Assessing safety and efficacy of a novel glucose-free amino acid oral rehydration solution for watery diarrhea management in children: a randomized, controlled, phase III trial.

Background: Diarrhoeal disease poses a significant global health challenge, especially in children under three years old. Despite the effectiveness of oral rehydration therapy (ORT), its adoption remains low. Glucose-based ORS (GORS) is the standard, but novel formulations like glucose-free amino acid-based VS002A have emerged as potential alternatives. This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of VS002A against the standard WHO-ORS in treating non-cholera acute watery diarrhoea in children.

Methods: A triple-blind, randomized trial enrolled 310 male infants and children aged 6-36 months, who were assigned to receive WHO-ORS or VS002A over a 16-month period, from June 2021 to September 2022. Both groups received standard of care, including zinc supplementation. The Primary study outcome measured was the duration of diarrhoea. Secondary outcomes included stool output, treatment failure and adverse events. Exploratory endpoints included urinary output, body weight changes, blood biochemistry, stool microbiology and gut health biomarkers.

Findings: Both VS002A and WHO-ORS were well-tolerated with a low adverse event rate. While not different statistically (p = 0.10), duration of diarrhoea was shorter in children treated with VS002A vs. WHO-ORS (65.4 h vs. 72.6 h). Similarly, stool output was also lower vs. WHO-ORS in children treated with VS002A, though not statistically different (p = 0.40). Serum citrulline levels, an indicator of gut health, were higher in the VS002A group at 24 h suggesting a potential protective effect (p = 0.06).

Interpretation: The findings of this study support the non-inferiority of VS002A, a glucose-free amino acid-based ORS compared to the WHO-ORS standard of care. VS002A was shown to be safe and effective in treating non-cholera acute watery diarrhoea in young children. VS002A may offer advantages in pathogen-driven diarrhoea, supported by trends toward a lower duration of diarrhoea and stool output within the per protocol group. Furthermore, individuals with prolonged diarrhoea, severe malnutrition, environmental enteric dysfunction or have issues with obesity or insulin resistance, could benefit from a glucose-free ORS. This research contributes to addressing the persistent challenge of childhood diarrhoea by presenting an alternative glucose-free ORS formulation with potential advantages in select scenarios, offering a promising avenue for improving paediatric diarrhoea management worldwide.

Funding: The study was funded by Entrinsic Bioscience, LLC., Norwood, MA, USA.