Efficacy and safety of baricitinib or ravulizumab in adult patients with severe COVID-19 (TACTIC-R): a randomised, parallel-arm, open-label, phase 4 trial.

BACKGROUND: From early in the COVID-19 pandemic, evidence suggested a role for cytokine dysregulation and complement activation in severe disease. In the TACTIC-R trial, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of baricitinib, an inhibitor of Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) and JAK2, and ravulizumab, a monoclonal inhibitor of complement C5 activation, as an adjunct to standard of care for the treatment of adult patients hospitalised with COVID-19. METHODS: TACTIC-R was a phase 4, randomised, parallel-arm, open-label platform trial that was undertaken in the UK with urgent public health designation to assess the potential of repurposing immunosuppressants for the treatment of severe COVID-19, stratified by a risk score. Adult participants (aged ≥18 years) were enrolled from 22 hospitals across the UK. Patients with a risk score indicating a 40% risk of admission to an intensive care unit or death were randomly assigned 1:1:1 to standard of care alone, standard of care with baricitinib, or standard of care with ravulizumab. The composite primary outcome was the time from randomisation to incidence (up to and including day 14) of the first event of death, invasive mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, cardiovascular organ support, or renal failure. The primary interim analysis was triggered when 125 patient datasets were available up to day 14 in each study group and we included in the analysis all participants who were randomly assigned. The trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04390464). FINDINGS: Between May 8, 2020, and May 7, 2021, 417 participants were recruited and randomly assigned to standard of care alone (145 patients), baricitinib (137 patients), or ravulizumab (135 patients). Only 54 (39%) of 137 patients in the baricitinib group received the maximum 14-day course, whereas 132 (98%) of 135 patients in the ravulizumab group received the intended dose. The trial was stopped after the primary interim analysis on grounds of futility. The estimated hazard ratio (HR) for reaching the composite primary endpoint was 1·11 (95% CI 0·62-1·99) for patients on baricitinib compared with standard of care alone, and 1·53 (0·88-2·67) for ravulizumab compared with standard of care alone. 45 serious adverse events (21 deaths) were reported in the standard-of-care group, 57 (24 deaths) in the baricitinib group, and 60 (18 deaths) in the ravulizumab group. INTERPRETATION: Neither baricitinib nor ravulizumab, as administered in this study, was effective in reducing disease severity in patients selected for severe COVID-19. Safety was similar between treatments and standard of care. The short period of dosing with baricitinib might explain the discrepancy between our findings and those of other trials. The therapeutic potential of targeting complement C5 activation product C5a, rather than the cleavage of C5, warrants further evaluation. FUNDING: UK Medical Research Council, UK National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Eli Lilly and Company, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, and Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust.

Regulatory T-Cell Response to Low-Dose Interleukin-2 in Ischemic Heart Disease.

Regulatory T-Cell Response to Low-Dose Interleukin-2 in Ischemic Heart Disease This phase 1b/2a, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation trial tested low-dose subcutaneous aldesleukin (recombinant IL-2) in patients with ischemic heart disease. Low-dose IL-2 expanded Tregs, without adverse events of major concern. Single-cell RNA-sequencing of circulating immune cells was used to provide mechanistic assessment of the treatment's effects.

Investigating the Lowest Threshold of Vascular Benefits from LDL Cholesterol Lowering with a PCSK9 mAb Inhibitor (Alirocumab) in Patients with Stable Cardiovascular Disease (INTENSITY-HIGH): protocol and study rationale for a randomised, open label, parallel group, mechanistic study.

