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AIDS Clinical Trials Group Pharmacology Specialty Laboratory

Bioanalytical Method Development, Validation, and Operations

 The Pharmacotherapy Research Center’s Core Analytical Laboratory ( PRC CAL) is one of four national pharmacology specialty laboratories (PSL) responsible for specialty laboratoryassignmentsfor pharmacologic assays for the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG).

The ACTG is the largest HIV clinical trials organization in the world. The network plays a major role in setting standards of care for HIV infection and opportunistic diseases related to HIV/AIDS in the United States and the developed world. The ACTG is composed of, and directed by, leading clinical scientists in HIV/AIDS therapeutic research. Dr. Gene Morse, the director of the PRC CAL and the principal investigator for this laboratory award, participates in the development, implementation, management and analysis of outcomes for protocols conducted by the ACTG via participation in the ACTG’s committees and protocols teams. Other PRC CAL members, Dr. Robert DiCenzo, Ms Katherine (Kelly) Tooley and Ms. Robin DiFrancesco also participate in the ACTG committees and protocols as members.

In addition the PRC CAL is the organizing laboratory for the Pharmacology Quality Assurance (PQA) program that oversees the quality of pharmacology activities for both the ACTG and International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) networks.

The ACTG is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

 Laboratory Publications of Methods:

 FrerichsVA, DiFrancesco R, Morse GD. Determination of Protease Inhibitors Using Liquid Chromatography Coupled To Tandem Mass Spectrometry, J. Chrom. B, 787, 2003, 393-403.

 Keil K, FrerichsVA, DiFrancesco R, Morse GD. Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography Method For the Analysis of Amprenavir, Efavirenz, Indinavir, Lopinavir, Nelfinavir and Its Active Metabolite, M8, Ritonavir, and Saquinavir in Heparinized Human Plasma. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, 25, 2003, 340-346.

 K Keil, R DiFrancesco, GD Morse. Determination of Tipranavir In Human Plasma by Reverse Phase Liquid Chromatography with UV Detection using Photodiode Array. Ther Drug Monitoring 2006 Aug 28(4);512-6

K Keil, J Hochreiter, R DiFrancesco, (others) GD Morse. Integration of Atazanavir into an Existing Liquid Chromatography UV Method of Protease Inhibitors: Validation and Application. Ther Drug Monit 2007.

 

 

PRC CAL Specialty laboratory assignments for pharmacologic assays

 CURRENT:

A5202: EFV or ATV with RTV combined with FTC/TDF or ABC/3TC in Naive Subjects

The following was taken from http://www.aactg.org/clinicaltrials_research.asp#study-A5202

“To learn whether the medication combinations work equally well in patients who have never taken HIV medications before. It will also look at how easy the medications are to take and their side effects….

Efavirenz (Sustiva), atazanavir (Reyataz), ritonavir (Norvir), FTC/tenofovir (Truvada combination pill), and abacavir/3TC (Epzicom combination pill) will be provided by the study……

Each patient will go into one of four groups taking a different set of HIV medications. Patients will know if they are taking efavirenz or atazanavir with ritonavir. They will not know whether they are taking abacavir/lamivudine or emtricitabine/tenofovir. Each medication will be taken once daily.

Initial Treatment:

Group A: efavirenz + FTC (emtricitabine)/tenofovir + abacavir/3TC (lamivudine) placebo

Group B: efavirenz + abacavir/3TC + FTC/tenofovir placebo

Group C: atazanavir with ritonavir + FTC/tenofovir + abacavir/3TC placebo

Group D: atazanavir with ritonavir + abacavir/3TC + FTC/tenofovir placebo

Duration of Study: About 2 years after the last person starts the study…..

Participating Sites (find contact information)

* University of Alabama at Birmingham

* University of Miami

* University of Texas, Galveston

* Indiana University Hospital

* Wishard Memorial

* St. Mary's Hospital

* San Mateo County AIDS Program

* Willow Clinic

* Stanford University Medical School

* University of Pennsylvania

* Presbyterian Medical Center

* Boston Medical Center

* The Ohio State University

* University of Rochester Medical Center

* Community Health Network, Inc.

