Immunization With BCG Vaccine to Prevent Tuberculosis Infection

Trial details

Who runs it

Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine

Trial code

NCT04453293

Record updated

23 January 2026

Original description

The purpose of this research is to find out if a single dose of pre-travel vaccination with BCG can lessen tuberculosis (TB) infection by producing an immune response when given to adults traveling to countries with a high or moderate burden of TB. BCG will be compared with a placebo (an inactive vaccine). BCG (Japan) is used globally but is not approved for use in the United States, therefore it is considered experimental. Participants choosing to take part in this research study, will be randomly assigned (this is like a coin flip) to BCG or placebo. 2000 eligible volunteers will be enrolled.Read full original descriptionShow less

A Proof-of Concept, Randomized, Controlled Study of Tuberculosis Immunization With BCG to Prevent Infection in Healthy Adults (TIPI Trial)

The purpose of this research is to find out if a single dose of pre-travel vaccination with BCG can lessen tuberculosis (TB) infection by producing an immune response when given to adults traveling to countries with a high or moderate burden of TB. BCG will be compared with a placebo (an inactive vaccine). BCG (Japan) is used globally but is not approved for use in the United States, therefore it is considered experimental. Participants choosing to take part in this research study, will be randomly assigned (this is like a coin flip) to BCG or placebo. 2000 eligible volunteers will be enrolled.

Inclusion: Participants will be eligible for study participation if they meet all of the following criteria:; Participant is willing to participate in the study as evidenced by providing voluntary written informed consent and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) authorization prior to conducting any trial related procedures; Participant is male or female, age ≥ 18 years and ≤ 65 years at time of consent; Participant is in good general health, confirmed by medical history, laboratory screening, and physical examination; Participant has no known history of Mtb infection; Participant has no prior history of BCG vaccination, or previous receipt of an investigational Mtb vaccine; Participant is assessed to be at risk for TB exposure (particularly drug resistant TB) during planned travel and has planned to work in high or moderate TB burden countries for a duration of a minimum of 10 days and not greater than 6 months for HCW; Participant presents at least 4 weeks prior to travel departure; Participant is willing to forego any periodic tuberculin skin test screening procedures for 6 months after receiving BCG/placebo vaccine; Participant is willing to wait after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine for 7 days before receiving BCG/placebo vaccine; Participant is willing to complete all study visits as required by the protocol and is reachable by telephone or email during the study; Participant agrees to medical record access for purposes of relevant medical history collection; For Females of Childbearing Potential Only:; Participant has a negative urine pregnancy test prior to starting study treatment; Participant is willing to use effective contraception for at least 30 days before and 6 weeks after BCG/placebo vaccination; Lactating female that is willing to refrain from breast-feeding for 6 weeks post-vaccination.

Exclusion: Participants will be ineligible for study participation if they meet any of the following criteria:; Participant has known positive tuberculin skin test (>10 mm) or positive IGRA; Participant has medical condition for which BCG vaccination is contraindicated (e.g., HIV or other immunocompromised conditions); Participant is currently receiving (within last 30 days) immune-compromising treatments, such as TNF-α blockade; Participant has history of chronic (≥ 30 days) oral steroid use or intravenous (IV) steroids within the last 90 days; Participant has received radiation therapy or chemotherapy within the last 180 days; Participant has received BCG treatment for bladder cancer; Participant is female and is pregnant (as defined by positive urine βHCG test) or intends to become pregnant in next 3 months, or is breast-feeding at screening or vaccination visit; Participant is unwilling to complete all required study elements (e.g., HIV testing); Participant has received 2 or more live vaccinations (e.g., measles and yellow fever) within 30 days prior to receipt of BCG/placebo vaccine (Visit 2); Participant has known or suspected hypersensitivity to BCG vaccine or related products; Participant has positive/borderline IGRA test at screening; Participant has positive/indeterminate HIV test at screening unless has received prior HIV vaccine; Participant has a history of life-threatening adverse event following receipt of any immunization; Participant is known to have a behavioral, cognitive, or psychiatric disease that in the opinion of the investigator affects the ability of the participant to understand or cooperate with the requirements of the study protocol; Participant has other concurrent condition(s) that in the opinion of the investigator would jeopardize the safety or rights of a participant participating in the trial or would render the participant unable to comply with the protocol and/or compromise study objectives; Participant has had tuberculin skin testing performed within 1 month prior to Visit 1; Participant has received a COVID-19 vaccine within 7 days prior to BCG/placebo vaccine; Participant has had a probable exposure to TB (defined as to someone with suspected or confirmed pulmonary TB who is likely infectious) within 8-10 weeks of Visit 1; Participant has prior history of nontuberculous mycobacterial disease, not colonization only.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04453293