Prevention of recurrence of genital wart lesions after laser and cryotherapy using green tea extract

ISRCTN ISRCTN44037479
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN44037479
Secondary identifying numbers VEREGEN1/17
Submission date
12/03/2018
Registration date
22/03/2018
Last edited
19/05/2023
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Infections and Infestations
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
External genital warts (EGW) are the most common viral sexually transmitted infection. Ablative treatments like cryotherapy, curettage and CO2 laser therapy offer rapid onset of effect, fast clearance, and reduction of viral load. However, these procedures are associated with high recurrence rates (RR) of 20–77% in the short and medium term and do not provide sustained clearance. After laser therapy removal of EGW, a RR up to 60% has been reported. Topical sinecatechins 10% is a patient-applied regimen for the treatment of EGW with a low RR (6.5%) at 3 months after completion of the therapy in the pivotal trials conducted so far. Sinecatechins can be considered a suitable proactive sequential therapy (PST) after ablative strategies to obtain a low RR. No prospective data are available so far regarding the efficacy of sinecatechins 10% as PST. We evaluated, the efficacy and tolerability of topical sinecatechins 10% applied twice daily in subjects with recurrent EGW after ablative therapies with CO2 laser or cryotherapy in a multicenter randomised masked outcome trial trial.

Who can participate?
Adults with multiple external genital warts.

What does the study involve?
The treatment is an ointment containing sinecatechins extracted from green tea. The ointment is applied twice a day to areas where genital warts have been removed using laser or cryotherapy.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The ointment of green tea extract evaluated in this trial can be considered safe because no systemic side effects have been recorded in clinical trials performed in more than 1500 subjects so far. Self-limited, (in general mild or moderate), local reactions like burning and itching sensations might be observed in up to 60% of the subjects but these side effects disappear in few days. The potential benefit is the preventive effect in lowering recurrence percentage of new genital warts lesions, therefore reducing the need for, and associated risk, time loss and cost of, additional ablative procedures (laser, cryotherapy etc).

Where is the study run from?
The study is run from the Dermatology Clinic, University Tor Vergata Rome. There are four centres in total.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
The study started in June 2017 and finished in February 2018.

How long will the trial be recruiting participants for?
The trial recruited between August and October 2017.

Who is the main contact?
Dr Massimo Milani
massimo.milani@difacooper.com

Contact information

Dr Massimo Milani
Scientific

Via Milano 160
Caronno Pertusella
21042
Italy

Phone +39029659031
Email massimo.milani@difacooper.com

Study information

Study designProspective controlled randomized parallel group (3:1) masked-outcome assessment multicenter trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised parallel trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typePrevention
Participant information sheet No participant information sheet available
Scientific titleEfficacy of sinecatechins 10% as proactive sequential therapy of external and perianal genital warts after ablative therapy: A prospective randomized multicenter study
Study objectivesTo assess if the use of topical sinecatechins 10% (green tea extract) as sequential proactive treatment after ablative therapies (laser cryotherapy) could reduce the risk of recurrence of new genital wart lesions
Ethics approval(s)IRB of Tor Vergata University, 12/07/2017, RS 116/17
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedExternal genital warts
InterventionVeregen (ointment formulation of 10% sinecatechins derived from green tea extract) was applied in the area of condyloma previously treated with laser or cryotherapy. Patients were instructed to apply the ointment twice daily, at 12-h intervals, for 3 months. Control group patients received no treatment after ablation.
Intervention typeDrug
Pharmaceutical study type(s)
PhasePhase IV
Drug / device / biological / vaccine name(s)Veregen (topical 10% sinecatechins: green tea extract)
Primary outcome measureRecurrence of new external genital warts at 3 months after the last ablative treatment session
Secondary outcome measures1. Tolerability
2. Safety profile
At each study visit at months 1, 2 and 3, the investigator assessed local skin signs, including erythema, oedema, induration, vesicles, erosion ⁄ulceration, other skin signs and overall skin signs, and the patient was questioned about local skin symptoms, including burning, itching, pain, other skin symptoms and overall skin symptoms. Intensity of all skin reactions at the site of application was graded as: none, mild (local skin reaction which can be easily tolerated), moderate (local skin reaction which is associated with considerable discomfort, but does not prevent usual activity), or severe (local skin reaction which substantially interferes with the patient’s usual activity).
Overall study start date01/06/2017
Completion date28/02/2018

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
SexBoth
Target number of participants80 (with a 3:1 balanced design)
Key inclusion criteriaPresence of multiple external genital warts eligible for ablative treatments
Key exclusion criteria1. HIV-positive subjects
2. Acute inflammatory skin disease
Date of first enrolment01/08/2017
Date of final enrolment31/10/2017

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Italy

Study participating centres

Dermatology Clinic University Tor Vergata Rome
Viale Oxford, 81 - 00133 Roma
Rome
00133
Italy
Dermatology Clinic University of Catania
Catania
100200
Italy

Sponsor information

Cantabria Labs Difa Cooper
Industry

Via Milano 160
Caronno Pertusella
21042
Italy

Phone 0039029659031
Email massimo.milani@difacooper.com
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/044sr7e96

Funders

Funder type

Not defined

Difa Cooper

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date01/06/2018
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryStored in repository
Publication and dissemination planThe plan is to submit the manuscript to an international peer-review journal
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 01/02/2019 Yes No
Results article Follow up 01/02/2022 19/05/2023 Yes No

Editorial Notes

19/05/2023: Publication reference added.
11/12/2018: Publication reference added.