COVID-19 Clinical Trials and Expanded Access

The COVID-19 infection primarily manifests itself as a respiratory tract infection, although new evidence indicates that this disease has systemic involvement involving multiple systems including the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurological, hematopoietic and immune systems. Recent studies have shown that in its pathophysiology, inflammation and thrombogenesis predominate, especially in the severe forms of COVID-19. Thus, the investigators hypothesized that the use of heparin and tocilizumab could potencially reduce inflammation and thrombogenesis in patients with severe COVID-19 infection, improving patients outcomes and survival.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory tract infection caused by a newly emergent coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that can progress to severe multiorgan disease requiring hospitalization. The medium and long-term impact in survivors of COVID-19 on lung function, imaging by thoracic CT, exercise capacity, and health-related quality of life and the relation of these parameters remains to be determined.

This study is a multi-center, randomized, double blinded, prospective, placebo controlled study. Patients upon diagnosis of COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease-19) will be eligible to participate in the study. The purpose of this study is to find out the side effects and ability to take the study drug, Nitric Oxide (NO) lozenges when taken twice daily by mouth. If this study shows that the drug has no or few, acceptable side effects, it will then include up to 840 participants to find out if the drug can reduce bad outcomes of COVID-19 infection (hospitalization, ICU admission, death). In each part of the study, half of the subjects will receive the study drug and the other half will be given a placebo (inactive pill).

One hundred patients hospitalized and in need of oxygen treatment due to Covid-19 should be randomized and 50% treated with 200 ml convalescent plasma x 3 and 50% given ordinary treatment. Primary outcome is number of days the patients need oxygen within 28 days from inclusion. Secondary outcome is number of days in hospital, number of days in respirator and mortality. Side effects of treatment is monitored.

The study 'Survival rates and long-term outcomes for patients with COVID-19 admitted to Norwegian ICUs' is a national observational study, including patients admitted to a Norwegian ICU between March 2020 and March 2021. The study will describe survival rates, clinical characteristics and health challenges experienced by survivors the first year after ICU admission caused by COVID-19 disease.

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) induce, in the affected patient, a prominent negative effect on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) and physical fitness. The health care utilisation is high and the patient does never know when the next attack of atrial fibrillation occurs. Therefore, is physical exertion often avoided due to fear of new attacks. Further, are shortness of breath and fatigue often present despite of prescribed modern drugs. Paroxysmal AF per se enhance markedly the risk to develop stroke and heart failure, which both are syndromes that cause further negative effect on the patient´s HR-QoL and physical fitness. Altogether, cause the symptoms in paroxysmal AF a vicious spiral where both VO2max and muscle function deteriorate. The problems with shortness of breath might be due to dysfunction in respiratory muscles. Physiotherapy led exercise within cardiac rehabilitation (PT-X) in combination with inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has shown positive effects in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation. However, to our knowledge, not yet investigated in patients with paroxysmal AF. Aim: Primary to investigate, in a multicentre randomised controlled trial, if PT-X in combination with IMT can impact HR-QoL in patients with paroxysmal AF. Secondary to investigate the effect of PT-X in combination with IMT regarding symptoms, physical fitness, physical activity and the number of atrial fibrillation attacks and health care costs compared to the control group, asked to live their usual life, during the study period. Expected outcome: PTX in combination with IMT can improve HR-QoL, respiratory muscle function, level of symptoms, physical fitness and physical activity in patients with paroxysmal AF. In addition, a reduced number of atrial fibrillation attacks could decrease the direct cost of health care.

Abbreviations/acronyms: DUO-EF = prediction of ejection fraction (EF) using the Eko-DUO digital stethoscope algorithm HF = heart failure HFrEF = heart failure with reduced ejection fraction COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019 Eko DUO = digital stethoscope device cMRI = cardiac magnetic resonance imaging ECG = electrocardiogram Prospective observational study of left ventricular ejection fraction predicted by application of artificial intelligence to single-lead ECG acquired by a digital stethoscope; in the post-covid-19 follow up clinic, in patients presenting with heart failure symptoms in primary care, and in patients attending for echocardiography and cardiac MRI.

This is an open-label, expanded access study of exebacase used in addition to antistaphylococcal antibiotics in adult patients with persistent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections (BSI), including right-sided endocarditis (R-IE), who are hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Patients with left-sided endocarditis (L-IE) are excluded. Patients will receive a single dose of exebacase. Patients will continue to receive antistaphylococcal antibiotics as prescribed by the treating physician. Exebacase Phase 3 study sites (Study CF-301-105) may participate in this Expanded Access study (Study CF-301-107). Exebacase, a direct lytic agent, is an entirely new treatment modality against S. aureus. Exebacase is a recombinantly-produced, purified cell wall hydrolase enzyme that results in rapid bacteriolysis, potent biofilm eradication, synergy with antibiotics, low propensity for resistance, and the potential to suppress antibiotic resistance when used together with antibiotics. Exebacase represents a first-in-field, first-in-class treatment with the potential to improve clinical outcome when used in addition to standard-of-care antibiotics to treat S. aureus BSI including IE.

This study is to analyse the efficacy of LD-RT for treatment of Severe-Acute-Respiratory-Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).

There is currently no known treatment for COVID19. Active smokers are infrequent among patients with COVID-19 which has led our team to hypothesize that nicotine is responsible for this protective effect via the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). In fact, nAChR possess the ability to modulate ACE2 expression, the cellular doorway for SARS-CoV2. nAChR modulation by the virus would be responsible for the numerous clinical signs observed in COVID-19, including the cytokine storm manifested in intensive care hyperinflammatory patients. Based on epidemiological data and experimental data from scientific literature, our team hypothesize that nicotine could inhibit the penetration and propagation of SARS-CoV2. Our team also claim that nicotine could attenuate the hyperinflammatory response and cytokine storm leading to acute respiratory failure and a probable multi-organ failure associated with COVID19.