INTRODUCTION: Elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a strong independent risk predictor of cardiovascular (CV) events, while interventions to reduce it remain the only evidence-based approach to reduce CV morbidity and mortality. Secondary prevention statin trials in combination with ezetimibe and/or proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors showed that there is no 'J shaped curve' in LDL-C levels with regard to CV outcomes. The lowest threshold beyond which reduction of LDL-C confers no further CV benefits has not been identified.The INTENSITY-HIGH study seeks to explore physiological mechanisms mediating CV benefits of LDL-C lowering by PCSK9 inhibition in patients with established cardiovascular disease (CVD). The study examines the changes in measures of endothelial function and vascular inflammation imaging following intervention with PCSK9 and against standard of care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a single-centre, randomised, open label, parallel group, mechanistic physiological study. It will include approximately 60 subjects with established CVD, with LDL-C of <4.1 mmol/L on high-intensity statins. All eligible participants will undergo 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (FDG-PET/CT) scanning of the aorta and carotid arteries, as well as baseline endothelial function assessment. Subsequently, they will be randomised on a 1:1 basis to either alirocumab 150 mg or ezetimibe 10 mg/day. Repeat FDG-PET/CT scan and vascular assessments will be undertaken after 8 weeks of treatment. Any changes in these parameters will be correlated with changes in lipid levels and systemic inflammation biomarkers. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study received a favourable opinion from the Wales Research Ethics Committee 4, was registered on clinicaltrials.gov and conformed to International Conference for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use Good Clinical Practice. The results of this study will be reported through peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03355027.

Comparison of the Pharmacokinetics of RIPK1 Inhibitor GSK2982772 in Healthy Western and Japanese Subjects.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: GSK2982772 is an oral small-molecule RIPK1 inhibitor with potential therapeutic efficacy in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). An inter-ethnic comparison of GSK2982772 pharmacokinetics was conducted based on data from Western (Study 1) and Japanese subjects (Study 2). METHODS: Both studies were single-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies with objectives to assess the safety and characterise the pharmacokinetics of GSK2982772. Western subjects in Study 1 (NCT03305419), Part A (N = 15), were randomly assigned to receive 120 mg three times daily (TID), 240 mg TID, or 360 mg twice daily (BID) doses of GSK2982772, or placebo (TID or BID) for 1 day. Part B subjects (N = 47) received GSK2982772 120 mg TID, 240 mg TID, or placebo TID for 14 days. Japanese subjects in Study 2 (N = 13) (NCT03590613) were randomly assigned to receive TID doses of GSK2982772 60, 120, 240 mg TID or placebo TID for 1 day. RESULTS: GSK2982772 was well tolerated and adverse events were generally mild. Maximum observed plasma drug concentration (Cmax), time to reach Cmax (Tmax), area under the plasma drug concentration versus time curve after the first GSK2982772 dose (AUC(0-7)) of 120 and 240 mg, and (AUC(0-24)) values for the 120 and 240 mg TID doses over a single day were similar in Japanese and Western subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The pharmacokinetics and tolerability of GSK2982772 were similar between Western and Japanese subjects, justifying inclusion of Japanese subjects in future global clinical studies to assess the therapeutic potential of RIPK1 inhibition for the treatment of IMIDs. Clinical Trials: NCT03305419 and NCT03590613 available from http://www.clinicaltrials.gov .

Advanced imaging for quantification of abnormalities in the salivary glands of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: To assess non-invasive imaging for detection and quantification of gland structure, inflammation and function in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) using PET-CT with 11C-Methionine (11C-MET; radiolabelled amino acid), and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG; glucose uptake marker), to assess protein synthesis and inflammation, respectively; multiparametric MRI evaluated salivary gland structural and physiological changes. METHODS: In this imaging/clinical/histology comparative study (GSK study 203818; NCT02899377) patients with pSS and age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers underwent MRI of the salivary glands and 11C-MET PET-CT. Patients also underwent 18F-FDG PET-CT and labial salivary gland biopsies. Clinical and biomarker assessments were performed. Primary endpoints were semi-quantitative parameters of 11C-MET and 18F-FDG uptake in submandibular and parotid salivary glands and quantitative MRI measures of structure and inflammation. Clinical and minor salivary gland histological parameter correlations were explored. RESULTS: Twelve patients with pSS and 13 healthy volunteers were included. Lower 11C-MET uptake in parotid, submandibular and lacrimal glands, lower submandibular gland volume, higher MRI fat fraction, and lower pure diffusion in parotid and submandibular glands were observed in patients vs healthy volunteer, consistent with reduced synthetic function. Disease duration correlated positively with fat fraction and negatively with 11C-MET and 18F-FDG uptake, consistent with impaired function, inflammation and fatty replacement over time. Lacrimal gland 11C-MET uptake positively correlated with tear flow in patients, and parotid gland 18F-FDG uptake positively correlated with salivary gland CD20+ B-cell infiltration. CONCLUSION: Molecular imaging and MRI may be useful tools to non-invasively assess loss of glandular function, increased glandular inflammation and fat accumulation in pSS.