* Hawaii ACTU

* Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

* University of Pittsburgh

* Washington University ( St. Louis)

* Cook County Bureau of Health Services

* Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

* Duke University Medical Center

* SUNY-Buffalo

* Bellevue Hospital (NYU)

* University of North Carolina

* Moses H. Cone Hospital-IMPT

* Wake County Human Services

* Georgetown University Medical Center

* MetroHealth Medical Center

* University of Nebraska

* University of Southern California

* University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinic

* University of California

* Emory University

* Case Western/University Hospitals of Cleveland

* Harvard ( Massachusetts General Hospital)

* Hennepin County Medical Center

* University of Washington

* University of Washington General Clinical Research

* University of Washington Primary Infection Clinic

* Brigham and Women's Hospital

* Cornell Clinical Trials Unit

* Cornell Clinical Trials Unit- Chelsea

* Rush-Presbyterian/St.Lukes

* Columbia Presbyterian Center of New York Presbyterian Hospital

* UCLA Care Center

* San Francisco General Hospital

* University of California, San Diego

* Comprehensive Care Center

* Harbor/ UCLA

* Johns Hopkins University

* University of Minnesota

* University of Cincinnati

* University of Puerto Rico

* The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

* The Miriam Hospital

* Rhode Island Hospital

* Stanley Street Treatment and Resource (SSTAR)

* Beth Israel Medical Center

* University of Colorado Health Science Center

* Northwestern University”

The UB PRCCAL assignment:

  • Receipt and storage of up to 25,000 plasma samples for the determination of antiretroviral concentrations as specified by the treatments above
  • Assay of the samples and organization and/or shipment to other PSLs for the same
  • Report final concentrations of drugs via network computer database
  • Respond to study queries
  • Maintain CLIA quality operations
  • Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analyses of outcomes

A5175: Once-Daily PI + Non-NRTI Regimens for Initial Treatment in Resource-Limited Settings

The following was taken from http://www.aactg.org/clinicaltrials_research.asp#study-A5175

“This study will learn if two different once-daily combinations of anti-HIV drugs work as well as the standard twice-a-day combination of anti-HIV drugs for the initial treatment of individuals infected with HIV-1 who are from diverse areas of the world….

The study drugs are 3TC/ZDV, FTC, TDF, EFV, ATV, ddI-EC, NVP, ZDV, and d4T. Study drugs will be provided to participants while they are on study. However, only participants at international site will be provided 3TC/ZDV and ZDV…….

Initial Treatment:

All participants have an equal chance of getting into ONE of the following treatment groups:
Group A: Combivir (3TC/ZDV) twice daily + efavirenz (EFV) once daily.
Group B: Emtriva (FTC) once daily + zidovudine (ZDV) once daily + didanosine EC (ddI-EC) once daily.
Group C: Emtriva (FTC) once daily + tenofovir (TDF) once daily + efavirenz (EFV) once daily

The study also provides alternative drugs if participants have trouble taking one of the medications and additional treatment if treatment no longer helps decrease the viral load (amount of virus in the blood). All participants will be followed for at least 2.5 years after the first person starts the study……….

Participating Sites

* Lilongwe Central Hospital Campus, Lilongwe

* University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

* University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban

* Asociacion Civil IMPACTA Salud y Educacion, Mirafl

* Asociacion Civil IMPACTA Salud y Education, Lince

* Les Centres GHESKIO, Port-au-Prince Haiti

* Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai

* National AIDS Research Institute, Pune

* YRG Centre for AIDS Research and Education, Chennai

* University of Zimbabwe, Harare

* University of Malawi, Blantyre

* Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro

* Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceicao, Porto Alegre

* University of Colorado Health Science Center

* Cornell Clinical Trials Unit- Chelsea

* Comprehensive Care Center

* Harbor/ UCLA

* Marin County Department of Health

* University of North Carolina

* Moses H. Cone Hospital-IMPT

* The Miriam Hospital

* Rhode Island Hospital

* Stanley Street Treatment and Resource (SSTAR)

* UCLA Care Center

* Wake County Human Services

* Columbia Presbyterian Center of New York Presbyterian Hospital

* Washington University ( St. Louis)

* Duke University Medical Center

* University of Rochester Medical Center

* Community Health Network, Inc.

