CADTH COVID News identifies emerging information on health technologies being investigated for the management or prevention of COVID-19. The intent is to provide a quick alert of a news item of interest and is only current as of posting. As research is rapidly evolving, CADTH will monitor these topics and update information as needed.
Updated on March 30, 2021 | 16:20pm
Interleukin-6 Receptor Antagonists: Tocilizumab and Sarilumab
In a Health Technology Review on tocilizumab and sarilumab, CADTH assessed 11 randomized controlled trials, including the preliminary results from the RECOVERY trial preprint.
Updated on February 23, 2021 | 16:55am
CADTH has completed a Health Technology Review on tocilizumab and sarilumab, and will update this report with preliminary results from the RECOVERY trial preprint.
Updated on January 15, 2021 | 15:55am
On January 7, 2021, preliminary results on the efficacy of interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with COVID-19 were released in a pre-print (NCT02735707). The Randomized, Embedded, Multifactorial Adaptive Platform Trial for Community- Acquired Pneumonia (REMAP-CAP) is an ongoing international, open-label trial that enrolled patients with COVID-19 in an intensive care unit and receiving respiratory or cardiovascular organ support randomized to either tocilizumab (N = 353) or sarilumab (N = 48) or standard care (N = 402). The primary outcome was respiratory and cardiovascular organ support-free days measured up to day 21. Compared with standard care, the median adjusted odds ratios (primary model) were 1.64 (95% credible interval 1.25 to 2.14) for tocilizumab and 1.76 (95% credible interval 1.17 to 2.91) for sarilumab, yielding > 99.9% and 99.5% posterior probabilities of superiority. Caution should be exercised in interpreting any preliminary study results. Furthermore, this pre-print has not been peer-reviewed.
On December 17, 2020, results of the phase III, randomized, double-bind, placebo-controlled, multi-centre study EMPACTA (Evaluating Minority Patients with Actemra) were published (NCT04372186). The EMPACTA study enrolled hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia not receiving mechanical ventilation who underwent randomization to standard care plus tocilizumab (N = 259) or placebo (N = 129). The primary efficacy outcome was mechanical ventilation or death by day 28. The hazard of death was lower in the standard care plus tocilizumab group compared to placebo (hazard ratio 0.56, 95% confidence interval 0.33 to 0.97).
A CADTH technology review on interleukin-6 receptor therapies in managing COVID-19 is in progress.
Updated on March 15, 2021 | 12:35pm
Monoclonal antibody, VIR-7831
On March 10, 2021, a press release was issued describing the interim results of a monoclonal antibody, VIR-7831, as monotherapy for the early treatment of COVID-19 in non-hospitalized patients. The COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Efficacy Trial – Intent to Care Early (COMET-ICE) is a phase III, ongoing, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multi-centre study. This study enrolled adult patients with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and with oxygen saturation of 94% or more, who were randomized to receive either VIR-7831 or placebo (NCT04545060). Based on interim results from 583 patients that demonstrated an 85% reduction in the primary end point of hospitalization or death among patients who were administered VIR-7831 in comparison to placebo (P = 0.002), the independent data safety monitoring committee recommends stopping COMET-ICE early. Caution should be exercised in interpreting any interim results. CADTH will continue to monitor emerging evidence related to monoclonal antibodies in COVID-19.
Updated on March 1, 2021 | 4:10pm
WHO Solidarity Study: Remdesivir
CADTH assessed 5 randomized controlled trials, including the interim study results from WHO Solidarity, in a health technology review on remdesivir
Remdesivir
Updated on March 1, 2021 | 4:10pm
CADTH assessed 5 randomized controlled trials, including the interim study results from WHO Solidarity, in a health technology review on remdesivir
Updated on February 11, 2021 | 13:35pm
FDA Grants Emergency Use Authorization for Bamlanivimab and Etesevimab Combination Treatment
On February 9th, the US FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the combination of 2 monoclonal antibodies — bamlanivimab and etesevimab — for the treatment of “mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age or older weighing at least 40 kilograms) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, and who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization.” The EUA is based on findings from the BLAZE-1 randomized controlled trial (NCT04427501). The trial demonstrated that treatment with the combination of bamlanivimab and etesevimab, compared to placebo, was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the primary end point of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2, viral load at 11 days (between-group difference, ‒0.57, 95% confidence interval, ‒1.00 to ‒0.14, P = 0.01). It should be noted that the EUA does not extend to patients who are hospitalized or require oxygen therapy because of COVID-19. The FDA previously issued an EUA for bamlanivimab for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19. In Canada, bamlanivimab alone has been authorized with conditions for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19.
