Pilot Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of 5-ALA-Phosphate + SFC in Subjects With COVID-19

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain15 enrolled

Overview

This is an open-label, interventional exploratory study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of 5-ALA-Phosphate + SFC in subjects with acute moderate or severe respiratory illness secondary to infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) involving 40 subjects. The primary objective is to evaluate the safety of 4-week oral administration of 5-ALAPhosphate + SFC. This study is expected to last for 4 weeks and will include follow-up until day 28 in the hospital or in an outpatient setting if the subjects are discharged earlier.

This is an open-label, interventional exploratory study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of 5-ALA-Phosphate + SFC in subjects with acute moderate or severe respiratory illness secondary to infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19). Heme is critical for appropriate oxygen binding and delivery to remote site and without the heme contained within the hemoglobin tetramer, multicellular organisms would be unable to survive. Furthermore HO-1 degrades heme into biliverdin, carbon monoxide (CO), and iron, and biliverdin is immediately reduced and turned into bilirubin by biliverdin reductase. Biliverdin/bilirubin and CO both have anti-oxidative functions and they regulate important biological processes like inflammation, apoptosis, cell proliferation, fibrosis, and angiogenesis. Therefore, HO-1 is deemed to be a promising drug target (Ryter 2006). HO-1 is a major anti-inflammatory enzyme and a key regulator that induces immune tolerance. 5-ALA-Phosphate + SFC increases heme metabolism and HO-1 via enhancement of porphyrin biology and utilizes the HO-1 for endothelial pacification strategy. The primary endpoints of this study is- all treatment emergent AEs and SAEs Grade III and IV (CTC) with reasonable possibility of causal relationship to 5-ALA-Phosphate + SFC. 40 subjects with symptoms requiring hospitalization will be enrolled in thestudy, with 20 subjects enrolled in each group below: Group 1: 20 Moderately ill hospitalized subjects not requiring assisted ventilation Group 2: 20 Severely ill hospitalized subjects requiring assisted ventilation The duration of this clinical study will be 4 weeks, and follow-up will be performed until Day 28 in hospital, or in an outpatient setting if subjects improve and are discharged home or to alternative care facility.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Interventions

5-ALA-Phosphate + SFC (5-ALA + SFC)DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Moderately ill hospitalized patients will receive: 250 mg 5-ALA-Phosphate and 143.4 mg SFC (15.2 mg as Fe) two times daily (resulting in 500 mg 5-ALA-Phosphate and 286.8 mg SFC (30.4 mg as Fe) daily) for 7 days, then 250 mg 5-ALA-Phosphate and 143.4 mg SFC (15.2 mg as Fe) once daily for 21 days Severely ill hospitalized patients will receive: 250 mg 5-ALA-Phosphate and 143.4 mg SFC (15.2 mg as Fe) three times daily (resulting in 750 mg 5-ALA-Phosphate and 430.2 mg SFC (45.6 mg as Fe) daily) for 7 days, then 250 mg 5-ALA-Phosphate and 143.4 mg SFC (15.2 mg as Fe) once daily for 21 days