* University of Texas, Galveston

* University of Pennsylvania

* Presbyterian Medical Center

* Hawaii ACTU

* University of Alabama at Birmingham

* University of California

* The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

* The Ohio State University

* Bellevue Hospital (NYU)

* University of Minnesota

* Rush-Presbyterian/St.Lukes

* Beth Israel Medical Center

* Cook County Bureau of Health Services

* University of Cincinnati

* Northwestern University

* University of Maryland, Institute of Human Virology

* San Mateo County AIDS Program

* Willow Clinic

* Stanford University Medical School

* Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

* University of Southern California

* San Francisco General Hospital

* University of Puerto Rico”

 

The UB PRCCAL assignment:

  • Assist team with plan for sample shipments and PSL assignments for testing
  • Receipt and storage of samples at PRCCAL
  • Assay of the plasma samples for drug concentrations
  • Report final concentrations of drugs via network computer database
  • Respond to study queries
  • Maintain CLIA quality operations

ACTG5146: A PHASE II RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF THERAPEUTIC DRUG MONITORING (TDM) ON VIROLOGIC RESPONSE TO A SALVAGE REGIMEN IN SUBJECTS WITH A NORMALIZED INHIBITORY QUOTIENT (NIQ) ≤ 1 TO ONE OR MORE PROTEASE INHIBITORS

ACTG5146 will compare the effectiveness of using increased doses of protease inhibitor (PI) drugs to continuing standard doses of PIs in lowering viral load (amount of HIV in the blood) in patients who have failed previous drug regimens that included at least one protease inhibitor. The dose increases of the PI drugs will be based upon Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) and viral phenotype, which involves measuring blood levels of PIs and the virtual phenotype.

All ACTG clinical sites were registered to participated in this study.

The UB PRCCAL assignment:

  • Participate on weekly conference calls and provide laboratory reports of ongoing issue such as sample shipments, sample quality, site protocol conduct issues, reporting issues, etc.
  • Respond to daily e-mail and phone calls from sites and team members.
  • Receive weekly projections reports from data management center to determine incoming patient samples to be assayed and follow-up with clinical sites when samples are 10 days (or more) overdue.
  • Enter all sample data for pharmacology samples into specialty database from several protocol forms in REAL-TIME to generate reports
  • Receive and test all samples within 7 days of sample draw date and report results to team
  • Report final concentrations of drugs via network computer database
  • Maintain CLIA and NYS DOH quality operations
  • Respond to study queries

ACTG384: Study of Protease Inhibitor and/or Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor with Dual Nucleosides in Initial Therapy of HIV Infection

This study was designed to look at which combinations of anti-HIV drugs are the safest and most effective way to treat HIV infection over a long period of time. It accrued over 900 patients.

This study was done to learn how well different combinations of drugs can decrease the amount of HIV in the blood (viral load) to less than 200 copies of virus in a milliliter of blood (which is the lowest reliable level that can now be measured in the laboratory) and how well each combination maintains the low level of virus. In addition, the order in which the drugs are received when one regimen fails, was built into the study design allowing a patient to be given drug therapy and remain in the study. Lastly, it considers whether a 3 or 4 drug combination is best.

This study used zidovudine, lamivudine, stavudine, didanosine, nelfinavir, and efavirenz, indinavir, amprenavir, and hydroxyurea in various combinations.

The UB PRCCAL assignment:

  • Develop and validate a method to simultaneously measure intracellular drug concentrations of phosphated forms of the nucleosides, zidovudine, lamivudine, didanosine (ddA) and stavudine
  • Test patient intracellular samples for drug content
  • Report results via network computer database
  • Respond to study queries

PAST:

ACTG 5043 – Pharmacokinetic Interaction Studies of Amprenavir, Efavirenz, and a Second Protease Inhibitor in Seronegative Volunteers

Morse GD, Rosenkranz S, Para MF, Segal Y, DiFrancesco R, Adams E, Brizz B, Yarasheski KE, Reichman RC, and the 5043 Protocol Team. Amprenavir and Efavirenz Pharmacokinetics before and after the Addition of Nelfinavir, Indinavir, Ritonavir, or Saquinavir. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2005; 49(8):3373-81.

Okusanya O, Forrest A, Difrancesco R, Balic S, Rosenkranz S, Para MF, Adams E, Yarasheski KE, Reichman RC, Morse GD. Compartmental Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Oral Amprenavir with Secondary Peaks. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2007 Feb 5.

Rosenkranz SL, Yarasheski KE, Para MF, Reichman RC, Morse GD and the ACTG A5043 Team. Lipid and lipoprotein changes during short-term protease inhibitor and efavirenz exposure in HIV-seronegative subjects. Metabolic Syndrome 2007 (In press).

