Emory University's Hope Clinic is enrolling volunteers in a clinical trial testing a new oral drug to treat cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. CMV is a common virus that infects the majority of the population but can cause severe eye, neurologic and organ diseases in patients with weakened immune systems.  Children born to mothers who acquire CMV during pregnancy also are at risk.    

Antivirals can be used to treat CMV infection, but new CMV treatment medications are needed since existing treatments have side effects and don't always work. This study will evaluate the new medicine's safety and blood levels.

The study is seeking healthy volunteers who meet the following criteria:

• Healthy adults 18-65 years of age, who are not taking required prescription medications on a regular basis, and who are able to halt unrequired or non-prescription medications for a 25-day period
• Unable to have children (e.g., vasectomy, tubal ligation, hysterectomy or post menopausal) or have no sexual behavior that could result in conception (e.g., gay men or lesbian women; or only sexually active with someone unable to have children)
• Non-smokers
• Willing not to use alcohol, caffeine, or grapefruit products for two weeks

The study involves the following:

• One screening visit to Emory's Hope Clinic in Decatur
• Oral research medication taken once daily for 8 days while an inpatient in a clinical research unit in Emory University Hospital
• Five follow-up visits to Emory's Hope Clinic in Decatur

Volunteers will be compensated for their time and travel:

• $50 (one screening visit)
• $200/day (each hospital day)
• $75 (each follow-up clinic visit)

For more information, call the Hope Clinic at 404-712-1371.

This trial is being conducted by Emory University's Vaccine Treatment and Evaluation Unit, supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (HHSN272201300018I).