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 21 YearsMax age: 70 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Willing and able to provide written informed consent, or with a legal representative who can provide informed consent 2. Aged ≥ 21 to 70 years 3. Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 infection confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before beginning study dose regime 4. qSOFA ≥ 1 5. Currently hospitalized 6. Moderate COVID-19 patients should meet any of the following criteria: evidence of lower respiratory disease by clinical assessment (qSOFA ≥ 1or imaging) and saturation of oxygen (SpO2) ≥94% on room air at sea level. Severe COVID-19 patients should meet any of the following criteria: a respiratory frequency \>30 breaths per minute, SpO2 \<94% on room air at sea level, ratio of arterial partial pressure of oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO2/FiO2) \<300 mmHg, and lung infiltrates \>50% (if possible to measure). In exceptional cases the investigator can decide due to certain signs and symptoms to assign a moderate patient to the severe group although not all criteria mentioned before are fulfilled (to be documented with explanation). 7. Radiographic evidence (chest X-ray or chest CT scan) of pulmonary infiltrates 8. Able to swallow 5 capsules of study product at dosing time points. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Subject has critical symptoms of COVID19 infection as defined as: high-flow oxygen therapy (\>15 l/min delivered by nasal cannula or mask) or invasive mechanical ventilation signifying respiratory failure, septic shock, and/or multiple organ dysfunction ventilation at screening. 2. Subject is nourished via a nasogastric tube 3. Subject has acute or chronic type(s) of porphyria or a family history of porphyria 4. Subject has demonstrated previous intolerance of 5-ALA and/or SFC by topical or oral administration (except for photosensitivity) 5. Pregnant or nursing women 6. Males and females of reproductive potential who have not agreed to use an 7. adequate method of contraception during the study For females, adequate birth control methods will be defined as: hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine device or double barrier contraception, i.e., condom + diaphragm, condom or diaphragm + spermicidal gel or foam For males, adequate birth control methods will be defined as double barrier contraception, i.e., condom + diaphragm, condom or diaphragm + spermicidal gel or foam For females, menopause is defined as one year without menses; if in question, a folliclestimulating hormone of \>40 U/ml must be documented. Hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy,or bilateral tubal ligation must be documented, as applicable 8. Subjects who are unable or unwilling to comply with requirements of the clinical trial 9. Participation in any other clinical trial of an experimental treatment for COVID-19 10. Evidence of multiorgan failure 11. Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) \> 5 X upper limit of normal (ULN) 12. Creatinine clearance \< 50 mL/min using the Cockcroft-Gault formula for participants ≥ 18 years of age {Cockcroft 1976} 13. Any other reason that makes the subject unsuitable in the Investigator's opinion

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

The incidence of treatment emergent Adverse Events (safety and tolerability) of 5-ALA-Phospate + SFC in patients with acute moderate or severe respiratory illness secondary to infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19).

To describe the incidence of treatment-emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) of CTC Grades III and IV within four weeks following base line dose.

Time frame: 28 days

Secondary Outcomes

Sum COVID-19 Modified Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement maximum daily score over 28 days of dosing for Moderate group and for Severe group

To describe patient's condition in Moderate and Severe group using average, median, minimum and maximum in COVID-19 Modified Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement score.

Time frame: 28 days

Rate of change in COVID-19 Modified Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement maximum daily score over 28 days of dosing for individual subjects in Moderate group and in Severe group

To describe patient´s condition in Moderate and Severe Group using rate of change in COVID-19 Modified Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement score.

Time frame: 28 days

Patient and subgroup profile of COVID-19 Modified Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement score vs. days hospitalized

To describe patient´s condition in Moderate and Severe Group using patient and subgroup profile of COVID-19 Modified Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement score vs. days hospitalized.

Time frame: 28 days

Overall survival

To describe time until death from any cause

Time frame: day 14 and day 28

Results of investigator´s assessment of patient´s oxygen therapy

To describe patient´s blood oxygenation

Time frame: 28 days

Results of mechanical ventilation settings

To describe mechanical ventilation settings course during study.

Time frame: 28 days

Results of duration of ventilation

To describe duration of patient´s ventilation

Time frame: from date of enrolment until the extubation or until last 5-ALA- Phosphate -SFC administration on day 28

The time to resolution of patient´s symptoms

To describe patient´s specific symptoms course during study.

Time frame: 28 days

Results of patient´s oxygen saturation (respiratory parameters)

To describe patient´s oxygen saturation course during study.

Time frame: 28 days

Length of hospitalization

To describe duration of hospitalization in the patient groups.

Time frame: From date of enrolment until last 5-ALA- Phosphate -SFC administration at day 28

The total time in ICU

To describe duration of residence in ICU in the patient groups.

Time frame: From date of enrolment until last 5-ALA- Phosphate -SFC administration at day 28

Results of investigator´s assessment of patient´s condition using (q)SOFA score

To describe patient´s (q)SOFA score course during study.