Laboratory Analyses:

By LCMSMS – Amprenavir, Efavirenz, Nelfinavir and its active metabolite, Saquinavir, Ritonavir, Indinavir

PK Analyses

ACTG 5076 - HIV-1 Resistance Testing During Antiretroviral Failure: Comparison of Sequencing Versus Phenotyping

 Laboratory Analyses: by HPLC – amprenavir, indinavir, nelfinavir and its active metabolite, ritonavir, saquinavir, efavirenz, nevirapine, abacavir

 ACTG 398 - A Phase II, Rand Trial of APV as Pt of Dual PI Regimens (Placebo Controlled) in Comb w/ ABC, EFV & ADV vs. APV Alone in HIV Infected Subjects w/Prior Expo. to Approved PIs and Loss of Virologic Supp. as Reflected By A Plasma HIV-1 RNA of >= 1000 copies/ml

 Laboratory Analyses: by HPLC efavirenz

 ACTG384: Study of Protease Inhibitor and/or Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor with Dual Nucleosides in Initial Therapy of HIV Infection

Shafer RW, Smeaton LM, Robbins GK, DeGrutolla V, Synder SW, D’Aquila RT, Johnson VA, Morse GD, Nokta MA, Martiznez A, Kaul P, Haubrich R, Swingle M, McCarty D, Vella S, Hirsch MS, Merigan TC. Strategies for Initial Antiretroviral Treatment of HIV-1 Infection: Comparison of Four-Drug Versus Sequential Three-Drug Regimens. N Engl J Med. 2003;349: 2304-15

Smith PF, Robbins GK, Shafer RW, Wu H, Yu S, Hirsch MS, Merigan TC, Park JG, Forrest A, Fischl MA, Morse GD; ACTG 384-5006 Team. Pharmacokinetics of nelfinavir and efavirenz in antiretroviral-naive, human immunodeficiency virus-infected subjects when administered alone or in combination with nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2005 Aug;49(8):3558-61.

 Laboratory Analyses: by HPLC efavirenz, nelfinavir and its active metabolite

PK analyses

 ACTG 372A - A Phase II Study of the Prolongation of Virologic Success & Options for Vir. Failure in HIV-Infected Subj. Receiving IDV in Comb. with Nucleoside Analogs: A Rollover Study to ACTG 320

IAS 2005 Presentation: The Renal Safety of Long-Term Indinavir (IDV) Therapy in Subjects in ACTG 372A.

Gerber J.G., Bassett R., Morse G.D., DiFrancesco R, Hammer S.M. for ACTG 372A team.

Hammer SM, Bassett R, Squires KE, Fischl MA, Demeter LM, Currier JS, Mellors JW, Morse GD, Eron JJ, Santana JL, DeGruttola V for the ACTG 372B/D Study Team. A Randomized Trial of Nelfinavir and Abacavir in Combination with Efavirenz and Adefovir Dipivoxil in HIV-1 Infected Persons with Virologic Failure Receiving Indinavir. Antivir Ther. 2003;8 (6):507-18.

 Laboratory Analyses:

By LCMSMS –Indinavir trough and peak concentrations

 ACTG 368 - Phase I/II Randomized, Double Blind, Dose Escalation Study of the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy of Subcutaneous Bay 50-4798 (IL-2 Selective Agonist [IL-2 SA]) administration in patients with HIV infection on HAART compared to Patient

 DiCenzo R, Forrest A, Squires KE, Hammer SM, Fischl MA, Wu H, Cha R, Morse GD and the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group Protocol 368/886 Study Team. Indinavir, Efavirenz and Abacavir Pharmacokinetics in HIV-Infected Subjects. Antimicrob Agent Chemother 2003; 47; 1929-1935.

  

Laboratory Analyses: by HPLC indinavir, efavirenz

PK Analyses

 ACTG 260 - Randomized, Phase I/II Dose Ranging, Open Label Trial of the Anti-HIV Activity of Delavirdine Mesylate (U-90,152S)

 Smith PF, DiCenzo R, Forrest A, DiFrancesco R, Para M, Friedland G, Fischl M, Pollard R, Morse GD and the ACTG 260 and 261 Protocol Teams. Population Pharmacokinetics of Delavirdine and N-Delavirdine in HIV Infection Clin Pharmacokin 2005;44(1):99-109.

Para Mf, Meehan P, Holden-Wiltse J, Fischl M, Morse G, Shafer R, Demeter LM, Wood K, Nevin T, Virani-Ketter N, Freimuth WW. A randomized, phase I-II, dose-ranging trial of the anti-human immunodeficiency virus activity of delavirdine monotherapy. The ACTG 260 Team. Antimicrob Agent Chemother 1999; 43:1373-1378.

