COVID-19 Clinical Trials and Expanded Access

This is a multicenter, Phase 2 study, to assess the efficacy of the treatment with convalescent plasma in patients with severe COVID-19 infection.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to demonstrate that the intracorporeal resection and anastomosis in left-sided colon cancer, sigma and upper rectum, is not inferior to extracoprporeal resection and anastomosis, in terms of anastomotic leakage. BACKGROUND: Due to the recent events of a pandemic respiratory disease secondary to infection by SARS-CoV-2 virus or coronavirus 19 (COVID19), surgeons have been forced to adapt our surgical procedures in order to minimize exposure to the virus as much as possible. Based on the recommendations in case of surgery in patients with highly contagious viral diseases, the latest studies suggest minimally invasive accesses to minimize the risk of contagion. One of the proposed measures is the performance of intracorporeal anastomoses. Therefore, given the extensive experience of our center in minimally invasive surgery and studies on the validation of intracorporeal anastomosis techniques in both laparoscopic surgery of the right colon and rectum (TaTME), and the study of advantages that they can provide to the patient, our intention is to apply it to surgery on the left colon, sigma and upper rectum. Our hypothesis is that exteriorization of the colon through an accessory incision increases the risk of tension at the mesocolon level, thus increasing the risk of vascular deficit at the level of the staple area and it may increase the rate of anastomotic leakage. In this sense, studies that validate a standard technique of intracorporeal anastomosis in left colon surgery and that demonstrate its benefit with respect to extracorporeal anastomosis are lacking. We intend to describe a new intracorporeal anastomosis technique (ICA) that is feasible and safe for the patient and that can be applied universally. Once the ICA technique is established, it will allow us to determine its non-inferiority compared to the standard technique performed up to now with extracorporeal anastomosis. METHODS: All consecutive patients with left-sided, sigma and upper rectum adenocarcinoma will be included into a prospective cohort and treated by laparoscopy with totally intracorporeal resection and anastomosis. They will be compared with a retrospective cohort of consecutive patients of identical characteristics treated by laparoscopy with extracorporeal resection and anastomosis, in the immediate chronological period.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emerged in late 2019 and has since been diagnosed in over a million persons worldwide. As this virus progresses, it causes an extreme and uncontrolled response from the patient's immune system accompanied by reduced oxygen flow to major organs, and subsequent ischaemic injury. The current treatment of COVID-19 is largely supportive without any cure or vaccine available at this time. Developing new methods to reduce this heightened inflammatory response is essential to halting progression of COVID-19 in patients and reducing the severity of damage. The cellular mechanisms seen in COVID-19 are similar to those seen in patients with sepsis. A process known as Remote Ischemic Conditioning (RIC) is an intervention which has been shown to prevent cellular injury including those associated with sepsis. Based on the evidence from studies looking at sepsis, it is anticipated the same benefit would be seen in patients diagnosed with COVID-19. RIC is a simple, non-invasive procedure where a blood pressure cuff is applied to the arm for repeated cycles of inflating and deflating (typically 3-5 cycles of 5 minutes each). This process activates pro-survival mechanisms in the body to protect vital organs and improve the immune system. Therefore, we believe it represents an exciting strategy to protect organs against reduced blood flow and extreme immune response, as seen in COVID-19 infections. This study has already been fully approved

This is an open label randomized controlled clinical trial which was designed to confirm the potential efficacy and safety of favipiravir in the management of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 compared to best supportive care.

COVID-19 patients with a severely symptomatic progression with development of an Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to SARS-CoV-2 need prolonged intensive care treatment involving pharmacological immobilization, sedation and mechanical ventilation, leaving them at a very high risk for developing Critical illness myopathy (CIM). CIM is associated with increased mortality and significant consequences for recovery and the ability to return to normal daily life. Up to date, there are no studies investigating the mid- or long-term course of the novel COVID-19 disease. The present study therefore aims to evaluate the clinical outcome of patients with ARDS due to SARS-CoV-2 with special attention to the development of CIM and its underlying causes. To provide the possibility of early diagnosis of CIM, critically ill patients will be regularly screened for muscle membrane alterations using (Muscle velocity recovery cycles) MRVC measurements. The primary endpoint is the incidence of CIM in patients with ARDS due to SARS-CoV-2, diagnosed according to the current diagnostic criteria.

Several patients with hypoxaemic SARS-CoV2 pneumonia were able to benefit from hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) in China. In a clinical case published in the Chinese journal of hyperbaric medicine, treatment with repeated HBO sessions prevented admission to intensive care unit with mechanical ventilation in a patient aged 69 who presented with signs of respiratory decompensation. HBOT is the most powerful oxygenation modality in the body today. HBOT can dramatically increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the blood. HBOT not only promotes blood transport but also its tissue delivery. Furthermore, HBOT has specific immunomodulatory properties, both humoral and cellular, making it possible, for example, to reduce the intensity of the inflammatory response and to stimulate antioxidant defenses by repeating sessions. A virucidal capacity of HBOT might also be involved. HBOT is generally regarded as safe with very few adverse events. Following this feedback, it is proposed in the context of crisis management related to SARS-CoV2 to assess the value of HBO treatment of patients with CoV2 pneumonia. Indeed, it seems essential to propose therapeutic strategies to limit the risk of respiratory decompensation requiring admission to intensive care unit for patients with SARS-CoV2 pneumonia.

This Phase 2/3 trial evaluates four treatment strategies for non-critically ill hospitalized participants (not requiring ICU admission and/or mechanical ventilation) with SARS CoV-2 infection, in which participants will receive NA-831 or Atazanavir with or without Dexamethasone.