COVID-19 Clinical Trials and Expanded Access

SARS-CoV-2 infection mainly leads to interstitial pneumonia. The patients with low immunity have more serious conditions. At present, there is no specific drug/therapy available for COVID-19. NK cells are the major cells of the natural immune system, which are essential for innate immunity and adaptive immunity, and are indispensable in the defense of virus infection. NKG2D is an activating receptor of NK cells, which can recognize and thus clear virus infected cells. NK cells modified by CAR play a role in targeted cell therapy, and have benn demonstrated very safe without severe side effects such as cytokine releasing syndromes. The survival time of NK cells will be very short if there is no IL-15-sustained support after adoptive transfer into the body. In comparison with natural IL-15 in vivo, IL-15 superagonist (sIL-15/IL-15Rɑ chimeric protein) has increased the activity by nearly 20 times and as well as improved pharmacokinetic characteristics with longer persistence and enhanced target cytotoxicity. CAR-T cell-mediated cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity have been shown to be abrogated through GM-CSF neutralization. ACE2 is the receptor of SARS-CoV-2 and binds to S protein of the virus envelope. We have constructed and prepared the universal off-the-shelf IL15 superagonist- and GM-CSF neutralizing scFv-secreting NKG2D-ACE2 CAR-NK derived from cord blood. By targeting the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 and NKG2DL on the surface of infected cells with ACE2 and NKG2D, respectively, and with the strong synergistic effect of IL15 superagonist and CRS prevention through GM-CSF neutralizing scFv, we hope that the SARS-CoV-2 virus particles and their infected cells can be safely and effectively removed, thus providing a safe and effective cell therapy for COVID-19. In addition, ACE2 CAR-NK cells can competitively inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection of type II alveolar epithelial cells and other important organ or tissue cells through ACE2 so as to make SARS-CoV-2 abortive infection (i.e., no production of infectious virus particles). This project is an open, randomized, parallel, multicenter phase I/II clinical trial. The NKG2D-ACE2 CAR-NK cells secreting super IL15 superagonist and GM-CSF neutralizing scFv are going to be give by intravenous infusion (108 cells per kilogram of body weight, once a week) for the treatment of 30 patients with each common, severe and critical type COVID-19, respectively.

Study on adult patients positive to COVID-19 virus. After signing informed consent and undergoing screening assessments, eligible patients will record few times a day several pre-defined sentences to the Cordio App installed in a smartphone/tablet. The app will upload the vocal data to the sponsor's servers for analysis. The patient will record at hospital admittance (COVID-19 positive) until patient defined as COVID-19 negative and free of relevant clinical symptoms.

The COVID-19 pandemic leads to a greatly increased risk of substantial psychological stress worldwide. We intend to evaluate an online support program aiming at reducing stress in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program consists of twelve modules that participants undergo, covering a broad range of topics related to stress in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been developed together with and is provided by Selfapy GmbH, Berlin. The aim of this randomised clinical trial with observational components is to estimate the effects of the intervention as a whole, as well as individual modules and selected chapters. Further, follow-up assessments as well as information on risks and the long-term course of COVID pandemic-related stress may help to elucidate COVID-19 pandemic stress across time and what we can do to prevent long-term negative consequences.

The overall objective of the study is to determine which treatments (e.g. immune modulator drugs) have the most favorable benefit-risk in adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 either diagnosed with moderate or severe pneumonia requiring no mechanical ventilation or critical pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation. The specific aims of this Covid19 cohort are to collect observational data at regular intervals on an ongoing basis in order to embed a series of randomized controlled trials evaluating a various set of interventions for patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. The study has a cohort multiple Randomized Controlled Trials (cmRCT) design.

The overall objective of the study is to determine the therapeutic effect and tolerance of Sarilumab in patients with moderate, severe pneumonia or critical pneumonia associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Sarilumab is a human IgG1 monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to both soluble and membrane-bound IL-6Rs (sIL-6Rα and mIL-6Rα) and has been shown to inhibit IL-6-mediated signaling through these receptors. The study has a cohort multiple Randomized Controlled Trials (cmRCT) design. Randomization will occur prior to offering Sarilumab administration to patients enrolled in the CORIMUNO-19 cohort. Sarilumab will be administered to consenting adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 either diagnosed with moderate or severe pneumonia requiring no mechanical ventilation or critical pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation. Patients who will chose not to receive Sarilumab will receive standard of care. Outcomes of Sarilumab-treated patients will be compared with outcomes of standard of care-treated patients as well as with outcomes of patients treated with other immune modulators.

This study will assess the prevalence and incidence of COVID-19 infection in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis on immunosuppressant therapy.

CAPACITY (www.capacity-covid.eu) is a registry of patients with COVID-19 across Europe and has been established to answer questions on the role of cardiovascular disease in this pandemic. It is an extension of the Case Record Form (CRF) that was released by the ISARIC (International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium) and WHO (World Health Organisation) in response to the emerging outbreak of COVID-19.

In December 2019, a new type of pneumonia, COVID-2019 outbroke in Wuhan ,China, and currently the infected has been reported in more than at least 75 countries. Patients with severe COVID-19 have rapid disease progression and high mortality rate. This may attribute to the excessive immune response caused by cytokine storm. Strategies based on anti-virus drugs and treatments against symptoms have now been employed. However, these managements can't effectively treat the lethal lung injury and uncontrolled immune responses, especially in the elderly with severe COVID-19. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which treats the disease from anther perspective, has achieved satisfactory results. National Health Commission of China released a series of policies to enhance the administration of TCM prescriptions. This study is aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine as an adjuvant treatment for severe COVID-19.

Different studies showed that ascorbic acid (vitaminC) positively affects the development and maturation of T-lymphocytes, in particular NK (natural Killer) cells involved in the immune response to viral agents. It also contributes to the inhibition of ROS production and to the remodulation of the cytokine network typical of systemic inflammatory syndrome. Recent studies have also demonstrated the effectiveness of vitamin C administration in terms of reducing mortality, in patients with sepsis hospitalized in intensive care wards. Given this background, in the light of the current COVID-19 emergency, since the investigators cannot carry out a randomized controlled trial, it is their intention to conduct a study in the cohort of hospitalized patients with covid-19 pneumonia, administering 10 gr of vitamin C intravenously in addition to conventional therapy.

COVID-19 pandemic threatens patients, societies and healthcare systems around the world. The host immunity determines the progress of the disease and its lethality. The associated cytokine storm mainly affects the lungs; leading to acute lung injury with variable degrees. Modulation of cytokine production using Immunonutrition is a novel concept that has been applied to other diseases. Using specific nutrients such as n3- fatty acids and antioxidant vitamins in extraordinary doses modulate the host immune response and ameliorate the cytokine storm associated with viral diseases such as COVID-19. In this proposal, we will conduct a prospective double-blinded controlled trial for 14 days on 30 SARS-CoV-2 positive cases. The participant will be randomly assigned to two groups (n=20/each); intervention (IG) and placebo (PG) groups. The IG group will be provided with an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant oral supplement (OS) on a daily basis, while the PG will be given an isocaloric placebo. Basal and weekly nutritional screening, as well as recording of anthropometric, clinical and biochemical parameters, will be done. The main biochemical parameters include serum ferritin level, cytokine storm parameters (interleukin-6, Tumor necrosis factor-α, and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1), C-reactive protein, total leukocyte count, differential lymphocytic count and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio. It is expected that the anti-inflammatory-antioxidant OS might help in the reduction of the COVID-19 severity with more preservation of the nutritional status of infected cases.