A Randomized Placebo-controlled Safety and Dose-finding Study for the Use of the IL-6 Inhibitor Clazakizumab in Patients With Life-threatening COVID-19 Infection

Summary

In this study invetigators propose to administer clazakizumab to patients with life-threatening COVID-19 infection manifest by pulmonary failure and a clinical picture consistent with a cytokine storm syndrome. This is a double-blinded randomized multi-center trial designed as a phase II dose-finding three arm trial with seamless adaptive transition to a phase III efficacy trial. For phase II, patients were randomized 1:1:1 ratio to three study arms and received clazakizumab at a dose of 12.5 mg, 25 mg or placebo.

Based on interim analysis, the low dose arm was dropped and the phase III portion of the study continued to enroll patients randomized 1:1 to high dose clazakizumab or placebo.

Based on interim analysis, the remaining 10 subjects at NYU will be randomly assigned to a 1:1 ratio to two arms that will receive clazakizumab at a dose of 25 mg or placebo. The NYU site will serve as the central data management site for other centers who undertake this protocol. Other sites will enroll patients based on the two arm 1:1 randomization. 60 patients at outside sites are expected to enroll.

Conditions

• COVID-19

Interventions

DRUG

Clazakizumab 25 mg

The first dose will be administered as soon as possible after the patient is enrolled and randomized into the Clazakizumab 25 mg arm. The route of administration will be intravenous. Each dose will be administered as an infusion that is run over 30 minutes. Serum CRP will be evaluated at baseline and on days 1 and 2 following clazakizumab administration. If the CRP does not decrease by 50% within 36-48 hours after the first dose, a second dose of 25 mg clazakizumab will be given no later than day 3.

DRUG

Clazakizumab 12.5 mg

The first dose will be administered as soon as possible after the patient is enrolled and randomized into the Clazakizumab 12.5 mg arm. The route of administration will be intravenous. Each dose will be administered as an infusion that is run over 30 minutes. Serum CRP will be evaluated at baseline and on days 1 and 2 following clazakizumab administration. If the CRP does not decrease by 50% within 36-48 hours after the first dose, a second dose of 12.5 mg clazakizumab will be given no later than day 3.

OTHER

Placebo

The first dose will be administered as soon as possible after the patient is enrolled and randomized into the Placebo arm. The route of administration will be intravenous. Each dose will be administered as an infusion that is run over 30 minutes. Serum CRP will be evaluated at baseline and on days 1 and 2 following clazakizumab administration. If the CRP does not decrease by 50% within 36-48 hours after the first dose, a second dose of placebo will be given no later than day 3.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• NYU Langone Health

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Bonnie Lonze, MD · NYU Langone Health

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-03-31

Primary Completion

2021-02-03

Completion

2021-03-12

FDA Drug

Yes

Countries

• United States

Study Locations