muLTi-Arm Therapeutic study in pre-ICu patients admitted with Covid-19-Experimental drugs and mechanisms (TACTIC-E): A structured summary of a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if a specific intervention reduces the composite of progression of patients with COVID-19-related disease to organ failure or death as measured by time to incidence of any one of the following: death, invasive mechanical ventilation, ECMO, cardiovascular organ support (inotropes or balloon pump), or renal failure (estimated Cockcroft Gault creatinine clearance <15ml/min). TRIAL DESIGN: Randomised, parallel arm, open-label, adaptive platform Phase 2/3 trial of potential disease modifying therapies in patients with late stage 1/stage 2 COVID-19-related disease, with a diagnosis based either on a positive assay or high suspicion of COVID-19 infection by clinical, laboratory and radiological assessment. PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 18 and over, with a clinical picture strongly suggestive of COVID-19-related disease (with/without a positive COVID-19 test) AND a risk count (as defined below) >3 OR ≥3 if risk count includes "Radiographic severity score >3". A risk count is calculated by the following features on admission (1 point for each): radiographic severity score >3, male gender, non-white ethnicity, diabetes, hypertension, neutrophils >8.0 x109/L, age >40 years and CRP >40 mg/L. Patients should be considered an appropriate subject for intervention with immunomodulatory or other disease modifying agents in the opinion of the investigator and are able to swallow capsules or tablets. The complete inclusion and exclusion criteria as detailed in the Additional file 1 should be fulfilled. Drug specific inclusion and exclusion criteria will also be applied to the active arms. Patients will be enrolled prior to the need for invasive mechanical ventilation, cardiac or renal support. Participants will be recruited across multiple centres in the UK including initially at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and St George's University NHS Foundation Trust. Other centres will be approached internationally in view of the evolving pandemic. INTERVENTION AND COMPARATOR: There is increasing evidence of the role of immunomodulation in altering the course of COVID-19. Additionally, various groups have demonstrated the presence of pulmonary shunting in patients with COVID-19 as well as other cardiovascular complications. TACTIC-E will assess the efficacy of the novel immunomodulatory agent EDP1815 versus the approved cardio-pulmonary drugs, Dapagliflozin in combination with Ambrisentan versus the prevailing standard of care. EDP1815 will be given as 2 capsules twice daily (1.6 x 1011 cells) for up to 7 days with the option to extend up to 14 days at the discretion of the principal investigator or their delegate, if the patient is felt to be clinically responding to treatment, is tolerating treatment, and is judged to be likely to benefit from a longer treatment course. Ambrisentan 5mg and Dapagliflozin 10mg will be given in combination once daily orally for up to maximum of 14 days. Patients will be randomised in a 1:1:1 ratio across treatments. Each active arm will be compared with standard of care alone. Additional arms may be added as the trial progresses. No comparisons will be made between active arms in this platform trial. MAIN OUTCOMES: The primary outcome is the incidence (from baseline up to Day 14) to the occurrence of the any one of the following events: death, invasive mechanical ventilation, extra corporeal membrane oxygenation, cardiovascular organ support (inotropes or balloon pump), or renal failure (estimated Cockcroft Gault creatinine clearance <15ml/min). RANDOMISATION: Eligible patients will be randomised using a central web-based randomisation service (Sealed Envelope) in a 1:1:1 ratio, stratified by site to one of the treatment arms or standard of care. BLINDING (MASKING): This is an open-label trial. Data analysis will not be blinded. NUMBERS TO BE RANDOMISED (SAMPLE SIZE): There is no fixed sample size for this study. There will be an early biomarker-based futility analysis performed at a point during the study. If this biomarker futility analysis is not conclusive, then a second futility analysis based on clinical endpoints will be performed after approximately 125 patients have been recruited per arm. Provisionally, further analyses of clinical endpoints will be performed after 229 patients per active arm and later 469 patients per arm have been recruited. Further additional analyses may be triggered by the independent data monitoring committee. TRIAL STATUS: TACTIC-E Protocol version number 1.0 date May 27th, 2020. Recruitment starts on the 3rd of July 2020. The end trial date will be 18 months after the last patient's last visit and cannot be accurately predicted at this time. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered on EU Clinical Trials Register EudraCT Number: 2020-002229-27 registered: 9 June 2020. The trial was also registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04393246) on 19 May 2020. FULL PROTOCOL: The full protocol is attached as an additional file, accessible from the Trials website (Additional file 1). In the interest in expediting dissemination of this material, the familiar formatting has been eliminated; this Letter serves as a summary of the key elements of the full protocol.

