Azithromycin to help low-birthweight newborns survive and grow
Vitality in Infants Via Azithromycin for Neonates Trial (VIVANT)
This project gives azithromycin to low-birthweight newborns to lower early deaths and support healthier early growth while protecting breastfeeding.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11376074 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If my baby was born small, the team would offer a carefully timed dose of azithromycin soon after birth and then follow the infant closely. Babies would be enrolled in clinical care at participating sites and monitored for growth, feeding, and any side effects, including the rare risk of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS). The work focuses on newborns at high risk of death or wasting, especially in regions with high neonatal mortality such as parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Regular visits would record weight and length and check general health over the early months of life.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are newborns with low birthweight or infants at high risk of poor early growth, likely recruited at clinical sites in high-mortality regions such as sub-Saharan Africa.
Not a fit: Full-term babies with healthy birthweights, older infants beyond the newborn period, or infants with known macrolide allergy may not benefit and could be excluded.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce newborn deaths and lower early wasting and stunting among low-birthweight infants.
How similar studies have performed: Previous mass azithromycin distribution showed about a 25% reduction in all-cause mortality for infants aged 1–5 months, particularly in underweight infants, but neonates were not included earlier due to IHPS safety concerns.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Oldenburg, Catherine Elizabeth — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Oldenburg, Catherine Elizabeth
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.