Disulfiram (DSF) a safe, easily dosed, FDA-approved drug for the treatment of alcohol dependence has been identified to be a potential therapeutic target for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Disulfiram may have both antiviral (inhibiting viral replication via blocking the Mpro protease and zinc ejection) and anti-inflammatory effects (via inhibition of NF-kB-induced and NLRP inflammasome-induced cytokine release) on SARS-CoV-2. We will study oral disulfiram given for 5 consecutive days (1000 mg/day in cohort 1; 2000 mg/day in cohort 2) in 60 symptomatic COVID+ individuals in a randomized (2:1) randomized, double blind placebo-controlled trial evaluating disulfiram's effect on COVID-19 symptom severity, SARS-CoV-2 viral load, and biomarkers of inflammation and pyroptosis (aberrant pro-inflammatory cell death) over 31 days.
The identification of a safe, effective treatment for individuals with early mild-to-moderate
symptomatic COVID-19 that prevent progression to more severe disease would have immediate
public health implications. A hallmark of severe COVID-19 disease is immune system
dysregulation called cytokine storm. Multiple studies have reported that patients with severe
disease demonstrate elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines early in disease, and
elevated IL-6 plasma concentrations are predictive of poor clinical outcomes in COVID-19.
Disulfiram, an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of alcohol dependence disorder is an
appealing therapeutic option for COVID-19. It has a good safety profile, easy dosing
schedule, and recent data suggesting multiple mechanisms by which disulfiram may act on
COVID-19 (both as a direct antiviral agent as well as indirect effects on reducing
inflammation). In addition disulfiram has been studied extensively with detailed available
pharmacokinetic data; disulfiram has a short half-life ~7.5 hours with >90% of drug
eliminated within 3 days post-dose, allowing quick reversal of any potential adverse effects.
We will perform a phase 2 randomized (2:1), double blind placebo-controlled assessment of
disulfiram in people with early mild-to-moderate symptomatic COVID-19. A total of 60
symptomatic COVID+ individuals will enrolled to receive active drug versus placebo (with
equal distribution of mild or moderate/severe within each dosing cohort and within each
randomization arm). For cohort 1, N=20 will receive DSF 1000 mg/N=10 placebo, and for cohort
2, N=20 will receive DSF 2000 mg/N=10 placebo. Drug/placebo will be administered using strict
infection control protocols designed to support the study of people with acute COVID-19
infection per the Center for Diseases Control (CDC) guidelines
(https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home-patie…).
Drug: Disulfiram
This study will provide disulfiram. Participants in Cohort 1 receiving disulfiram will take 2 capsules of disulfiram (each capsule contains 500 mg DSF plus 27.75 mg microcrystalline cellulose powder) per day for a total of 5 consecutive days. Participants in Cohort 2 receiving placebo will take 4 capsules of disulfiram (each capsule contains 500 mg DSF plus 27.75 mg microcrystalline cellulose powder) per day for a total of 5 consecutive days.
Other Name: Antabuse
Drug: Placebo
This study will provide placebo. Participants in Cohort 1 receiving placebo will take 2 capsules of placebo (each capsule contains only microcrystalline cellulose powder) per day for a total of 5 consecutive days. Participants in Cohort 2 receiving placebo will take 4 capsules of placebo (each capsule contains only microcrystalline cellulose powder) per day for a total of 5 consecutive days
Inclusion Criteria:
- Willing and able to provide written informed consent, and
- Age >= 18 years, and
- SARS-CoV-2 positive PCR (nucleic acid) test within the preceding 7 days, and
- Not currently hospitalized, and
- Willing to abstain from any alcohol during the two week period in which disulfiram
will be administered and during the two week period immediately after disulfiram
administration.
- Both male and female subjects are eligible. Females of childbearing potential must
have a negative pregnancy test at screening and agree to use a double-barrier method
of contraception throughout the study period.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Pregnant, breastfeeding, or unwilling to practice birth control during participation
in the study
- Active malignancy requiring systemic chemotherapy or surgery in the preceding 3 months
or for whom such therapies are expected in the subsequent 6 months
- Decompensated liver disease as defined by the presence of ascites, encephalopathy,
esophageal or gastric varices, or persistent jaundice
- Serious illness requiring systemic treatment and/or hospitalization in the 3 months
prior to study enrollment
- Concurrent treatment with immunomodulatory drugs, and/or exposure to any
immunomodulatory drug in the 4 weeks prior to study enrollment (e.g. corticosteroid
therapy equal to or exceeding a dose of 15 mg/day of prednisone for more than 10 days,
IL-2, interferon-alpha, methotrexate, cancer chemotherapy). NOTE: use of inhaled or
nasal steroid is not exclusionary.
- Serious medical or psychiatric illness that, in the opinion of the site investigator,
would interfere with the ability to adhere to study requirements or to give informed
consent.
- Current alcohol use disorder or hazardous alcohol use (>7 drinks per week for women or
> 14 drinks per week for men) as determined by clinical evaluation.
- Current use of any drug formulation that contains alcohol or that might contain
alcohol
- Current use of warfarin.
- Clinically active hepatitis determined by the study physician; ALT or AST > 3 x the
upper limit of normal or total bilirubin outside the normal range.
- Allergy to rubber or thiuram derivatives
University of California San Francisco, Fresno
Fresno, California, United States
San Francisco General Hospital
San Francisco, California, United States
Sulggi A Lee, MD PhD, Principal Investigator
University of California, San Francisco