Finding the best treatment for Mycobacterium abscessus infections
Official title: Finding the Optimal Regimen for Mycobacterium Abscessus Treatment (FORMaT)
Run by The University of Queensland · NCT04310930 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing different treatments for lung infections caused by a tough bacteria called Mycobacterium abscessus to see which ones work best for both kids and adults.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase2; Phase3 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 300 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | The University of Queensland Academic / other |
| Locations | 50 sites (Kogarah, New South Wales and 49 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 2, 2020 |
| Main results expected | June 30, 2029 |
| Study ends | June 30, 2030 |
| Registry record updated | May 11, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT04310930 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates include individuals with confirmed MABS pulmonary disease who meet specific clinical, radiological, and microbiological criteria.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients currently receiving active treatment for MABS or those with known hypersensitivity to the trial therapies may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This trial aims to identify the most effective treatment regimens for pulmonary disease caused by Mycobacterium abscessus (MABS), a multi-drug resistant bacterium. It will evaluate various therapies, including Amikacin and Tigecycline, to determine their efficacy and tolerability in both children and adults. The study will also develop biomarkers to guide treatment decisions and assess disease severity. By using an adaptive trial design, the study can incorporate new therapies and discontinue ineffective ones based on real-time results.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this trial could lead to improved treatment options and outcomes for patients suffering from MABS pulmonary disease.
How similar studies have gone: While there have been studies on MABS, this trial's adaptive design and focus on treatment optimization represent a novel approach in this area.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Eligibility criteria for the FORMaT trial can be applied at two levels: 1. Eligibility into the Intervention Program, or; 2. Eligibility into the Observational Cohort. Potential participants can only be enrolled in either the Intervention Program or the Observational Cohort at any one time. Provided the eligibility criteria are met, potential participants may either: 1. Enrol directly into the Intervention Program, or; 2. Enrol into the Observational Cohort and transition into the Intervention Program once they satisfy the inclusion criteria for this program which can occur at any time during the trial. Eligibility into the FORMaT trial will be assessed at screening. Observational Cohort participants who go on to meet the Intervention Program eligibility criteria can transition from the Observational Cohort to the Intervention Program. INTERVENTION PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY (APPENDIX A) Potential participants are eligible for the Intervention Program (Appendix A) if the criteria below are met. Eligible participants with mixed NTM infections (slow growers + MABS) or with recurrence of MABS infection following completion of previous treatment will be eligible if they meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria listed below. For eligible participants with mixed NTM infections additional therapy combinations are available as detailed in the relevant appendices. INTERVENTION PROGRAM INCLUSION CRITERIA 1. Positive MABS-PD diagnosis meeting all three American Thoracic Society clinical, radiological and microbiological diagnostic criteria for MABS-PD. Defined as: 1. Clinical: Pulmonary symptoms and exclusion of other diagnoses. 2. Radiological: Nodular or cavitary opacities on chest radiograph or a chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan showing multifocal bronchiectasis with multiple small nodules. 3. Microbiological: MABS positive culture results from at least two separate expectorated sputum samples. or Positive culture results from at least one bronchial wash or lavage. or Transbronchial or other lung biopsy with mycobacterial histopathologic features (granulomatous inflammation or acid-fast bacilli (AFB)) and positive culture for NTM or biopsy showing mycobacterial histopathologic features (granulomatous inflammation or AFB) and one or more sputum or bronchial washes that are culture positive for NTM. Screening samples must be collected within the timeframes stated in the relevant appendix. 2. Male or female participants of any age. 3. Participant has not received treatment for MABS-PD in the 12 months preceding assessment of eligibility or as specified in the relevant appendix (this includes drugs prescribed for the treatment of other mycobacteria and/or other indications that may have activity against MABS, as specified in the FORMaT Prohibited Drug List Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)). 4. Informed consent signed by participant or parent/legal guardian if participant is under 18 years of age. 5. Ability to comply with study visits, therapies and study procedures as judged by the site investigator. INTERVENTION PROGRAM EXCLUSION CRITERIA * Participants receiving current treatment for MABS (this includes drugs prescribed for the treatment of other mycobacteria and/or other indications that may have activity against MABS, as specified in the FORMaT Prohibited Drug List SOP), except for participants taking azithromycin as part of routine treatment for CF or chronic infection-related pulmonary disease, or as specified in the relevant appendix. * Participants who have a QTc interval of \>500 milliseconds (QT interval corrected based on Fridericia method). * Participants who are pregnant or planning to continue breast feeding. * Known hypersensitivity or contraindication to any of the therapies for which no alternative option(s) have been provided. OBSERVATIONAL COHORT INCLUSION CRITERIA To be eligible to participate in the Observational Cohort the following criteria must be met: 1. Male and female participants of any age with at least one positive respiratory culture for MABS. 2. Informed consent signed by participant or parent/legal guardian if participant is under 18 years of age. 3. Ability to comply with study visits and study procedures as judged by the site investigator. OBSERVATIONAL COHORT EXCLUSION CRITERIA Potential participants will be ineligible to participate in the Observational Cohort if any of the following criterion are met: • Receiving active treatment for MABS within the previous 12 months (this includes drugs prescribed for the treatment of other mycobacteria and/or other indications that may have activity against MABS, as specified in the FORMaT Prohibited Drug List SOP, except for participants taking azithromycin as part of routine treatment for CF or chronic infection-related pulmonary disease). ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Mixed NTM infections Participants who have cultured slow growing NTM of the same species two or more times in the 24 months prior to screening, with one of those cultures within the 6 months prior to screening, will be considered to have mixed NTM infection at the time of screening. The participants must meet all other inclusion criteria and no exclusion criteria to be eligible for participation. Ethambutol may be used in addition to trial therapies to cover mixed NTM infections considered to require treatment by their clinician. Appendix specific sub-studies and integrated studies Appendix specific sub-studies and integrated studies may have additional eligibility criteria which are described in each of the relevant appendices.
