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Genital Herpes Simplex Type 2Phase 1NCT05432583

A Clinical Trial in Healthy Volunteers and Volunteers With Recurrent Genital Herpes to Study the Safety, Tolerability, and Immune Responses After Vaccination With an Investigational Vaccine Designed to Prevent Genital Herpes Lesions

A Phase 1 study testing BNT163 in people with Genital Herpes Simplex Type 2, run by BioNTech SE at 6 sites in United States.

Active, not recruiting

Under way, not looking for participants. Everyone needed has enrolled. The study is still running.

Official record
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Trial summary

This exploratory trial will have three parts. Part A is a dose escalation part, Part B is an expanded safety and dose evaluation part, and Part C is a safety and immunogenicity evaluation part in individuals with recurrent HSV-2 genital herpes. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 55 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Genital Herpes Simplex Type 2
What is being tested?
BNT163
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
318 participants
Where
6 sitesUnited States
Study dates
8 Dec 2022to Oct 2026
Phase
Phase 1
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 55 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Inclusion Criteria (applicable to all participants and all parts unless otherwise specified):

  • Have given informed consent by signing and dating the informed consent form (ICF) before initiation of any trial-specific procedures.
  • Are aged 18 to 55 years, have a body mass index over 18.5 kg/m^2 and under 35 kg/m^2 and weigh at least 50 kg at Visit 0.
  • Are willing and able to comply with scheduled visits, treatment schedule, laboratory tests, and other requirements of the trial. This includes that they are able to understand and follow trial-related instructions.
  • Are overall healthy in the clinical judgment of the investigator based on medical history, physical examination, 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), vital signs, and screening laboratory tests (blood clinical laboratory) at Visit 0 (for Part C only: (all results must be available prior to Pre-dose Visit 1).
  • Part C only: Have had
  • a diagnosis (>1 year) of genital herpes confirmed in medical records; and
  • with at least 3 and no more than 9 participant-reported genital herpes recurrences either in the 1 year preceding Visit 0, or, if currently on continuous antiviral therapy, in the 1 year preceding the start of continuous antiviral therapy.
  • Part C only: Are seropositive for HSV-2 as determined by Western Blot (result must be available prior to Pre-Dose Visit 2).
  • Part C only: Are willing to comply with the protocol-specified schedule for continuous antiviral therapy.
  • Part C only: Are willing to refrain from the use of episodic antiviral therapy according to the antiviral therapy schedule. Episodic antiviral therapy may be used outside the prohibited periods.
  • Negative human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 and HIV-2 blood test at Visit 0.
  • Negative Hepatitis B surface antigen at Visit 0.
  • Negative anti-Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies (anti-HCV), or undetectable HCV viral load if the anti-HCV is positive at Visit 0.
  • Negative syphilis test at Visit 0.
  • Volunteers of childbearing potential (VOCBP): negative serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) pregnancy test at Visit 0 and negative urine pregnancy test prior to each investigational medicinal product (IMP) administration and at the end of the trial. Volunteers born female that are postmenopausal (verified by follicle stimulating hormone [FSH] level) or permanently sterilized (verified by medical records) will not be considered VOBCP.
  • VOCBP who agree to practice a highly effective form of contraception and to require their male partners to use condoms coated with a spermicidal agent, starting at Visit 0 and continuously until 60 days after receiving the last trial treatment.
  • VOCBP who agree not to donate eggs (ova, oocytes) for the purposes of assisted reproduction during trial, starting at Visit 0 and continuously until 60 days after receiving the last trial treatment.
  • Men who are sexually active with a VOCBP and have not had a vasectomy who agree to use condoms coated with a spermicidal agent and to practice a highly effective form of contraception with their partners of childbearing potential during the trial, starting at Visit 0 and continuously until 90 days after receiving the last trial treatment.
  • Men who are willing to refrain from sperm donation, starting at Visit 0 and continuously until 90 days after receiving the last trial treatment.

