The PROTECT open-label randomised basket trial will assess the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as chemoprophylaxis against COVID-19 in multiple vulnerable populations in the United Kingdom.
COVID-19 (novel coronavirus-induced disease) was declared a global pandemic by the WHO on 11th March 2020. Currently there are no drugs proven to treat or delay progression of COVID-19 and no vaccine is yet available. Efforts are underway to repurpose established drugs with well understood drug interactions and safety profiles. Vulnerable populations such as those receiving in-centre dialysis are largely excluded from ongoing trials. The PROTECT Basket clinical trial aims to enrol patients at particularly high risk of COVID-19 and its complications, seeking to test treatments that either might prevent the disease from occurring or may reduce the number of cases where the disease becomes serious or life-threatening. The PROTECT trial will use innovative design and analysis methodologies to allow the simultaneous assessment of one or more treatments in multiple populations. Patients will be eligible for recruitment to the trial if they fall within one of the following vulnerable populations: a) patients receiving in-centre haemodialysis, b) transplant patients, c) vasculitis, or d) other disease groups that may be added during the course of this trial. PROTECT will use an innovate basket design to carry out a series of individually powered prospective, randomised comparisons in distinct vulnerable patient groups in the UK while applying Bayesian approaches to conduct pooled assessment of efficacy. Once consented, eligible participants will be randomised to active treatment or control, stratified by PROTECT subpopulation (disease specific). Enrolment to the trial will be via an online platform and following informed consent subsequent assessments will be done via email or telephone thus reducing the burden to participants as well as reducing their exposure to COVID-19. The master PROTECT protocol describes core components that are shared between disease specific appendices to the core protocol.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate administered orally for a maximum of 6 months. Doses population specific.
Time to confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19
The primary outcome for PROTECT is the time to confirmed COVID-19 infection from the date of randomisation. This will be captured via linkage with PHE or by direct reporting by sites.
Time frame: To study completion, average 6 months
All-cause mortality
Death from any cause
Time frame: To study completion, average 6 months
Severity of COVID-19 disease
Severity will be assessed by requirement for hospitalisation, HDU/ICU admission or death and Length of inpatient stay.
Time frame: To study completion, average 6 months
Incidence of COVID-19 complications
Acute respiratory distress syndrome, viral pneumonitis, myocarditis/myocardial injury, acute kidney injury.
Time frame: To study completion, average 6 months
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