Updated on February 10, 2021 | 15:50pm
Azithromycin
On February 2, 2021, Lancet published the results of the RECOVERY Trial (NCT04381936) pertaining to azithromycin. RECOVERY is a UK-based, multi-centre (176 hospitals), randomized, controlled, open-label, adaptive platform trial with multiple treatment arms, each being compared with usual care. While the dexamethasone, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir–ritonavir, convalescent plasma, and tocilizumab groups have now been stopped, the trial is on-going for REGN-COV2, Aspirin, and colchicine. In this recent publication, 7,763 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were randomized to usual care (5,181 patients), or usual care with azithromycin 500 mg daily orally, or intravenously for 10 days, or until discharge (2,582 patients). The median duration of treatment with azithromycin was 6 days (interquartile range of 3 days to 10 days). There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups for the primary end point of 28-day all-cause mortality (rate ratio 0.97; 95% confidence interval 0.87 to 1.07, P value = 0.50). Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups for any of the secondary outcomes including duration of hospital stay and the proportion of patients discharged from hospital within 28 days. Hence, this trial has stopped the enrolment of patients into this treatment arm.
Updated on January 27, 2021 | 9:40pm
SARS-CoV2 Neutralizing Antibody: Bamlanivimab for the Prevention of COVID-19
On January 21, 2021 a press release describing the results of the BLAZE-2 study (NCT04497987) was made available. The BLAZE-2 is a US-based, multi-centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III study that evaluates SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) neutralizing antibodies bamlanivimab (also known as LY-CoV555 or LY3819253) at 4,200 mg versus placebo for the prevention of COVID-19 in residents and staff of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Bamlanivimab was recently approved with conditions in Canada for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19. Individuals were eligible for the BLAZE-2 study if there was at least one confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 infection among residents or staff at the facility within 7 days of randomization. The primary study end point was the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 within 21 days. The primary end point analysis included 965 participants (299 residents and 666 staff) who tested negative for COVID-19. There was a lower frequency of symptomatic COVID-19 infection in the bamlanivimab group as compared to placebo (odds ratio 0.43, P = 0.00021) after 8 weeks of follow up. No conclusions can be drawn from this information until the full study results are published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Updated on January 26, 2021 | 15:25pm
Therapeutic Anticoagulation With Heparin and Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin
On January 22, 2021, a press release about interim results on the efficacy of full-dose anticoagulation therapy with heparin or low-molecular-weight heparin in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 was made available (NCT04372589). Heparin and low-molecular-weight heparins ( enoxaparin, tinzaparin, and dalteparin) are anticoagulants indicated, in Canada, for the treatment and prevention of thromboembolism. The Anti-Thrombotic Therapy to Ameliorate Complications of COVID-19 (ATTACC) trial is an international, open-label, adaptive, randomized controlled trial that enrolled adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who were not receiving organ support such as mechanical ventilation. Patients were randomized to therapeutic anticoagulation for 14 days with heparin (subcutaneous low-molecular-weight heparin or intravenous unfractionated heparin infusion) or usual care of thromboprophylactic dose anticoagulation according to local practice. The primary outcome is days alive and free of organ support at day 21.
Although no results were reported in the press release, the press release states that interim study findings of more than 1,300 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 found that full-dose anticoagulants were superior compared to usual care thromboprophylactic dose anticoagulation. Until the full study results are published in a peer-reviewed journal, no conclusions can be drawn from this information.
Updated on January 26, 2021 | 09:50am
Colchicine
On January 23, 2021, a press release about results of the efficacy of colchicine in outpatients with COVID-19 were made available (NCT04322682). In Canada, colchicine is indicated for the treatment and prevention of gout flares. The Colchicine Coronavirus SARS-CoV2 Trial (COLCORONA) is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter global trial that enrolled adult patients with COVID-19 who were not hospitalized and had at least one high-risk criterion. Patients were randomized to either colchicine or placebo oral tablets for 30 days (total N = 4,488). The primary outcome was a composite of death or hospitalization due to COVID-19 infection, measured up to day 30 after randomization. Compared with placebo, the risk of death or hospitalization was reduced by 21% in the overall global study population of 4,488 patients; however, this did not reach statistical significance. When the results were limited to patients with confirmed COVID-19, (N = 4,159), risk of death or hospitalization was statistically significantly reduced, although the results were not reported. For patients with confirmed COVID-19, hospitalizations were reduced by 25%, mechanical ventilation was reduced by 50%, and death was reduced by 44%. Caution should be exercised in interpreting these findings as limited information was reported in the press release. Full study results published in a peer-reviewed journal are necessary to draw any conclusions.