Laboratory Analyses: delavirdine and N—delavirdine, REAL-TIME reporting

PK Analyses

 ACTG 261 – A Phase II Double-Blind Study Of Delavirdine Mesylate (DLV) In Combination With Zidovudine (ZDV) And/Or Didanosine (DDI) Versus ZDV And DDI Combination Therapy

 PF Smith, R DiCenzo, A Forrest, MJ Shelton, G Friedland, M Para, R Pollard, M Fischl, R DiFrancesco, GD Morse. Population Pharmacokinetics of Delavirdine and N-Delavirdine in HIV-Infected Individuals. Clinical Pharmacokinetics 2005;44 ;99 -109

Laboratory Analyses: delavirdine and N—delavirdine, REAL-TIME reporting

PK Analyses

ACTG 388 - A Phase III, Randomized, Controlled Trial of Efavirenz (EFV) or Nelfinavir (NFV) in Combination with Fixed-Dose Combination Lamivudine/Zidovudine (3TC/ZDV) and Indinavir (IDV) in HIV-Infected Subjects with <=200 CD4 Cells/MM3 or >= 80,000 HIV RNA Copies/mL

Friedland GH, Pollard R, Griffith B, Hughes M, Morse G, Bassett R, Freimuth W, Demeter L, Connick E, Nevin T, Hirsch M, Fischl M, for the ACTG 261 Team. The efficacy and safety of delavirdine mesylate in combination with zidovudine and didanosine in the treatment of HIV disease (ACTG 261). JAIDS 1999;21:281-292.

DiCenzo R, Forrest A, Fischl, MA, Collier A, Feinberg J, Ribaudo H, DiFrancecso R, Morse GD, Pharm.D and the ACTG 388/733/5060 Study Team. Pharmacokinetics of Indinavir and Nelfinavir in Treatment-Naïve, HIV-Infected Subjects. Antimicrobial Agent Chemother 2004 48(3), 918-923.

PK Analyses

OTHER ACTG PUBLICATIONS

 Haas DW, Smeaton LM, Shafer RW, Robbins GK, Morse GD, Labbe L, Wilkinson GR, Clifford DB, D'Aquila RT, De Gruttola V, Pollard RB, Merigan TC, Hirsch MS, George AL Jr, Donahue JP, Kim RB Pharmacogenetics of long-term responses to antiretroviral regimens containing Efavirenz and/or Nelfinavir: an Adult Aids Clinical Trials Group Study. J Infect Dis. 2005 Dec 1;192(11):1931-42.

Motsinger AA, Ritchie MD, Shafer RW, Robbins GK, Morse GD, Labbe L, Wilkinson GR, Clifford DB, D'Aquila RT, Johnson VA, Pollard RB, Merigan TC, Hirsch MS, Donahue JP, Kim RB, Haas DW. Multilocus genetic interactions and response to efavirenz-containing regimens: an adult AIDS clinical trials group study.

Pharmacogenet Genomics. 2006 Nov;16(11):837-45.

 Fischl MA, Ribaudo HJ, Collier AC, Erice A, Marina G, Dehlinger M, Eron JJ, Saag MS, Hammer SM, Vella S, Morse GD Feinberg JE for the AIDS Clinical Trials Group 388 Study Team. A Randomized Trial Comparing Two Different Four-Drug Antiretroviral Regimens with a Three-Drug Regimen in Persons with Advanced HIV Disease. J. Infect Dis. 2003;188 (5):625-34.

Pharmacology and Laboratory Technology Protocol Contributions

 Gene D. Morse

January 2004-present Investigator, ACTG 5213

Mar 2006 –present Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 5236

Jul 2001 –Jan 2003 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 5149

Jul 2001 -present Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 5146

Jul 2001 – Jan 2003 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 5135

Jan 2000 – Dec 2001 Chair, Adult ACTG Pharmacology Committee

Mar 1999 - present Protocol Chair, ACTG Protocol 5043

Nov 1997 –Jan 2006 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 388

Oct 1997 -present Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 384

Mar 1997 –Jan 2006 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 372

Mar 1997 –Dec 1999 Vice Chair, ACTG Adult Pharmacology Committee

Mar 1997 –Jan 2002 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 368

Mar 1997 –Jan 2002 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 868

Mar 1997 –Jan 2002 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 370

Jan 1997 –Dec 2004 Member, ACTG HIV Research Agenda Committee

Sept 1993 - Jan 1999 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 260

June 1993 - Jan 1999 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 261

Nov 1991 - Jan 1999 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 187

Nov 1991 - Jan 1999 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 199

Sept 1991 - Dec 1992 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 143

Mar 1988 - Mar 1992 Member, ACTG, NIAID, Pharmacology Committee

Oct 1991 - Mar 1992 Member, ACTG, NIAID, Opportunistic Infectious Committee

Sept 1991- Mar 1992 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 135

Jan 1991 - Mar 1992 Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 156

Robert DiCenzo

Jul 2001 -present Protocol Pharmacologist, ACTG Protocol 5146

Kelly Tooley

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5164

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5168s

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG5177

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5188

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5223

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5236

Robin DiFrancesco

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5043

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5108

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5126

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5135

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5146

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5191

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5200

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5208

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5213

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5217

Laboratory Technologist, ACTG 5230

Laboratory Technologist, IMPAACT 1021

Laboratory Technologist, IMPAACT 1058

 

