New syphilis combo treatment tested in HIV patients – trial cut short
NCT ID NCT05980871
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looked at two different antibiotic combinations for treating early syphilis in people living with HIV. One group received a single shot of ceftriaxone plus a week of doxycycline pills, while the other got the standard single shot of penicillin plus the same doxycycline course. The goal was to see if the ceftriaxone combo worked as well, while also treating common co-infections like gonorrhea and chlamydia. The trial was terminated early, so the full results are not available.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- ceftriaxone plus doxycycline, compared to benzathine penicillin G plus doxycycline
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that a single shot of ceftriaxone plus a week of doxycycline works as well as the standard penicillin shot plus doxycycline for treating early syphilis in people with HIV, while also covering other sexually transmitted infections.
- What could go wrong
- The trial was terminated early, so results may be incomplete. It is a Phase 4 study with only 109 participants, and findings may not apply to people without HIV or those with later-stage syphilis.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
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109 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Mar 2023
- Finished
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Jul 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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20 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * PLWH aged 20 years or more * PLWH with early syphilis (i.e. primary, secondary, or early latent syphilis), confirmed by a positive rapid plasma reagin (RPR) titer with a reactive Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) assay. * PLWH has provided informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * PLWH with RPR titers of less than 4 * Exposure to antibiotics with activity against T. pallidum, such as penicillins, third-generation cephems, doxycycline, or macrolides, within the preceding 4 weeks * A known or suspected infection other than syphilis requiring additional treatment with an antimicrobial active against T. pallidum * A history of intolerance to penicillin, ceftriaxone, or doxycycline * Pregnancy
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Kuan-Yin Lin
Taipei, Taiwan, 110, Taiwan
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.