A Study in Patients With COVID-19 and Respiratory Distress Not Requiring Mechanical Ventilation, to Compare Standard-of-care With Anakinra and Tocilizumab Treatment The Immunomodulation-CoV Assessment (ImmCoVA) Study

NCT ID: NCT04412291

Last Updated: 2021-02-18

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2
• Total Enrollment: 120 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2020-06-11
• Study Completion Date: 2021-06-30

Brief Summary

The study is designed as a randomized, controlled, multi-center open-label trial to compare standard-of-care (SOC) treatment with SOC + anakinra or SOC + tocilizumab treatment in hospitalized adult subjects who are diagnosed with severe COVID 19.

Arm A: Standard-of-care Treatment (SOC) Arm B: Anakinra + SOC Arm C: Tocilizumab + SOC.

All subjects will be treated with standard-of-care treatment. Arms B and C will also receive broad spectrum antibiotics initiated before or latest 24 hours after initiation of treatment with study drug.

The primary follow-up period of the study is 29 days.

Conditions

Covid-19

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Standard-of-care Treatment (SOC)

SOC according to local recommendations at the Karolinska University Hospital:

Oxygen supplementation so to achieve SpO2>93%. Thrombosis prophylaxis (Fragmin or Innohep or Klexane or new oral anticoagulants incl. dabigatran, apixaban or rivaroxaban).

Steroids (Betapred)

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Standard-of-care treatment

Intervention Type: DRUG

SOC according to local recommendations at the Karolinska University Hospital. Oxygen supplementation so to achieve SpO2>93%. Thrombosis prophylaxis (Fragmin or Innohep and Klexane® or new oral anticoagulants including dabigatran, apixaban or rivaroxaban).

Steroids (Betapred 6 mg po) Broad spectrum antibiotics (only in arm B and C)

Anakinra + SOC

Anakinra: A total dose of 400mg per day (divided in 4 doses of 100 mg iv every 6 hours) for 7 days.

SOC according to local recommendations at the Karolinska University Hospital. Oxygen supplementation so to achieve SpO2>93%. Thrombosis prophylaxis (Fragmin or Innohep) Steroids (Betapred) Prophylactic broad spectrum antibiotics for seven days..

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Anakinra Prefilled Syringe

Intervention Type: DRUG

A total dose of 400mg per day (divided in 4 doses of 100 mg iv every 6 hours) for 7 days.

Standard-of-care treatment

Intervention Type: DRUG

SOC according to local recommendations at the Karolinska University Hospital. Oxygen supplementation so to achieve SpO2>93%. Thrombosis prophylaxis (Fragmin or Innohep and Klexane® or new oral anticoagulants including dabigatran, apixaban or rivaroxaban).

Steroids (Betapred 6 mg po) Broad spectrum antibiotics (only in arm B and C)

Tocilizumab + SOC.

Tocilizumab: 8mg/kg for a single infusion iv up to max 800 mg. If no clinical response is obtained, another dose of 8mg/kg may be administered after earliest 2 days SOC according to local recommendations at the Karolinska University Hospital. Oxygen supplementation so to achieve SpO2\>93%. Thrombosis prophylaxis (Fragmin or Innohep) Steroids (Betapred) Prophylactic broad spectrum antibiotics for seven days.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Tocilizumab Prefilled Syringe

Intervention Type: DRUG

8mg/kg for a single infusion iv up to max 800 mg. If no clinical response is obtained, another dose of 8mg/kg may be administered after earliest 2 days after inclusion with the following condition: The clinical symptoms are worsened (as assessed by decreasing PaO2/FiO2 and/or need of increased ventilatory support such as NIV, HFNC or mechanical ventilation).

Standard-of-care treatment

Intervention Type: DRUG

SOC according to local recommendations at the Karolinska University Hospital. Oxygen supplementation so to achieve SpO2>93%. Thrombosis prophylaxis (Fragmin or Innohep and Klexane® or new oral anticoagulants including dabigatran, apixaban or rivaroxaban).

Steroids (Betapred 6 mg po) Broad spectrum antibiotics (only in arm B and C)

Interventions

Anakinra Prefilled Syringe

A total dose of 400mg per day (divided in 4 doses of 100 mg iv every 6 hours) for 7 days.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Tocilizumab Prefilled Syringe

8mg/kg for a single infusion iv up to max 800 mg. If no clinical response is obtained, another dose of 8mg/kg may be administered after earliest 2 days after inclusion with the following condition: The clinical symptoms are worsened (as assessed by decreasing PaO2/FiO2 and/or need of increased ventilatory support such as NIV, HFNC or mechanical ventilation).

Intervention Type: DRUG

Standard-of-care treatment

SOC according to local recommendations at the Karolinska University Hospital. Oxygen supplementation so to achieve SpO2>93%. Thrombosis prophylaxis (Fragmin or Innohep and Klexane® or new oral anticoagulants including dabigatran, apixaban or rivaroxaban).

Steroids (Betapred 6 mg po) Broad spectrum antibiotics (only in arm B and C)

Intervention Type: DRUG

Other Intervention Names

Oxygen supplementation; Thrombosis prophylaxis; Steroids; Antibiotics

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Age ≥18 years

2. Laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection as determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or other commercial or public health assay < 7 days prior to screening

3. SARS-CoV-2 infection with duration at least 7 days (i e may be included on day 7) as determined by onset of symptoms (defined as day 1)

4. 5 liters/minute of Oxygen for at least 8 hours to maintain SpO2 at ≥93%. A shorter duration is also accepted if presentation is acute, and the patient needs more than 10 liters/minute of Oxygen, or high flow nasal cannula or non-invasive ventilation, to maintain SpO2 at ≥93%..

