This is a Phase 2, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, proof-of-concept study of intranasal foralumab in hospitalized subjects with severe COVID-19 and pulmonary inflammation. Foralumab is a fully human second generation anti-CD3 mAb with a modified Fc unit (two amino acid substitutions) composed of 2 heavy chains with an immunoglobulin (Ig) G1constant region and 2 light chains with a kappa constant region. In a separate Phase 2 randomized, controlled, pilot trial conducted to assess safety, tolerability, and efficacy in 39 patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 in Brazil, showed that intranasal foralumab may be of benefit in modulating immune reactivity and in reducing pulmonary inflammation. Importantly, intranasal administration of foralumab was well tolerated with no clinically significant changes in blood cell counts (including blood lymphocytes), no evidence of hypersensitivity, and no serious adverse events (SAEs) were reported in the study.
Approximately 80 hospitalized subjects with severe COVID-19 and evidence of pulmonary involvement on a computed tomography (CT) scan at screening will be enrolled in this study over 4 months, depending on enrollment. Up to 7 centers in Brazil will conduct this study. The main study objective is to evaluate the effect of intranasal foralumab on evolution of pulmonary infiltrates in hospitalized subjects with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Subjects will be randomized 1:1 to receive intranasal foralumab 100 µg (50 µg in 0.1 ml solution into each nostril) or placebo (0.1 ml vehicle solution into each nostril). All subjects will receive continued Standard of Care (SoC) therapy (per hospital/study site policies and guidelines) together with intranasal foralumab or placebo for the entire 14-day treatment period. Subjects will participate in the study approximately 35 days (from screening to completion).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
To evaluate the effect of intranasal foralumab on evolution of pulmonary infiltrates in hospitalized subjects with severe COVID-19 pneumonia
It is determined based on change from baseline in semiquantitative chest CT severity score.A chest CT severity score was calculated by assessing the degree of lobe involvement for each of the five lung lobes separately as follows: 0% (no involvement), 1%-25% (minimal involvement), 26%-50% (mild involvement), 51%-75% (moderate involvement), and 76%-100% (severe involvement). Higher the score the worse the outcome.
Time frame: Day 14 and Day 28
To evaluate the effect of intranasal foralumab on resolution of severe COVID-19 as assessed by chest CT severity score
Proportion of randomized subjects with chest CT severity score \< 19.5
Time frame: Day 14 and Day 28
To evaluate the safety of intranasal foralumab when administered up to 14 days
Adverse events categorized and graded via CTCAE
Time frame: Day 28
To assess the impact of intranasal foralumab on nasal symptoms when administered up to 14 days
Change from baseline in subject-reported Intranasal Tolerability Rating Scale (ITRS). ITRS is rated on an 11-point scale, ranging from 0 (none) to 10 (worst I can imagine) and consists of 3 questions.
Time frame: Day 14
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.