A phase I, experimental dose finding, open label, clinical infection, safety and viral detection optimisation in previously SARS-CoV-2 infected (unvaccinated or vaccinated) or uninfected vaccinated volunteers.
This is a phase I dose escalation challenge study in which increasing titres of wild-type SARS-CoV-2 (1x10\^1 TCID\_50, 1x10\^2TCID\_50, 1x10\^3TCID\_50, 1x10\^4TCID\_50 and 1x10\^5TCID\_50) will be administered intranasally to different groups of volunteers in order to achieve a 50% (+/-10%) attack rate as determined by quantitative live viral detection and/or qPCR detection in naso-pharyngeal secretions at two consecutive 12 hourly time points (at least 24 hours after inoculation). Dose escalation will be capped at 10\^5 TCID50 and we will proceed to dose confirmation, following DSMB safety review, even if we do not meet our target attack rate of 50% +/- 10%, to enable a larger sample size to assess the dynamic range of protection at that dose and ensure confidence in the negative infection rate at that dose. A Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) will review safety and quantitative virology at each dose level and will recommend continuation based on emergent data. Rescue treatment with a single course of oral Paxlovid will commence immediately after any warning symptoms or signs of COVID-19 disease beyond mild disease. Once the optimal dose of wildtype SARS-CoV-2 has been identified for previously infected volunteers and uninfected vaccinated volunteers (dose escalation groups 1 and 3), further challenge infections in groups 2 and 4 may proceed. Volunteers will remain in isolation rooms within the clinical trials unit for a minimum of 14 days post inoculation and until demonstration of the absence of live virus in two sequential samples. All 4 groups will together enrol up to 132 volunteers. This study will be funded by the Wellcome Trust and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
132
The SARS-COV-2 challenge virus strain was originally obtained from a nose/throat swab taken from a patient who developed respiratory symptoms consistent with COVID-19. The isolate was plaque purified to obtain a 'single' virus entity. The selected plaque, B1, was subsequently manufactured in accordance with GMP at the Great Ormond Street manufacturing suite.
Oxford Clinical Research Facility (OxCRF)
Oxford, Oxon, United Kingdom
RECRUITINGCentre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine
Oxford, Oxon, United Kingdom
RECRUITINGOxford University Hospital NHS Trust
Oxford, Oxon, United Kingdom
RECRUITINGOccurrence of solicited and unsolicited adverse events
To assess safety and human clinical response to wild type SARS-CoV-2 intranasal challenge in both previously SARS- CoV-2 infected (unvaccinated or vaccinated) and uninfected vaccinated participants via occurrence of adverse events (solicited and unsolicited) collected in e-diaries
Time frame: Day 84
Occurrence of adverse events as determined by medical assessment
Collection of AE data at each visit time point after SARS-CoV-2 inoculation (Graded 0-3)
Time frame: Day 365
Selection of optimal dose(s)
The SARS-CoV-2 dose required to induce upper respiratory tract infection in 50% (+/-10%) of previously SARS-CoV-2 infected healthy volunteers following intranasal challenge. Defined by laboratory identification of SARS-CoV-2 from nasal and pharyngeal swab, using qPCR and/or quantitative live viral detection at two consecutive 12- hourly time points starting 24 hours post-inoculation and up to discharge from quarantine. Optimal dose to be defined in previously SARS-CoV-2 infected (vaccinated or unvaccinated) and uninfected vaccinated healthy volunteers
Time frame: Day 14 or until discharge criteria is met
Determination of SARS-CoV-2 viral dynamics
Assess the SARS-CoV-2 viral dynamics in upper respiratory samples from previously infected (vaccinated or unvaccinated) or uninfected vaccinated individuals including: determination of the incubation period, peak viral load and the mean duration of infectious viral shedding from quantitative virology measured using qPCR and/or live viral detection on naso-oropharyngeal samples.
Time frame: Day 365
Exploratory Immunology: Identification of laboratory markers
Ex-vivo ELISpot to SARS-CoV-2 peptide (sfc/1x10\^6 PBMC)
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Time frame: Day 365
Exploratory Immunology: Identification of laboratory markers
Innate, B cell and T cell flow cytometry panel to characterise surface cell markers and antigen specific responses to SARS-CoV-2 peptide before and after SARS-CoV-2 inoculation (% population)
Time frame: Day 365
Exploratory Immunology: Identification of laboratory markers
Neutralising peripheral blood antibody analysis to SARS-CoV-2
Time frame: Day 365
Exploratory Immunology: Identification of laboratory markers
Single cell RNA-seq on peripheral blood
Time frame: Day 365
Exploratory Immunology: Identification of laboratory markers
Cytokine analysis on serum and nasal mucosal lining fluid
Time frame: Day 365
Exploratory Immunology: Identification of laboratory markers
ELISA to SARS-CoV-2 peptide from serum and nasal mucosal lining fluid
Time frame: Day 365