COVID-19 is a disease with high rate of morbidity if symptomatic. There is a great need of treatments to decrease the severity. The vast majority of patients needing intensive care are men, and this may be due to the androgens, either by regulation of TMPRSS2, necessary for virus internalization, or other mechanisms. Enzalutamide is an antiandrogen inhibiting the expression of androgen regulated proteins, such as TMPRSS2. The aim of this trial is to evaluate a possible beneficial effect of short-term enzalutamide treatment of COVID-19 patients.
Drug: Enzalutamide Pill
The once daily dose will be given only during hospitalization and stop if starting invasive mechanical ventilation or at discharge from hospital
Inclusion Criteria:
- Positive COVID-19 test
- Mild to severe symptoms of COVID-19
- Hospitalization
- WHO performance status 0-3
- Age above or equal to 50 years
- Can understand all the requirements of the study, provide informed consent, and
provide authorization of use and disclosure of personal health information.
- Estimated expected survival of 1 year (excluding symptoms due to COVID-19)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Severe allergy to Enzalutamide
- Pregnant or breast-feeding women
- Need of immediate mechanical ventilation
- Current medication includes enzalutamide treatment
- Stroke or Transitory Ischemic attack in medical history
- Treatment for HIV
- Treatment with tamoxifen
- Treatment with immunosuppressive agents
- Severe immunosuppressive disease
- Treatment with warfarin or NOAC (Non-vitamin K-antagonist anticoagulants)
- Previous seizure in medical history
- Other serious illness or medical condition
- Unstable cardiovascular disease
Anders Bjartell
Malmö, Skåne, Sweden
Ryhovs Hospital
Jönköping, Småland, Sweden
Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Gothenburg, Sweden
Linköping University Hospital
Linköping, Sweden
Sundsvall Region Hosptial
Sundsvall, Sweden
Umeå Univerisity Hospital
Umeå, Sweden
Andreas Josefsson, MdPhD, Principal Investigator
Norrlands University Hospital, Region Västerbotten