Repurposed immunomodulatory drugs for Covid-19 in pre-ICu patients - mulTi-Arm Therapeutic study in pre-ICu patients admitted with Covid-19 - Repurposed Drugs (TACTIC-R): A structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if a specific immunomodulatory intervention reduces progression of COVID-19-related disease to organ failure or death, compared to standard of care (SoC). TRIAL DESIGN: Randomised, parallel 3-arm (1:1:1 ratio), open-label, Phase IV platform trial of immunomodulatory therapies in patients with late stage 1 or stage 2 COVID-19-related disease, with a diagnosis based either on a positive assay or high suspicion of COVID-19 infection by clinical and/or radiological assessment. PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 18 and over, with a clinical picture strongly suggestive of COVID-19-related disease (with/without a positive COVID-19 test) AND a Risk count (as defined below) >3 OR ≥3 if risk count includes "Radiographic severity score >3". A risk count is calculated by the following features on admission (1 point for each): radiographic severity score >3, male gender, non-white ethnicity, diabetes, hypertension, neutrophils >8.0 x109/L, age >40 years and CRP >40 mg/L. Patients should be considered an appropriate subject for intervention with immunomodulatory therapies in the opinion of the investigator and be able to be maintained on venous thromboembolism prophylaxis during the inpatient dosing period, according to local guidelines. The complete inclusion and exclusion criteria as detailed in the additional file 1 should be fulfilled. Patients will be enrolled prior to the need for invasive mechanical ventilation, cardiac or renal support. Participants will be recruited across multiple centres including initially at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospital of Wales, Gloucestershire Royal Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. INTERVENTION AND COMPARATOR: Each active comparator arm will be compared against standard of care (SoC). The immunomodulatory drugs were selected from a panel of licenced candidates by a drug evaluation committee, which considered potential efficacy, potential toxicity, scalability and novelty of each strategy. The initial active arms comprise baricitinib and ravulizumab. Baricitinib will be given 4 mg orally (once daily (OD)) on days 1-14 or until day of discharge. The dose will be reduced to 2 mg OD for patients aged > 75 years and those with an estimated Cockcroft Gault creatinine clearance of 30-60 ml/min. Ravulizumab will be administered intravenously once according to the licensed weight-based dosing regimen (see Additional file 1). Each active arm will be compared with standard of care alone. No comparisons will be made between active arms in this platform trial. MAIN OUTCOMES: The primary outcome is the incidence (from baseline up to Day 14) of any one of the events (whichever comes first): death, invasive mechanical ventilation, extra corporeal membrane oxygenation, cardiovascular organ support (inotropes or balloon pump), or renal failure (estimated Cockcroft Gault creatinine clearance <15ml/min). RANDOMISATION: Eligible patients will be randomised using a central web-based randomisation service (Sealed Envelope) in a 1:1:1 ratio, stratified by site to one of the treatment arms or SoC. BLINDING (MASKING): This is an open-label trial. Data analysis will not be blinded. NUMBERS TO BE RANDOMISED (SAMPLE SIZE): There is no fixed sample size for this study. Serial interim analyses will be triggered by an Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC), including analysis after 125 patients are recruited to each arm, 375 in total assuming 3 arms. Additional interim analyses are projected after 229 patients per arm, and potentially then after 469 per arm, but additional analyses may be triggered by the IDMC. TRIAL STATUS: TACTIC-R Protocol version number 2.0 date May 20, 2020, recruitment began May 7, 2020 and the end trial will be the date 18 months after the last patient's last visit. The recruitment end date cannot yet be accurately predicted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered on EU Clinical Trials Register EudraCT Number: 2020-001354-22 Registered: 6 May 2020 It was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT04390464 ) and on ISRCTN (ISRCTN11188345) FULL PROTOCOL: The full protocol is attached as an additional file, accessible from the Trials website (Additional file 1). In the interest in expediting dissemination of this material, the familiar formatting has been eliminated; this Letter serves as a summary of the key elements of the full protocol.