5. CRP > 70 mg/L with no non-SARS-Cov2 infections. Values measured up to 48 hours before inclusion are accepted.

6. Ferritin > 500 µg/L Values measured up to 48 hours before inclusion are accepted.

7. At least two points on a scale of 0-3 where 1 point is awarded for each value of; lymphocytes < 1x 10(9)/L; D-dimer ≥ 0.5 mg/L and; Lactate Dehydrogenase ≥ 8 microkatal/L. The values do not have to be concurrently positive and may be up to 3 days old at inclusion.

8. Ability to provide informed consent signed by study patient

9. Willingness and ability to comply with study-related procedures/assessments

10. In fertile females, willing to comply with effective contraceptive methods for up to 3 months after last dose of study drug. These may include surgical sterilization of patient or partner, intrauterine device or condoms. Gestagen-only birth control pills (mini-pills), which do not increase the risk of deep venous thrombosis, may also be used. Non-fertile woman is defined as more than 12 months of amenorrhea without an alternative medical cause or, in case of ambiguities, an FSH level in the postmenopausal range.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Pregnancy or breast feeding.

2. Ongoing or completed mechanical ventilation.

3. In the opinion of the investigator, unlikely to survive for >48 hours from screening.

4. In the opinion of the investigator, expected overall survival due to other comorbidities less than 3 months.

5. Severe renal dysfunction eGFR < 30 ml/min.

6. Medical history including chronic liver disease with inflammation, fibrosis or cirrhosis including underlying diseases such as alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, chronic viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, autoimmune liver disease, hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, cholangitis, or carcinoma.

7. Uncontrolled hypertension Systolic BP >180 mm Hg, Diastolic BP > 110 mm Hg.

8. History of hypersensitivity to the study drugs

9. Presence of any of the following abnormal laboratory values at screening: absolute neutrophil count (ANC) less than 2 x 109/L, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) greater than 5 x upper limit of normal (ULN), platelets <100 x 109/L

10. Treatment with anakinra, anti-IL 6, anti-IL-6R antagonists, Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) in the past 30 days or plans to receive during the study period

11. Current treatment with conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)/immunosuppressive agents

12. Use of chronic oral corticosteroids for a non-COVID-19-related condition in a dose higher than prednisone 10 mg or equivalent per day. Ongoing acute treatment for COVID-19 with any peroral or iv steroid is permitted for up to five days before inclusion. Chronic or acute treatment with inhaled steroids is also permitted

13. History of, or current autoimmune or inflammatory systemic or localized disease(s) other than rheumatoid arthritis

14. Acute systemic infection; verified by blood cultures systemic bacterial infection, systemic fungi-infection or prosthesis-related infection

15. History of stem-cell or solid organ transplantation

16. Known active tuberculosis (TB), history of incompletely treated TB, suspected or known extrapulmonary TB, suspected or known systemic bacterial or fungal infections

17. Diagnosis of, or suspicion of HIV infection, acute hepatitis A and/or chronic hepatitis B and/or C

18. Previous history of gastrointestinal ulceration or diverticulitis.

19. Patients who have received immunosuppressive antibody therapy within the past 3 months, including intravenous immunoglobulin or plans to receive during the study period

20. Participation in any clinical research study evaluating an investigational product (IP) or therapy within 3 months and less than 5 half-lives of IP prior to the screening visit. The use of remdesivir is permitted.

21. Any physical examination findings and/or history of any illness that, in the opinion of the study investigator, might confound the results of the study or pose an additional risk to the patient by their participation in the study

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Karolinska Institutet

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Karolinska University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Jonas Sundén-Cullberg

MD, PhD

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

jonas Sundén-Cullberg, MD PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset

Locations

Karolinska University Hospital

Huddinge, Stockholm County, Sweden

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Sweden

Central Contacts

Investigator Jonas Sundén-Cullberg, MD PhD

Role: CONTACT

Jonas.sunden-cullberg@sll.se

+46-8-58580000

Jon Lampa, MD PhD

Role: CONTACT

jon.lampa@sll.se

+46-8-58580000

Facility Contacts

Jonas Sundén-Cullberg, MD, PHD

Role: primary

jonas.sunden-cullberg@sll.se

References

Sunden-Cullberg J, Chen P, Habel H, Skorup P, Janols H, Rasmuson J, Niward K, Ostholm Balkhed A, Chatzidionysiou K, Asgeirsson H, Blennow O, Parke A, Svensson AK, Muvva JR, Ljunggren HG; Karolinska KI/K COVID-19 Treatment Working Group; Horne AC, Aden U, Henter JI, Sonnerborg A, Vesterbacka J, Nowak P, Lampa J. Anakinra or tocilizumab in patients admitted to hospital with severe covid-19 at high risk of deterioration (IMMCoVA): A randomized, controlled, open-label trial. PLoS One. 2023 Dec 29;18(12):e0295838. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295838. eCollection 2023.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 38157348 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

2020-001748-24

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id