Phase 1 safety study to determine the tolerability, clinical effects, and changes in laboratory parameters of short course oral or IV cyclosporine (CSA) administration in patients with COVID-19 disease requiring oxygen supplementation but not requiring ventilator support.
Our overall hypothesis is that CSA is safe in this patient population and that it will have
antiviral and anti-cytokine effects as measured in laboratory tests.
The initial dose will be 9 mg/kg/day oral divided q12h or 3 mg/kg/day by continuous IV
infusion. Oral administration is generally preferred, however IV administration can be used
if oral administration is not feasible or cannot be tolerated, or at the
physician-investigator's clinical discretion. The dose will be adjusted to target a trough
level of 200 to 300 ng/ml, which is in alignment with common clinical practice. The planned
duration of CSA treatment is up to 14 days, with planned discontinuation upon discharge from
the hospital. Dose reduction of 25% to 50% can be made for patients who experience adverse
events such as hypertension or serum creatinine elevation.
The end of study will be study day 30 for those patients who have been discharged from the
hospital. If the patient remains in the hospital, the subject will still complete the end of
study visit at day 30 as planned, but will continue to be followed until date of discharge.
Drug: Cyclosporine
• The initial dose will be 9 mg/kg/day oral divided q12h. For IV, the dose will be 3mg/kg/day by continuous IV infusion.
Other Name: Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf
Inclusion Criteria:
1. Provision of signed and dated informed consent form
2. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the
duration of the study
3. Male or female, aged >18.
4. Admitted to hospital with laboratory confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
5. Estimated creatinine clearance >50 ml/min using standard Cockcroft-Gault formula.
Exclusion Criteria:
1. Are admitted to the ICU at time of enrollment.
2. Have an active uncontrolled infection with a non-COVID-19 agent.
3. Have an active malignancy, not including non-melanoma skin cancer, superficial
cervical or bladder cancer, MGUS, or prostate cancer with PSA <1.0.
4. Are on chronic immune suppressive medications, including
5. corticosteroid therapy at a prednisone equivalent dose of 10 mg per day or higher;
therapy with calcineurin inhibitors or mTOR inhibitors.
6. Are pregnant
7. Are lactating
8. Have a known allergic reaction to components of the CSA or its diluents.
9. Are receiving investigational vaccine for SARS-CoV-2.
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Emily Blumberg, MD, Principal Investigator
University of Pennsylvania