Exclusion Criteria (applicable to all participants and all parts unless otherwise specified):

  • Breastfeeding or intending to become pregnant within the projected duration of the trial starting with Visit 0 until 60 days after receiving the last trial treatment or intending to father children within the projected duration of the trial starting with Visit 0 until 90 days after receiving the last trial treatment.
  • Part A \& B only: Current or history of symptomatic genital herpes infections. Volunteers with oral herpes or herpetic whitlow will not be excluded.
  • Current or history of any form of ocular HSV infection or HSV-related central nervous system disease or complication.
  • History of any serious adverse reactions to vaccines or to vaccine components such as lipids, and including history of anaphylaxis and related symptoms such as hives, respiratory difficulty, angioedema, and/or abdominal pain.
  • Current or history of the following medical conditions:
  • Uncontrolled or moderate or severe respiratory diseases (e.g., asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease); symptoms of asthma severity as defined in the most recent National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Expert Panel report;
  • History of thyroidectomy, or thyroid disease requiring medication during the last 12 months;
  • History of diabetes mellitus type 1 or type 2, including cases controlled with diet alone (not excluded: history of isolated gestational diabetes);
  • Hypertension (elevated blood pressure or hypertension during screening or previously that is not well controlled only [consistently ≤140 mm Hg systolic and ≤90 mm Hg diastolic, with or without medication, with only isolated, brief instances of higher readings, which must be ≤150 mm Hg systolic and ≤90 mm Hg diastolic at enrollment] or if systolic blood pressure ≥150 mm Hg at enrollment or diastolic blood pressure ≥100 mm Hg confirmed by two measurements prior to enrollment);
  • Malignancy within 5 years of Visit 0, excluding localized basal or squamous cell cancer;
  • Current or history of cardiovascular diseases, e.g., myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, or clinically significant arrhythmias, myocarditis, or pericarditis;
  • Bleeding disorder diagnosed by a doctor (e.g., factor deficiency, coagulopathy, or platelet disorder requiring special precautions);
  • Seizure disorder: History of seizure(s) within past 3 years. Also exclude if volunteer has used medications in order to prevent or treat seizure(s) at any time within the past 3 years.
  • History of psychiatric illness, including alcohol abuse or drug addiction within 1 year before Visit 0, or a history (within the past 5 years) of substance abuse or known medical, psychological, or social conditions which, in the opinion of the investigator, could compromise their wellbeing if they participate as participants in the trial, or that could prevent, limit, or confound the protocol specified assessments.
  • Any of the following associated with immune dysregulation:
  • Primary immunodeficiencies.
  • History of solid organ or bone marrow transplantation.
  • Asplenia: any condition resulting in the absence of a functional spleen.
  • Currently existing or history of autoimmune disease including and not limited to thyroid autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, etc.
  • Use of any non-trial IMP within 28 days before Dose 1 (Visit 1) (Parts A \& B) or before Pre-dose Visit 2 (Part C) in this trial or planned receipt continuously until Visit 6 (Part C) or Visit 12 (Parts A \& B) in this trial, or participation in the active treatment phase of another interventional clinical trial.
  • Previous vaccination with an investigational herpes virus vaccine at any time.
  • Any non-trial vaccination with a licensed live attenuated vaccine within 28 days before and after each dose, or within 14 days before and after each dose for all other licensed vaccines.
  • Received allergy treatment with antigen injections within 28 days before first IMP administration or that are scheduled within 14 days after Visit 1.
  • Received blood/plasma products or immunoglobulin within 120 days before Visit 1 or planned administration starting at Visit 0 until completion of Visit 6 (Part C) or Visit 12 (Parts A \& B).
  • Part A \& B only: Received chronic suppressive antiviral therapy for treatment of recurrent HSV-1 and/or HSV-2 genital herpes infections (i.e., oral acyclovir, oral valacyclovir, oral famciclovir, and/or intravenous ganciclovir) from 1 year prior to Visit 0 until completion of Visit 12.
  • Any existing condition which may affect vaccine injection and/or assessment of local reactions assessment at the injection site, e.g., tattoos, severe scars.
  • Vulnerable individuals as per International Council for Harmonisation (of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use) (ICH) E6 definition, i.e., are individuals whose willingness to volunteer in a clinical trial may be unduly influenced by the expectation, whether justified or not, of benefits associated with participation, or of a retaliatory response from senior members of a hierarchy in case of refusal to participate. This includes investigator site staff directly involved in the conduct of the trial and their family members, site staff otherwise supervised by the investigator, and sponsor and sponsor delegate employees directly involved in the conduct of the trial and their family members.
  • Part A \& B only: Any screening hematology and/or blood chemistry laboratory value that meets the definition of a Grade ≥2 abnormality at Visit 0. For laboratory values for which toxicity grading guidance is not available or for Grade ≤1 abnormalities, participant eligibility will be determined at the discretion of the investigator.
  • Part C only: Any screening hematology and/or blood chemistry laboratory value that meets the definition of a Grade ≥3 abnormality at Visit 0. Grade 2 abnormal laboratory values may be retested; if the result is confirmed, the participant must be excluded. For laboratory values for which toxicity grading guidance is not available, or for Grade ≤1 abnormalities, participant eligibility will be determined at the discretion of the investigator.
  • Part B only: Applicable HSV serology stratum is already full or the HSV serostatus is reported as indeterminate.
  • Part C only: At the end of the first 28-day swabbing period, a participant has submitted fewer than 45 swabs.
  • Part C only: If a participant has evidence of active genital herpes infection (prodrome or lesions) at the Dose 1 visit which had already been delayed due to presence of lesions at previously scheduled Dose 1.

