the efficacy of the current CDC-recommended regi- adverse events is consistent with clinical experience
with secnidazole as treatment outside the United comparing single-dose 2-g secnidazole oral granules
States where it is approved for treatment of parasitic with an active comparator such as metronidazole
diseases and bacterial vaginosis with a well- may be warranted to better understand how a single-
established safety profile.5–7,11,12 dose treatment may compare with a multidose
The 2015 CDC Sexually Transmitted Disease regimen.
Treatment Guidelines recommends treatment of bac-
terial vaginosis for all women having symptoms.1 REFERENCES
Although the primary objective of treatment is reso- 1. Workowski KA, Bolan GA; Centers for Disease Control and
lution of symptoms, other potential benefits of bacte- Prevention. Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines,
rial vaginosis treatment include reduction in the risk 2015. MMWR Recomm Rep 2015;64:1–137.
for acquiring Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonor- 2. Faro S, Skokos CK; Clindesse Investigators Group. The effi-
cacy and safety of a single dose of Clindesse vaginal cream
rhoeae,13 Trichomonas vaginalis,14 human immunodefi- versus a seven-dose regimen of Cleocin vaginal cream in pa-
ciency virus,15 and herpes simplex type 2.16 Recent tients with bacterial vaginosis. Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol 2005;
studies have evaluated the effect of bacterial vaginosis 13:155–60.
treatment on acquisition of bacterial STIs with mixed 3. Schwebke JR, Marrazzo J, Beelen AP, Sobel JD. A phase 3,
results.17,18 Schwebke18 evaluated home screening for multicenter, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled
study evaluating the safety and efficacy of metronidazole vagi-
bacterial vaginosis to identify and treat asymptomatic nal gel 1.3% in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. Sex Transm
cases to reduce acquisition of chlamydial and gono- Dis 2015;42:376–81.
coccal infections, but found no difference in incident 4. Videau D, Niel G, Siboulet A, Catalan F. Secnidazole. A 5-
STIs. Results from a study of periodic presumptive nitroimidazole derivative with a long half-life. Br J Vener Dis
1978;54:77–80.
treatment of bacterial vaginosis and yeast vaginitis
5. Bohbot JM, Vicaut E, Fagnen D, Brauman M. Treatment of
demonstrated a reduced incidence of C trachomatis, bacterial vaginosis: a multicenter, double-blind, double-
N gonorrhoeae, and Mycoplasma genitalium.17 Additional dummy, randomised phase III study comparing secnidazole
research is needed to confirm the benefits of periodic and metronidazole. Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol 2010 [epub
ahead of print].
treatment of bacterial vaginosis as a strategy to reduce
6. Donders G. Diagnosis and management of bacterial vaginosis
incident STIs.
and other types of abnormal vaginal bacterial flora: a review.
Results from this study support the further Obstet Gynecol Surv 2010;65:462–73.
development of secnidazole for the treatment of 7. Núñez JT, Gómez G. Low-dose secnidazole in the treatment of
women with bacterial vaginosis. Additional studies bacterial vaginosis. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2005;88:281–5.