Doxycycline Host-directed Therapy to Improve Lung Function and Decrease Tissue Destruction in Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is a global pandemic that despite successful treatment and bacterial eradication can cause chronic ill health, such as pulmonary impairment after tuberculosis (PIAT) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). A recent Phase 2b double-blind randomised-controlled clinical trial shows that adjunctive doxycycline therapy is safe, accelerates resolution of inflammation, suppresses tissue damaging enzyme activity and decreases pulmonary cavity volume (1). We aim to determine if adjunctive doxycycline can reduce…
Conditions studied
Tuberculosis, Acute Coronary Syndrome, Pulmonary Hypertension (Diagnosis)
About this study
Tuberculosis (TB) is a global pandemic that despite successful treatment and bacterial eradication can cause chronic ill health, such as pulmonary impairment after tuberculosis (PIAT) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). A recent Phase 2b double-blind randomised-controlled clinical trial shows that adjunctive doxycycline therapy is safe, accelerates resolution of inflammation, suppresses tissue damaging enzyme activity and decreases pulmonary cavity volume (1). We aim to determine if adjunctive doxycycline can reduce PIAT and improve cardiovascular outcomes in a fully powered Phase III trial of 8 weeks of adjunctive doxycycline alongside standard pulmonary TB (PTB) treatment. The investigators hypothesize that doxycycline inhibits tissue destruction in patients with PTB and thereby leads to improved lung function after treatment. Specific aims 1. To assess improvement in lung function as measured by forced expiratory volume (FEV1) predicted in PTB patients given doxycycline versus placebo. 2. To investigate whether doxycycline will hasten the resolution of pulmonary cavities measured by CT thorax 3. To investigate whether doxycycline can suppress inflammatory markers including matrix metalloproteinases 4. To investigate whether doxycycline can accelerate time to sputum conversion 5. To evaluate the effect of doxycycline on cardiovascular outcomes such as the incidence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and pulmonary hypertension 6. To investigate whether doxycycline improves TB drug concentrations in sputum and plasma. 7. To assess the safety profile of doxycycline with concurrent standard anti-tuberculous treatment.
Interventions
- Drug: Doxycycline — A dose of 100 mg twice daily of doxycycline based on the recommended dose for adults which is commonly used for bacterial infections such as rickettsial infection, lyme disease and pelvic inflammatory disease.
- Drug: Placebo — Placebo + standard anti-tuberculous treatment
Primary outcomes
- Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) at 26 weeks measured by spirometry (week 0 to 26)
Eligibility information
Study locations
- Hospital Queen Elizabeth I, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Malaysia
- Klinik Kesihatan Luyang, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Malaysia
- Klinik Kesihatan Menggatal, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Malaysia
- Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Borneo Medical and Health Research Centre, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Malaysia
- National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore 119228 Singapore
- TB Control Unit, Singapore, Singapore
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov. Record last refreshed by Varda Clinical: 2026-09-27.