Trial locations and contacts

6 sites in 1 country.

6 sites in 1 country

United States6 sites
  • Great Lakes Clinical Trials - Flourish Research

    Chicago, Illinois, 60640

  • CTI Clinical Research Center

    Cincinnati, Ohio, 45212

  • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104

  • Accellacare Raleigh Medical Group

    Raleigh, North Carolina, 27609

  • Alliance for Multispecialty Research, LLC

    Tempe, Arizona, 85281

  • Accellacare PMG Research Wilmington LLC

    Wilmington, North Carolina, 28401

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Phase I, Randomized, Observer-blinded, 3-part, Dose Escalation and Expanded Safety and Dose Evaluation Trial to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of an Investigational Prophylactic Vaccine for the Prevention of Genital Lesions Caused by Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)-2 and Potentially HSV-1

This exploratory trial will have three parts. Part A is a dose escalation part, Part B is an expanded safety and dose evaluation part, and Part C is a safety and immunogenicity evaluation part in individuals with recurrent HSV-2 genital herpes.

Part A will focus on the safety evaluations, and in addition, vaccine-induced immune responses (specifically neutralizing antibodies) will also be analyzed to assess if there is a dose-response.

Read more

Part B of the trial will expand the safety characterization for two dose levels of BNT163 selected based on Part A data and will also enable a more comprehensive assessment of the impact of pre-existing immunity to HSV-1 and -2 on the safety and immune responses to BNT163.

Part C will evaluate safety and immunogenicity of BNT163 compared to a placebo in a three-dose regimen in participants with a history of HSV-2 recurrent genital herpes.

Read the detailed description

In Part A, participants will be randomized 5:1 to BNT163:placebo. In Part B, participants will be randomized 1:1 to either of the two selected dose levels based on data from Part A. In Part C, participants will be randomized 1:1 to BNT163:placebo.

In Part A \& B, participants will receive three intramuscular doses of a fixed dose level of the BNT163 vaccine (Part A and B) or placebo (Part A only).

In Part C, participants will receive three intramuscular doses of one fixed dose level of the BNT163 vaccine or placebo. In this part, continuous suppressive antiviral therapy is given over the entire vaccine dosing period (during and between vaccine doses) to prevent administration of the vaccine concomitantly to viral replication and active genital herpes.

