Limited Access Protocol of Posaconazole in Invasive Fungal Infections Study PO2095

This is an open-label, multi-center limited access experimental treatment use protocol of Posaconazole in the treatment of Invasive Fungal Infections. This experimental treatment use protocol is projected to begin enrollment in September 2001.

Screening:

1. complete medical history, including a review of the subject's fungal infection and the antifungal treatment(s)
2. women of childbearing potential, will have a serum (blood) or urine pregnancy test before the experimental medication (posaconazole) is administered. This test requires a sample of blood to be drawn (10 mL or 1 tablespoon of blood or about 10 ml or 1 tablespoon of urine). The subject will not be able to participate in this experimental treatment use protocol if pregnant. In addition, while participating in this experimental treatment use protocol, women of childbearing potential, will have serum (blood) or urine pregnancy tests performed every 3 months.
3. Electrocardiogram- ECG

The total time for all these screening tests will be one hour and will be carried out in the subject's hospital room.

Experimental Procedures: the following procedures that are not part of the subject's standard medical care. This experimental treatment use protocol will be conducted worldwide. This experimental treatment use protocol is open ended so no set subject enrollment has been set by Schering Plough. It is anticipated that sites may be opened for a single patient, and we anticipate enrolling up to two patients at UPMC. All subjects enrolled in this open-label experimental treatment use protocol will receive treatment with posaconazole as outlined previously. Subject identification numbers will be assigned sequentially within each site starting with Subject No. 1. There will be no randomization. Primary efficacy endpoint is the global response (microbiological and clinical) at the end of therapy.

Review of Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria, Medical/Disease History will be performed at Baseline. A standard 12-lead ECG will be performed at Baseline Visit or within one week prior to treatment, and at one month after the initiation of treatment. ECG will be repeated for any QTc > 450 msec for men or > 470 msec for women, or for any new cardiac signs or symptoms as clinically indicated. Apart from the ECG and pregnancy test, no other laboratory testing will be performed solely for the experimental treatment use protocol. Laboratory abnormalities which represent any clinically significant change from the baseline value (ie, a change by one toxicity grade or more) at any time during the experimental treatment use protocol period (active treatment or follow-up), which have clinical manifestations, or which require an intervention will be considered an adverse event and will be reported to the sponsor).

Baseline evaluations will be performed within 72 hours prior to the start of the investigational medication.

The investigational medication (posaconazole) will be dispensed upon completion of the Baseline assessment once there is confirmation that the Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria are met. Posaconazole is supplied as suspension 40 mg/mL (105 mL/bottle).

For seriously ill patients, posaconazole will be initially administered at a dose of 200 mg four times daily (QID) orally/enterally with meals or nutritional supplements, then once stable the regimen may be changed to 400 mg orally/enterally twice daily (BID). (Changes in dosing regimen will be at the discretion of the investigator, based on the clinical state of the patient.) Stable, ambulatory patients may be started on 400 mg PO BID. For subjects who are receiving enteral feeding, medication will be administered every six hours (QID) or every 12 hours (BID) as indicated above.

Duration of Treatment: The investigator should use discretion in determining the appropriate duration of therapy for an individual subject. Duration should be based on the following: clinical diagnosis of the invasive fungal infection; causative fungal pathogen; severity of the invasive fungal infection; severity of the subject's underlying disease; recovery from immune suppression; and rapidity of clinical response.

When the subject is discharged from the hospital, the participant will be given a supply of investigational medication (posaconazole), which will be adequate to last until the next doctor's visit. Re-supply of posaconazole will be provided at regular intervals as long as the subject completes scheduled doctor visits and continues to comply with taking posaconazole as requested, to receive maximum potential effect of the experimental medication. The experimental medication should be taken with a full meal in order to be well absorbed into the blood stream. If the medication is not well absorbed, it may be less effective.

The experimental treatment use protocol physician will examine the subject at regular scheduled clinical visits during this experimental treatment use protocol, to determine how well the subject is responding to and evaluate how well the subject is tolerating Posaconazole (SCH 56592). No extra visits are required for this experimental treatment protocol.

Specially trained pharmacists at UPMC will prepare the investigational medication. The medication will be supplied by the UPMC hospital Pharmacy and will be given to the participant by the nursing staff while the participant is in the hospital or to the care-giver, family member, spouse, an adult child, a family member or adult person responsible for caring for the subject, if discharged from hospital.

Participation in the experimental treatment protocol will continue until all signs and symptoms have resolved and ongoing therapy is no longer required to a maximum of 24 months, or until posaconazole (experimental medication) becomes commercially available (approved by the FDA). The maximum length of time a subject will be on the investigational medication will depend on type and severity of the fungal infection, response to the investigational medication and the discretion of the experimental treatment protocol doctor. For patients with complete response, posaconazole may be discontinued seven days after resolution of all signs and symptoms of infection. Subjects with Candida infections of the bloodstream, or disseminated/metastatic (deep organ) or hepatosplenic candidiasis or endocarditis should be treated with posaconazole for a minimum of 14 days or at least seven days after resolution of symptoms.

The experimental treatment use protocol will be carried out at UPMC-Presbyterian hospital. Subjects will be seen monthly and 30 days after the last dose of investigational medication to determine how well subjects are responding to the investigational medication.