Pharmacology Quality Assurance (PQA) program

 Mission of PQA

 The goal of the ACTG Pharmacology Quality Assurance (QA) Program is to provide mechanisms that assure, in a timely manner, the validity and integrity of the data produced in pharmacology-related AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) research trials. In 2000, a new Quality Assurance Program for ACTG Pharmacology Studies was strategized by Dr. Gene Morse and began implementation. By identifying the common problems and errors occurring within prior clinical trial studies and utilizing the quality procedures inherent within Good Clinical Practice Regulations (GCP), Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) Regulations and the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA), specific program components were designed. The latter regulation, CLIA, is required for ACTG Pharmacology Support Laboratories (PSL) generating laboratory results directly impacting patient care. New pharmacology quality assurance practices were implemented throughout the conduct of ACTG clinical trials.

Program Components

 There are six main components to the program:

[1] GCRC certification (PK tutorial program which certifies sites for PK studies)
[2] Assessing Site Implementation of Pharmacology Studies (“ASIPS”) – Statistical Data Analysis Center (SDAC) program which utilizes protocol pharmacology case report forms to check for accurate protocol study conduct and error rates in PK data collection and sampling.
[3] Proficiency Testing for analytes and CLIA certification of PSLs
[4] Development, Implementation and Maintenance of Pharmacology Support Laboratory (PSL) Quality Assurance Standards (updating with CLIA and FDA changes)
[5] Peer Review of Assay Validation Reports and Method Standard Operating Procedures (Process by which new methods are certified since all methods are specific to PSL equipment and reagents are prepared from raw chemicals in-house)

[6] Development, Implementation and Maintenance of Quality Assessments for specimens (LDMS reports such as patient sample projections, dose interval reports, inventories, TDM report modules, etc)

 PQA Publications:

D. Holland, R. DiFrancesco, Judith Stone, F. Hamzeh, James D. Connor and GD Morse Quality Assurance Program for Clinical Measurement of Antiretrovirals: AACTG Proficiency Testing Program for Pharmacology Laboratories. Antimicrobial Agent Chemother 2004 48(3), 824-831.

Robin DiFrancesco, Diane T. Holland, Joanne E. Schiffhauer, Brian L. Robbins, Kelly M. Tooley, and Gene D. Morse. A Quality Assurance Program for AIDS Clinical Trials Group Pharmacology Studies. Journal of Quality Assurance March 2005.

DT Holland, R DiFrancesco, JD Connor , GD Morse. ACTG Proficiency Testing for Pediatric and Adult Pharmacology Support Laboratories. Ther Drug Monitoring 2006 Jun;28(3):367-74.

DiFrancesco R, Rosenkranz SL, Craft J, Morse GD. Abstract Tutorial reduces protocol deviations in multicenter ACTG trials with pharmacology endpoints. HIV Clin Trials. 2006 Jul-Aug;7(4):203-9

Committee Participation

 Gene D. Morse

 Sept 2006-present Member, R5 Tropic Protocol Committee

Jan 2005-present Member, ACTG Experimental Research Agenda Committee

May 2004-present Chair, ACTG Pharmacology Lab Subcommittee

June 2003-April 2004 Vice-Chair, ACTG Pharmacology Lab Subcommittee

January 2002-present Member, ACTG Pharmacology Leadership Subcommittee

Jan 2000-present Chair, ACTG Pharmacology QA-QC Subcommittee

Jan 2000 – present Chair, Pharmacology Quality Assurance (ACTG and IMPAACT)

Robert DiCenzo

Member Pharmacology Committee

Drug Interactions Table Editor

 Robin DiFrancesco

Member Laboratory Technologists Committee (ACTG and IMPAACT)

Member Pharmacology Quality Assurance (ACTG and IMPAACT)

 Kelly Tooley

 Member Laboratory Technologists Committee (ACTG and IMPAACT)