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HOPE in Action Trial of HIV+ Deceased Donor Liver Transplants for HIV+ Recipients

  • Study HIC#:2000025220
  • Last Updated:05/07/2023

This study will evaluate if receiving a liver transplant from an HIV-infected deceased liver donor is safe with regards to survival and major transplant-related and HIV-related complications compared to receiving a liver from an HIV-uninfected deceased liver donor (HIVD-). Those participants who have accepted an HIVD- organ will be randomized to be followed in the full study or followed in the nested observational group.

  • Age18 years and older
  • GenderBoth

Contact Us

For more information about this study, including how to volunteer, contact:

Ricarda Tomlin

Help Us Discover!

You can help our team find trials you might be eligible for by creating a volunteer profile in MyChart. To get started, create a volunteer profile, or contact helpusdiscover@yale.edu, or call +18779788343 for more information.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Participant meets the standard criteria for liver transplant at the local center.
  • Participants being listed for a simultaneous liver kidney (SLK) are eligible if participants meet the standard criteria for both organs.
  • Participant is able to understand and provide informed consent.
  • Participant meets with an independent advocate per the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act Safeguards and Research Criteria.
  • Documented HIV infection (by any licensed assay or documented history of detectable HIV-1 RNA).*
  • Participant is ≥ 18 years old.
  • Opportunistic complications: prior history of certain opportunistic infections is not an exclusion if the participant has received appropriate therapy and has no evidence of active disease. Medical record documentation should be provided whenever possible.
  • CD4+ T-cell count: ≥ 100/µL within 16 weeks prior to transplant if no history of AIDS-defining infection; or ≥ 200 μL if history of opportunistic infection is present.
  • HIV-1 RNA is below 50 RNA/mL.* Viral blips between 50-400 copies will be allowed as long as there are not consecutive measurements > 200 copies/mL. *Organ recipients who are unable to tolerate anti-retroviral therapy (ART) due to organ.

failure or recently started ART may be eligible despite a detectable viral load if safe and effective ART to be used by the recipient after transplantation is described.

  • Participant must have or be willing to start seeing a primary medical care provider with expertise in HIV management.
  • Participant is willing to comply with all medications related to participant's transplant and HIV management.
  • For participants with a history of aspergillus colonization or disease, no current clinical evidence of active disease.
  • Agreement to use contraception.
  • Participant is not suffering from significant wasting (e.g. body mass index < 21) thought to be related to HIV disease.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participant has a history of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), or primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma.*
  • Participant is pregnant or breastfeeding. (Note: Participants who become pregnant post-transplant will continue to be followed in the study and will be managed per local site practice. Women that become pregnant should not breastfeed.)
  • Past or current medical problems or findings from medical history, physical examination or laboratory testing that are not listed above, which, in the opinion of the investigator, may pose additional risks from participation in the study, may interfere with the participant's ability to comply with study requirements or that may impact the quality or interpretation of the data obtained from the study.

Principal Investigator

For more information about this study, including how to volunteer, contact: