COVID-19 Clinical Trials and Expanded Access

This phase III trial compares the effect of adding tocilizumab to standard of care versus standard of care alone in treating cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. CRS is a potentially serious disorder caused by the release of an excessive amount of substance that is made by cells of the immune system (cytokines) as a response to viral infection. Tocilizumab is used to decrease the body's immune response. Adding tocilizumab to standard of care may work better in treating CRS in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to standard of care alone.

Rationale: The investigators hypothesize that genetics and the nasal epithelial response to SARS-CoV2 are critical determinants of the immune response to viral infection, and predict clinical outcome in COVID-19 patients. Objective: The main objective is to assess whether genetic background and/or the nasal epithelial gene expression in response to SARS-CoV2 is different in patients with mild, severe or very severe disease. The secondary goal of this study is to investigate a) the role of the ACE2-AngII system during SARS-CoV2 in relation to outcome b) the long-term consequences of mild, severe, and very severe COVID-19 infection c) the association between mild, severe and very severe COVID-19 with clinical & molecular markers of disease progression d) whether the faeces microbiome, virome or metabolomics profile predicts clinical outcome in COVID-19 patients and e) to investigate whether pre-existing antibodies towards other coronaviruses play a role in severe disease development. Study design: Prospective open label clinical observational study. In this study samples will be collected from 150 COVI-19 patients ( 50 mild (group 1), 50 severe (group 2) and 50 very severe (group 3) ). Blood, nasal brushes and stool will be collected for all groups at hospital admission and 3 months after recovery, and for groups 2 & 3 at day 3, at day 14, and before detubation Study population: A total of 150 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 will be included. The investigators aim for 50 patients per group, divided over 3 groups: Group 1 Patients with mild disease who tested positively for SARS-CoV2 infection, but only experience mild symptoms and do not need hospitalization. Group 2 Patients with severe disease admitted to hospital, without the need to be admitted to the intensive care. Group 3 Patients with very severe disease admitted to intensive care, who require mechanical ventilation. Main study parameters/endpoints: The primary endpoint of this study is the identification of genes, pathways and cell populations that associate with clinical outcome and disease progression in mild, severe and very severe COVID-19 patients.

To date, there is no efficient therapeutics to prevent or treat COVID-19 related pulmonary failure. Corticosteroids (CS) could be a helpful therapeutic. Retrospective reports suggested survival improvement in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). CT scan for COVID19 hospitalized patients showed sometimes unusual aspects of pneumonia, suggestive of an organizing phase of diffuse alveolar damage (DAD). We hypothesize that, in the context of alveolar aggression induced by COVID-19, CT scan could help to individualize patients with a high probability of pulmonary organizing process who could benefit from CS treatment.

Rationale: Currently there are no approved treatments for COVID-19. In the Dutch treatment protocol guideline (SWAB) designated treatment is supportive care with the option to add chloroquine base (CQ) or hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). CQ and HCQ are implemented because of their in vitro activity, results from small animal studies, and anecdotal patient's data. There are no published randomized studies with these medications in patients with disease caused by any coronavirus. Objective: To evaluate if treatment with only supportive care or addition of one of two anti-COVID_19 agents (chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine) results in less disease progression in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 who require hospital admission. Study design: Multicentre, cluster randomized cross-over, open label trial. Hospitals will be randomly allocated to one of 3 treatment arms in sequential periods of one week: chloroquine base versus hydroxychloroquine versus supportive care without any drug presumed active against SARS-COV-2. Patients will be treated based on the date of inclusion. Study population: Adults aged of 18 years and older with moderate to severe, with a NEWS-2 score ≤ 5, laboratory confirmed COVID-19, who require hospital admission in a ward outside the Medium Care or Intensive Care. Intervention (if applicable): Depending on the treatment arm, the study subject will receive only supportive care or an addition with one of the two agents active against SARS-CoV-2 (chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine). Main study parameters/endpoints: Disease progression defined as a NEWS-2 score ≥ 7 within 14 days, or admission to Medium Care or Intensive Care Unit, or death.

This study will enroll 40 symptomatic outpatients tested positive for Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Patients to be randomized 1:1 to Telmisartan (40 mg) vs placebo to be administered orally once daily x 21 days. Daily, the study patients will be asked to keep a record of the severity of their fever, dyspnea and fatigue and take their blood pressure (BP) and temperature. Study visits to occur on day 1 (entry), day 4, day 10 and day 21. Oro-pharyngeal swabs, and approximately 25 cc of blood will be collected at each study visit for safety labs and for the evaluation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) system and for various blood biomarkers of inflammation, coagulation and fibrosis.

This trial will determine the safety and estimate efficacy of targeted corticosteroids in mechanically ventilated patients with the hyper-inflammatory sub phenotype of ARDS due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by implementing a Phase 2A clinical trial.

Emergence of Covid-19 virus is associated with high frequency of extremely severe clinical pictures, with minor signs of CNS impairment (e.g. anosmia, headache). Since neurotropism is a common feature of coronavirus infection in animals, the investigators examine if indirect signs of CNS lesion are observed in association with severe Covid-19 infection.

Clinical manifestations of Covid-19 are poorly characterised in HIV co-infection, which may predispose to more severe disease. Reducing hospitalisation and severe illness in this population has important individual and public health benefits. The investigators propose a pragmatic multi-centre, randomized controlled trial in South Africa to evaluate the efficacy and safety of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine to prevent progression of disease and hospitalisation amongst HIV-positive people with Covid-19 not requiring hospitalisation at initial assessment.

Brief Summary: SARS-CoV-2 virus infection is known to cause Lung Injury that begins as dyspnea and exercise intolerance, but may rapidly progress to Critical COVID-19 with Respiratory Failure and the need for noninvasive or mechanical ventilation. Mortality rates as high as 80% have been reported among those who require mechanical ventilation, despite best available intensive care. Patients with severe COVID-19 by FDA definition who have not developed respiratory failure be treated with nebulized ZYESAMI™ (aviptadil acetate, a synthetic version of Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide (VIP)) 100 μg 3x daily plus Standard of Care vs. placebo + Standard of Care using an FDA 501(k) cleared mesh nebulizer. The primary outcome will be progression in severity of COVID-19 (i.e. critical OR severe progressing to critical) over 28 days. Secondary outcomes will include blood oxygenation as measured by pulse oximetry, dyspnea, exercise tolerance, and levels of TNFα IL-6 and other cytokines.

This is a randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MRx-4DP0004 in patients with COVID-19. 90 hospitalised patients will be enrolled and randomised (2:1) to receive MRx-4DP0004 or placebo for up to 14 days. MRx-4DP0004 is an immunomodulating Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) which is expected to prevent or reduce the hyperinflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 infection without impairing viral clearance.