A new study is being conducted at the George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates Urology Clinic in Washington, D.C on the efficacy of Uqora in preventing urinary tract infections. The lead researcher for this study is Dr. Michal Hsieh, MD, Ph.D.
This study will be a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, human subject clinical trial. As of this writing, the study is currently in the protocol development phase. It seeks 240 participants which will be split into two groups.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) drastically impact the quality of life for women who suffer from them. Many women have several infections per year which can mean pain, discomfort, and a more regular need for antibiotic treatment than may be optimal for them.
Talking Points | Why These Studies Are So Important
There’s been little research into UTIs over the years. While there are theories on the lack of medical attention due to bias, Dr. Hsieh brings up other good points that should be considered with this particular issue.
“I think UTIs have been understudied and have not received sufficient clinical attention for several reasons. First, urologists are primarily surgeons and UTI are mostly managed medically. Second, there are few alternatives available to treat UTI besides antibiotics, which can be frustrating for urologists and patients alike,” explained Dr. Hsieh.
The treatment options once a patient has a urinary tract infection are limited. So it’s important that research can help develop better options in preventing or decreasing the rate of recurrence. Dr. Hsieh went on to explain, “the single biggest problem with UTI research right now is the lack of preventive measures for UTI. There is some research in vaccines and mannosidase as preventive measures, both otherwise, there is very little out there.”
Much of the research so far has been surrounding the biology of urinary tract infections. There is also research on the use of antibiotics and novel antibiotics and these efforts offer some movement in better treatment options. However, most patients would prefer a way to prevent UTIs in the first place.
George Washington University Study Overview
The clinical trial at George Washington University is being developed in order to test and demonstrate the efficacy of Uqora’s products for preventing and reducing the recurrence of urinary tract infections. The women involved in the study will all be 18 years of age and older with a history of UTIs. This is the second randomized clinical trial on these products. The first is currently being conducted by Hawthorne Effect and is scheduled for completion in October 2020. The George Washington University study period is 12 months in duration. The Hawthorne Effect study was 6 months in duration.
The George Washington University study will recruit subjects who meet set criteria and divide them into two groups. One group will take the placebo and the other will take the active product once daily for 12 months. The study will record outcomes such as the frequency of recurrent UTI episodes over the 12 month period.
It is the hope that successful results from these studies can help propel new prevention options that can be adopted by women who have frequent UTI recurrence. Prevention is preferable than relying on antibiotics, especially with the growing concern over antibiotic resistance in UTI-causing bacteria.
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