Phase 2, randomized, open-label study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of maraviroc, favipiravir, and both drugs administered along with currently used therapy in hospitalized patients with pulmonary SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) infection (COVID-19)
The COVID-19 pandemic (Coronavirus Disease-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) has caused more that 10 million infections worldwide, with a general mortality of 6%. Multiple studies have found that the hyperinflammatory immune response induced by SARS-CoV-2 is one of the main causes of severity and death in infected patients. In severe COVID-19 patients, an association was found between pneumonitis and/or ARDS (Acute Severe Respiratory Syndrome), increased serum levels of cytokines and chemokines, extensive lung damage and microthrombosis. Studies of both gene expression in lungs and blood cytokines and chemokines have related chemokine signaling clusters with COVID-19 severity, being CCL3, CCL4 and CCL7 (CC chemokine ligands 3, 4 and 7) particularly interesting. All these are CCR5 (CC chemokine receptor 5) ligands. A strategy to modulate activation and trafficking of leukocytes to the lungs is by blocking CCR5 by using maraviroc (MVC), which has shown capable of modulating conditions of generalized inflammation. Along with a good regulation of the immune response, an antiviral that helps to reduce the viral load must be considered. Favipiravir (FPV) has shown to be capable to reduce the time of viral clearance by half. Hence, we propose that the conjoint use of MVC and FPV could help to reduce the progression of severe hospitalized COVID-19 patients to critical by decreasing the percentage of patients in need of mechanical respiratory support or death by at least 30%. This is a randomized, controlled clinical trial that besides evaluating the safety and efficacy of MVC+FPV to avoid progression in severe COVID-19 patients as a primary endpoint, is also aimed at other secondary endpoints: A) Evaluate the activation of CCR5 in peripheral blood lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophils. B) Find possible modifications in the ongoing chemokine and cytokine storm in serum, particularly IL-6, IL-1b, (interleukins 6 and 1 beta) TNF (tumor necrosis factor), IFNa, IFNg (interferons alpha and gamma), VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), CXCL10 (CXC chemokine ligand 10), CCL7, CCL3, and CCL5 (CC chemokine ligands 7, 3 and 5), C) Search for alterations in the patterns of activation, trafficking, and exhaustion of peripheral blood lymphocytes, monocytes and neutrophils, and D) Determine if it has an effect in viral loads in saliva. 100 severe patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 will be randomized in 4 treatment arms: Arm A: Currently used therapy (CT) only, Enoxaparin, dexamethasone, and antibiotics if associated bacteremia is present, as per currently used at Hospital General de México "Dr. Eduardo Liceaga"). Arm B: CT+MVC Arm C: CT+FPV Arm D: CT+MVC+FPV
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
19
Maraviroc tablets. 300 mg bid, given orally for a 10 day period AND CT (Enoxaparin, dexamethasone, and antibiotics if associated bacteremia is present, as per currently used at Hospital General de México "Dr. Eduardo Liceaga")
Enoxaparin, dexamethasone, and antibiotics if associated bacteremia is present, as per currently used at Hospital General de México "Dr. Eduardo Liceaga"
Favipiravir tablets 200 mg. given orally for a 7 day period. 1600 mg bid on day 1 and 600 mg tid days 2-7 AND CT (Enoxaparin, dexamethasone, and antibiotics if associated bacteremia is present, as per currently used at Hospital General de México "Dr. Eduardo Liceaga").
Hospital General de México "Dr. Eduardo Liceaga"
Mexico City, Mexico City, Mexico
Patients free of mechanical ventilation or death
Percentage of patients free of mechanical ventilation or death
Time frame: 28 days post start
Patients free of mechanical ventilation or death
Percentage of patients free of mechanical ventilation or death
Time frame: 5 days post start
Time of clinical improvement
Time of improvement in at least 2 items of the 8-item World Health Organization (WHO) ordinal scale for COVID-19 in days.
Time frame: 15 days post start
Rate of change in phosphorylated CCR5
Rate of change (Delta) in lymphocytes, monocytes and neutrophils with phosphorylated CCR5 as per measured by parameters of flow cytometry.
Time frame: Day 10-1
Rate of change in peripheral blood levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines
Rate of change (Delta) in peripheral blood levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines \[IL-6, IL-1b, TNF, IFNa, IFNg, VEGF, GM-CSF (granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor), CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, CXCL10 and CCL7\], as per measured by parameters of flow cytometry
Time frame: Day 10-1
Change in the trafficking and activation pattern of peripheral leukocytes
Statistically significant change in the expression of activation \[phosphorylated CCR5,CD38, CD126, CD127, CD25, CD86, CD83, CD40 (clusters of differentiation 38, 126, 127, 25, 86 and 40), HLA-DR (Human Leukocyte Antigen-DR isotype), Granzyme B, Perforin, CD107A, CD123, gp130, CD95\], trafficking \[CCR5, CCR2, CCR6, CCR7, CXCR1, CXCR3 , CXCR5, (CXC chemokine receptors 1, 3 and 5), CX3CR1 (CX3C chemokine receptor\] and exhaustion (PD1, programmed death-1 receptor) markers in peripheral blood lymphocytes, neutrophils and monocytes, as per measured by parameters of flow cytometry.
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Maraviroc tablets. 300 mg bid, given orally for a 10 day period AND Favipiravir tablets 200 mg. given orally for the first 7 days. 1600 mg bid on day 1 and 600 mg tid days 2-7 AND CT (Enoxaparin, dexamethasone, and antibiotics if associated bacteremia is present, as per currently used at Hospital General de México "Dr. Eduardo Liceaga"")
Time frame: Day 10-1