Being tested
BNT163, Placebo
Keywords
Prevention of genital lesions caused by herpes simplex virus-2, Prevention of genital lesions caused by herpes simplex virus-1, Genital infection caused by HSV, Recurrent herpes simplex virus-2 genital herpes, RNA Vaccine, Vaccine

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • BNT163Biological

    Anti-viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) vaccine for active immunization against HSV-2 administered as intramuscular injection

  • PlaceboOther

    Placebo

Study groups in NCT05432583
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Part A - BNT163ExperimentalEscalating dose levels
Receives: Biological: BNT163
Part A - PlaceboPlacebo comparatorIsotonic NaCl solution (0.9%)
Receives: Other: Placebo
Part B - BNT163 Dose 1ExperimentalNot described
Receives: Biological: BNT163
Part B - BNT163 Dose 2ExperimentalNot described
Receives: Biological: BNT163
Part C - BNT163ExperimentalOne fix dose level of BNT163
Receives: Biological: BNT163
Part C - PlaceboPlacebo comparatorIsotonic NaCl solution (0.9%)
Receives: Other: Placebo

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Frequency of solicited local reactions at the injection site (pain, erythema/redness, induration/swelling) recorded up to 7 days after each dose

    For each dose level (DL) per BNT163 dosing schedule and for the combined placebo group.

    Measured: Up to 7 days after each dose

  2. Frequency of solicited systemic reactions (vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fatigue/tiredness, myalgia, arthralgia, chills, and fever) recorded up to 7 days after each dose

    For each DL per BNT163 dosing schedule and for the combined placebo group.

    Measured: Up to 7 days after each dose

  3. Percentage of participants with at least one unsolicited adverse event (AE) occurring up to 28 days after each dose

    For each DL per BNT163 dosing schedule and for the combined placebo group.

    Measured: From Day 1 up to Day 197

  4. Percentage of participants in each cohort with at least one serious AE, or AE of special interest, or medically attended AE occurring up to 24 weeks post-Dose 3 (Parts A & B) or post-Dose 2 (Part C)

    For each DL per BNT163 dosing schedule and for the combined placebo group.

    Measured: From Day 1 up to Day 337

  5. Number of unsolicited AEs occurring up to 28 days after each dose

    For each DL per BNT163 dosing schedule and for the combined placebo group.

    Measured: From Day 1 up to Day 197

  6. Percentage of unsolicited AEs occurring up to 28 days after each dose

    For each DL per BNT163 dosing schedule and for the combined placebo group.

    Measured: From Day 1 up to Day 197

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Geometric mean titer (GMT) at each time point

    HSV-2 glycoproteins (g)C2, gD2, and gE2 binding antibody titers enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HSV-2 neutralizing antibody titers.

    For each DL per BNT163 dosing schedule at baseline, 7 days (Parts A \& B only) and 28 days after each dose and at 24 weeks post-Dose 3 (all parts) and for the combined placebo group.

    Measured: From Day 1 up to Day 337

  2. Geometric mean fold (GMF) change from baseline of neutralizing and binding antibody titers to each time point after vaccination

    HSV-2 gC2, gD2, and gE2 binding antibody titers ELISA. HSV-2 neutralizing antibody titers.

    For each DL per BNT163 dosing schedule at baseline, 7 days (Parts A \& B only) and 28 days after each dose and at 24 weeks post-Dose 3 (all parts) and for the combined placebo group.

    Measured: From Day 1 up to Day 337

  3. Part A and B only - Percentage of participants with seroconversion defined as a minimum of 4-fold increase from baseline of neutralizing and binding antibody titers to each subsequent time point after vaccination

    For each DL per BNT163 dosing schedule at baseline, 7 days (Parts A \& B only) and 28 days after each dose and at 24 weeks post-Dose 3 (all parts) and for the combined placebo group.

    Measured: From Day 1 up to Day 337

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted27 Jun 2022
  2. Study start8 Dec 2022
  3. Primary completionOct 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completionOct 2026 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Sequential
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator
Enrolment
318 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05432583
Sponsor's protocol ID
BNT163-01
Status last verified
Oct 2026
First submitted
21 Jun 2022
Last updated
22 Oct 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1 study testing BNT163 in people with Genital Herpes Simplex Type 2, run by BioNTech SE at 6 sites in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 6 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Frequency of solicited local reactions at the injection site (pain, erythema/redness, induration/swelling) recorded up to 7 days after each dose (time frame: Up to 7 days after each dose). The study lists 6 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 22 Oct 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.

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