Where it's running
-
St George Hospital
Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia Recruiting -
Queensland Children's Hospital
South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Recruiting -
Princess Alexandra Hospital
Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia Recruiting -
Austin Hospital
Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia Recruiting -
Royal Melbourne Hospital
Parkville, Victoria, Australia Recruiting -
Royal Perth Hospital
Perth, Western Australia, Australia Recruiting
Show 44 more locations
-
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Adelaide, Australia Recruiting -
Sunshine Coast University Hospital
Birtinya, Australia Recruiting -
The Prince Charles Hospital
Chermside, Australia Recruiting -
Gold Coast University Hospital
Gold Coast, Australia Recruiting -
Greenslopes Private Hospital,
Greenslopes, Australia Recruiting -
Sir Charles Gairdiner Hospital
Nedlands, Australia Recruiting -
Perth Children's Hospital
Perth, Australia Recruiting -
The Alfred
Prahran, Australia Recruiting -
Mater Adult Hospital
South Brisbane, Australia Recruiting -
Rigshospitalet
Copenhagen, Denmark Recruiting -
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Camperdown, Australia Not yet recruiting -
John Hunter Hospital
New Lambton, Australia Not yet recruiting -
John Hunter Children's Hospital
New Lambton Heights, Australia Not yet recruiting -
Sydney Children's Hospital
Randwick, Australia Not yet recruiting -
Macquarie University Hospital
Sydney, Australia Not yet recruiting -
The Children's Hospital at Westmead
Westmead, Australia Not yet recruiting -
Westmead Hospital
Westmead, Australia Not yet recruiting -
Soroka Medical Centre
Beer-Sheeva, Israel Not yet recruiting -
Carmel Medical Centre
Haifa, Israel Not yet recruiting -
Rambam Health Care Campus
Haifa, Israel Not yet recruiting -
Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital
Jerusalem, Israel Not yet recruiting -
Schneider
Petah Tikva, Israel Not yet recruiting -
Sheba Medical Centre
Ramat Gan Tel Aviv, Israel Not yet recruiting -
Erasmus MC Sophia Children's Hospital
Rotterdam, Netherlands Not yet recruiting -
Tan Tock Seng Hospital Pte Ltd
Singapore, Singapore Not yet recruiting -
Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan Not yet recruiting -
National Taiwan University Hospital
Taipei, Taiwan Not yet recruiting -
Belfast City Hospital
Belfast, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Birmingham Children's Hospital
Birmingham, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Birmingham Heartlands Hospital
Birmingham, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
Bristol, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Noah's Ark Childrens Hospital for Wales
Cardiff, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh
Edinburgh, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Western General Hospital
Edinburgh, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow
Glasgow, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Alder Hey Children NHS Foundation Trust
Liverpool, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Royal Brompton Hosptial
London, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
Manchester, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Nottingham Children's Hosptial
Nottingham, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Queens Medical Centre
Nottingham, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Welcome Wolfson Adult CF Centre (City Hospital Campus)
Nottingham, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
University Hospital Llandough
Penarth, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Southampton General Hospital
Southampton, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting -
Wythenshawe Hospital
Wythenshawe, United Kingdom Not yet recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Claire Wainwright, MD
- Email: claire.wainwright@health.qld.gov.au
- Phone: +61730697322
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Pasteurised donor human milk for term babies born to mothers with diabetes
This trial will try giving pasteurised donor human milk instead of formula to term infants of mothers with diabetes during the first five days to see if it reduces neonatal unit admissions for low blood sugar.
-
Starting peritoneal dialysis gradually with an incremental prescription
This trial will test whether beginning adults on peritoneal dialysis with a lower, gradually increased dose (incremental PD) works as well as starting full-dose PD for people who are just starting dialysis.
-
Pharmacogenomics to improve voriconazole dosing for fungal infections
This trial will test whether using a patient's CYP2C19 genotype with Bayesian dosing software helps get voriconazole levels into the therapeutic range by Day 8 for people with fungal infections, including those with blood cancers.
-
Treating BK Virus Infections in Kidney Transplant Recipients
This study is testing if changing the way we manage immune suppression and giving a special treatment can help kidney transplant patients with BK virus infections feel better and keep their transplants healthy.
-
Using Metformin to Slow Kidney Decline in Polycystic Kidney Disease
This study is testing if metformin can help slow down kidney problems in adults with early-stage Polycystic Kidney Disease.
-
Incremental dialysis to improve health outcomes for kidney failure patients
This study is testing if a new way of doing dialysis called incremental dialysis can help kidney failure patients feel better and improve their quality of life compared to the usual method.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.