Efavirenz for the Treatment of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Summary

This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of efavirenz in patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). A total of 246 eligible participants will be enrolled across 21 study centers nationwide. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either efavirenz or placebo.

Participants in the efavirenz group will receive 200 mg once daily at bedtime for the first week, followed by an increased dose of 400 mg once daily thereafter. Participants in the placebo group will receive matching placebo tablets using the same dosing schedule. Treatment will be administered under double-blind conditions and will continue until death or study completion.

During the study, all participants will receive monthly telephone follow-up assessments starting from treatment initiation to evaluate long-term efficacy and safety, continuing until death or study termination.

The primary objective of the study is to determine whether efavirenz can prolong survival in patients with CJD. The primary endpoint is median survival time from randomization to death. Secondary endpoints include assessment of the effect of efavirenz on the rate of functional decline and treatment tolerability. Adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs) will be recorded and evaluated for frequency, severity, outcomes, and their relationship to the study drug.

Key inclusion criteria include adults aged 18 to 80 years of either sex with a baseline MRC-Prion Disease Rating Scale (MRC-PDRS) score greater than 10 and the availability of a reliable caregiver to support study participation. Key exclusion criteria include the presence of other serious or life-threatening illnesses, use of medications contraindicated with efavirenz that cannot be adjusted, and pregnancy or breastfeeding. Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants or their legally authorized representatives prior to enrollment.

Conditions

• Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Interventions

DRUG

Efavirenz

The study drug in this trial is Efavirenz, and the control is a matching placebo. Efavirenz is supplied as 200 mg film-coated tablets. The placebo tablets are identical in appearance, color, and size to the Efavirenz tablets but contain no active ingredient. The main excipients of the placebo include lactose, microcrystalline cellulose, cross-linked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, sodium lauryl sulfate, purified water, Opadry, and an enteric film-coating premix. Both Efavirenz and placebo tablets are manufactured and supplied uniformly by the sponsor and dispensed in identical packaging with matching label numbers. The distribution and administration of the study drugs follow a double-blind procedure to ensure that neither investigators nor participants can determine the group assignment based on the appearance of the tablets, thereby maintaining blinding throughout the study.

DRUG

Placebo

The study drug in this trial is Efavirenz, and the control is a matching placebo. Efavirenz is supplied as 200 mg film-coated tablets. The placebo tablets are identical in appearance, color, and size to the Efavirenz tablets but contain no active ingredient. The main excipients of the placebo include lactose, microcrystalline cellulose, cross-linked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, sodium lauryl sulfate, purified water, Opadry, and an enteric film-coating premix. Both Efavirenz and placebo tablets are manufactured and supplied uniformly by the sponsor and dispensed in identical packaging with matching label numbers. The distribution and administration of the study drugs follow a double-blind procedure to ensure that neither investigators nor participants can determine the group assignment based on the appearance of the tablets, thereby maintaining blinding throughout the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-03-31

Primary Completion

2028-12-31

Completion

2028-12-31

Countries

• China

Study Locations