Effect of rifabutin on the pharmacokinetics of oral cabotegravir in healthy subjects.

BACKGROUND: Cabotegravir (CAB) is an integrase strand transfer inhibitor in development as a long-acting injectable formulation, with an oral formulation used during a safety lead-in period. Tuberculosis (TB)-HIV coinfection is common, often requiring simultaneous treatment. Rifabutin (RBT) is an alternative antimycobacterial agent for TB and a moderate inducer of cytochrome P450 and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase isoenzymes. This study evaluated the impact of RBT on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of oral CAB. METHODS: In this Phase I, single-centre, open-label, two-period, fixed-sequence, drug interaction study, subjects received oral CAB 30 mg once daily for 14 days in period 1, and oral CAB plus RBT 300 mg once daily for 14 days in period 2. Serial PK sampling was performed on days 14 and 28. Geometric least squares (GLS) mean ratios with associated 90% CIs were calculated to compare CAB noncompartmental PK parameters following CAB+RBT versus CAB alone. Safety was also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 15 male subjects were enrolled and 12 completed all treatments. Comparing CAB+RBT with CAB alone, the GLS mean ratios (90% CIs) for CAB area under the concentration-time curve from time zero to the end of the dosing interval (AUC0-τ), maximum observed plasma concentration (Cmax) and concentration at the end of the dosing interval (Cτ) were 0.79 (0.74, 0.83), 0.83 (0.76, 0.90) and 0.74 (0.70, 0.78), respectively. 11 subjects reported 24 adverse events (AEs); 22 were reported with CAB+RBT (3 drug-related) and 2 with CAB alone (not drug-related). All AEs resolved by study end. CONCLUSIONS: RBT had a modest impact on plasma CAB exposure following oral coadministration, resulting in overall plasma CAB trough exposures above the 10 mg oral dose shown to maintain viral suppression in HIV-1-infected subjects. Oral CAB can be coadministered with RBT without dosage adjustment.

Low-dose interleukin-2 in patients with stable ischaemic heart disease and acute coronary syndromes (LILACS): protocol and study rationale for a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase I/II clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Inflammation and dysregulated immune responses play a crucial role in atherosclerosis, underlying ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and acute coronary syndromes (ACSs). Immune responses are also major determinants of the postischaemic injury in myocardial infarction. Regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+FOXP3+; Treg) induce immune tolerance and preserve immune homeostasis. Recent in vivo studies suggested that low-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) can increase Treg cell numbers. Aldesleukin is a human recombinant form of IL-2 that has been used therapeutically in several autoimmune diseases. However, its safety and efficacy is unknown in the setting of coronary artery disease. METHOD AND ANALYSIS: Low-dose interleukin-2 in patients with stable ischaemic heart disease and acute coronary syndromes is a single-centre, first-in-class, dose-escalation, two-part clinical trial. Patients with stable IHD (part A) and ACS (part B) will be randomised to receive either IL-2 (aldesleukin; dose range 0.3-3×106 IU) or placebo once daily, given subcutaneously, for five consecutive days. Part A will have five dose levels with five patients in each group. Group 1 will receive a dose of 0.3×106 IU, while the dose for the remaining four groups will be determined on completion of the preceding group. Part B will have four dose levels with eight patients in each group. The dose of the first group will be based on part A. Doses for each of the subsequent three groups will similarly be determined after completion of the previous group. The primary endpoint is safety and tolerability of aldesleukin and to determine the dose that increases mean circulating Treg levels by at least 75%. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study received a favourable opinion by the Greater Manchester Central Research Ethics Committee, UK (17/NW/0012). The results of this study will be reported through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations and an internal organisational report. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03113773; Pre-results.