Pirfenidone vs. Nintedanib for Fibrotic Lung Disease After Coronavirus Disease-19 Pneumonia

NCT ID: NCT04856111

Last Updated: 2022-10-03

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Clinical Phase: PHASE4
• Total Enrollment: 48 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-03-17
• Study Completion Date: 2022-11-30

Brief Summary

The antifibrotic agents, namely pirfenidone and nintedanib have been found to be effective in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Nintedanib has also been found to be effective in treating systemic sclerosis-related interstitial lung disease (ILD) and non-IPF progressive fibrosing ILDs. Pirfenidone has also been found beneficial unclassifiable ILDs. Whether these drugs would be effective in treating post-COVID lung fibrosis also is unknown. As the final pathway of lung fibrosis appears to be common among different diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLDs), it is hoped that these antifibrotic agents might be helpful in post-COVID fibrosis. There are no randomized studies that have assessed the role of pirfenidone or nintedanib in post COVID fibrosis. In the current study, we aim to assess the efficacy and safety of pirfenidone and compare it with nintedanib in the treatment of post-COVID lung fibrosis.

Detailed Description

Since the early part of 2020, the entire world has been affected by a pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The disease has a short incubation period (median, 3 days) and is highly transmissible. This disease may manifest as an asymptomatic infection and through an entire range of symptoms of varying severity to severe, life-threatening disease. Although diverse systemic features might be present, the usual presentation is with lower respiratory tract involvement in the form of pneumonia often resulting in the development of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In some patients, multi-organ failure sets in, possibly as a result of a cytokine storm interplaying with a thrombotic microangiopathy.

Early lung disease is characterized pathologically by neutrophilic and exudative capillaritis in the lungs with some evidence of microthrombosis.2 This may be followed by a picture of diffuse alveolar damage along with ongoing intravascular thrombosis in the pulmonary vessels. In late stages, an organizing pneumonia (OP) develops with extensive proliferation of fibroblasts within the airspaces. Clinically, most patients make a complete recovery after COVID pneumonia. Other patients may demonstrate some signs of recovery from the acute illness with resolution of fever and recovery of organ functions, however they continue to have some degree of breathlessness, persistent infiltrates on radiologic studies, and/or hypoxemia. The CT abnormalities in these patients are commonly characterized by patchy, multifocal consolidation and ground-glass opacities suggestive of the OP pattern. Coarse reticulation and parenchymal bands may also be present.

Patients with such diffuse lung disease after COVID-19, herein referred to as post-COVID diffuse lung disease (PC-DLD) are often treated with glucocorticoids. Although most patients with a predominant OP pattern of injury would have a resolution of lung parenchymal abnormalities either spontaneously or with glucocorticoids, some of them might develop signs of lung fibrosis, in the form of traction bronchiectasis and/or honeycombing. Some subjects have ongoing respiratory symptoms despite treatment with steroids, and they may be found to have persistent reticulation or non-resolving consolidation on chest imaging that may represent early fibrosis.

The antifibrotic agents, namely pirfenidone and nintedanib have been found to be effective in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Nintedanib has also been found to be effective in treating systemic sclerosis-related interstitial lung disease (ILD) and non-IPF progressive fibrosing ILDs. Pirfenidone has also been found beneficial unclassifiable ILDs. Whether these drugs would be effective in treating post-COVID lung fibrosis also is unknown. As the final pathway of lung fibrosis appears to be common among different diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLDs), it is hoped that these antifibrotic agents might be helpful in post-COVID fibrosis. There are no randomized studies that have assessed the role of pirfenidone or nintedanib in post COVID fibrosis. In the current study, we aim to assess the efficacy and safety of pirfenidone and compare it with nintedanib in the treatment of post-COVID lung fibrosis.

Conditions

Novel Coronavirus-induced Lung Fibrosis

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Pirfenidone

Pirfenidone will be started at a dose of 600 mg/day. The dose will be escalated by 600 mg/day every 3-7 days up to a targeted dose of 2400 mg/day. The subjects will be administered the maximum tolerated dose for a total period of 24 weeks from randomization.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Pirfenidone

Intervention Type: DRUG

Same as arm description

Nintedanib

Subjects in this group will be administered nintedanib at a dose of 150 mg twice daily. The liver function tests will be monitored as above. The dose will be reduced to 100 mg twice daily, if there is intolerance to 300 mg/day dose.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Nintedanib

Intervention Type: DRUG

Same as arm description

Interventions

Pirfenidone

Same as arm description

Intervention Type: DRUG

Nintedanib

Same as arm description

Intervention Type: DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Age above 18 years

2. Diagnosed to have COVID-19 by means of a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test performed on a respiratory (upper or lower respiratory) sample or positive IgM antibody test or a rapid antigen test with consistent clinicoradiologic findings within the previous 4 months

3. Persistent respiratory symptoms

4. Having post-COVID parenchymal involvement >10% of the lung parenchyma on visual inspection of the scans with the presence of radiologic signs of fibrosis (traction bronchiectasis/traction bronchiolectasis or honeycombing or reduced lung volumes), or having persistent reticulation or persistent consolidation despite a trial of glucocorticoids (minimum prednisolone dose of 10 mg/day, or equivalent) for a minimum period of 4 weeks after discharge for the acute COVID-19 illness

Exclusion Criteria

1. Pregnant or lactating women

2. Having absolute contraindication for pirfenidone or nintedanib (advanced liver cirrhosis, persistent elevation of liver transaminases, documented hypersensitivity to pirfenidone or nintedanib, receiving anticoagulants or high dose aspirin or having a vascular stent in situ)

3. Known patient with diffuse lung disease prior to the diagnosis of COVID

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

Sponsors

Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Sahajal Dhooria

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research

Chandigarh, , India

Countries

India

Other Identifiers

INT/IEC/2021/SPL-462

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id