First use of VNT-101 in people to test safety and how the body handles it

A First-in-Human, 2-Part, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Single Ascending Dose, Multiple Ascending Dose, and Food-Effect Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of VNT-101 Administered Orally to Healthy Adult Participants

This Phase 1 trial will test whether single and multiple oral doses of the experimental antiviral VNT-101 are safe and tolerable in healthy adults aged 18–59.

Quick facts

• Phase: Phase 1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 78 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 59 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) (NIH)
• Locations: 1 site (Overland Park, Kansas)
• Trial ID: NCT07169318 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center Phase 1 trial in approximately 78 healthy adults. Part 1 uses sequential single ascending doses (100–1500 mg) including a fed versus fasting food-effect cohort; Part 2 uses multiple ascending doses (250–750 mg twice daily Days 1–5, once daily Day 6). Cohorts are small and randomized (6 active:2 placebo per cohort) with dose escalation only after safety review by the Protocol Safety Review Team and an interim analysis before Part 2. The primary focus is safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics under fasting and fed conditions.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Healthy adults aged 18–59 who are continuous non-smokers, not pregnant or of childbearing potential, and able to comply with all study visits and procedures are the intended participants.

Not a fit: People with active influenza, significant medical conditions, smokers, or pregnant or breastfeeding individuals are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participation.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If safe and well tolerated, VNT-101 could become a new oral antiviral option that reduces influenza virus replication and improves clinical outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: This is a first-in-human trial of VNT-101, although other oral antivirals for influenza have demonstrated clinical benefit in prior programs.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Provides written informed consent prior to the initiation of any trial procedures.
2. Able to understand and agrees to comply with all planned trial procedures and be available for all study visits.
3. Healthy, adult, male or female (of non-childbearing potential only\*), 18-59 years of age, inclusive, at the screening visit.

   \* Female participants of non-childbearing potential must be either surgically sterile (i.e., hysterectomy, bilateral tubal ligation, bilateral tubal occlusion \[hysteroscopic sterilization\], salpingectomy, and/or bilateral oophorectomy at least 26 weeks before Screening) or post-menopausal, defined as spontaneous amenorrhea for at least a year, with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the post-menopausal range at Screening, based on the central laboratory ranges.
4. Continuous non-smoker who has not used nicotine-, tobacco-, cannabis-, or cannabidiol-containing products\*\* prior to the first dosing based on participant self-reporting.

   \*\*The period before first dose is at least 3 months for tobacco and associated products and at least 60 days for cannabis and associated products.
5. Body mass index (BMI)\>/=18.0 and \</= 30.0 kg/m\^2 at the screening visit.
6. Medically healthy\*\*\* with no clinically significant medical history, physical examination, laboratory profiles, vital signs, and ECGs, as deemed by the Principal Investigator (PI) or designee,

   \*\*\*Including the following:
   1. Supine diastolic blood pressure is \>/= 40 mmHg and \</= 90 mmHg at the screening visit.
   2. Supine systolic blood pressure is \>/= 90 mmHg and \</= 140 mmHg at the screening visit.
   3. Supine heart rate is \>/= 60 bpm and\</= 100 bpm at the screening visit.
   4. QTcF interval is \</= 460 msec (males) and \</=470 msec (females) and has ECG findings considered normal or not clinically significant by the PI or designee at the screening visit.
   5. Estimated creatinine clearance \>/= 80 mL/min based on the Cockroft-Gault equation and creatinine \<1.50 mg/dL at the screening visit.
   6. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) is not greater than 1.1 times the upper limit of normal (ULN), as specified by the testing laboratory.
   7. Other clinical laboratory values within normal range as specified by the testing laboratory, unless deemed not clinically significant by the PI or designee.
7. Must agree to refrain from using tanning salons, saunas, sunbathing, or prolonged sun exposure during participation in the study through the follow-up visit.
8. Male participants must agree not to donate sperm during the study and for 90 days following the last administration of Study Product.
9. Male participants must agree to use a medically accepted contraceptive regimen\*\*\*\* during participation and for 30 days after last administration of the study product or be vasectomized.

   * Acceptable methods of contraception include abstinence from intercourse with a female of childbearing potential or use of male condoms with spermicide or surgical sterilization (vasectomy) of participant at least 26 weeks before the Screening.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. History or presence of clinically significant medical or psychiatric condition or disease, making the participant unsuitable for enrollment in the opinion of the PI or designee.
2. History of severe allergic or anaphylactic reactions to any prescription or non-prescription drug or vaccine.
3. Participants who took any prescription medications within 14 days of first dosing or within 5 half-lives of the drug, whichever is longer.
4. Participants who took any over the counter (OTC) medication/vitamins/herbal supplements\* in the last 7 days prior to first dosing.

   \*Exception for occasional use of OTC acetaminophen (paracetamol) 325 to 500 mg every 4 hours not to exceed 3000 mg/day.
5. History or diagnosis of a cardiovascular disease condition, including myocardial infarction, angina, congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, hypertension, or hypercholesteremia\*\*.

   \*\*Defined as: clinically significant hypercholesteremia with high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (\>/= 160 mg/dL)
6. Increased risk for peptic ulcer\*\*\*

   \*\*\*Defined as: participants with a history of gastric or duodenal ulcer, chronic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use in the past 3 months, current smokers, alcohol consumption of \> 21 alcoholic units per week (where 1 unit = 284 mL of beer, 25 mL of 40% spirit or a 125 mL of wine) or chronic atrophic gastritis,
7. Female participant with a positive pregnancy test at the screening visit or at baseline or who is lactating.
8. Positive urine drug toxicology test (or cotinine or alcohol results) at the screening visit or check-in.
9. Has been on a diet incompatible with the on-study diet\*\*\*\*, in the opinion of the PI or designee, within the 30 days prior to the first dosing,

   \*\*\*\*including consumption of grapefruit/Seville orange within 14 days prior to first dosing,
10. For Cohorts S2, S3, and S5 only, is known to be intolerant of a high fat/high calorie diet.
11. Participants who are unlikely to comply with the study protocol OR those who would not be suitable candidates for participation in the opinion of the investigator.
12. Participants who donated blood or plasma recently\*\*\*\*\*

    \*\*\*\*\*Recently defined as within 30 days prior to Day -1, or loss of whole blood of more than 500 mL within 30 days prior to Day-1, or receipt of a blood transfusion within 1 year of study enrollment.
13. Participated in a clinical study involving administration of an investigational drug in the past 30 days (90 days for injectable biological agent) before screening.

Where this trial is running

Overland Park, Kansas

• Altasciences Inc - Kansas City — Overland Park, Kansas, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Nadine Mokhallati

Conditions Influenza; Double-Blind; First-in-Human; Food-Effect Study; Multiple Ascending Dose; Nucleoprotein; Placebo-Controlled; Randomized