LONDON (Reuters) – An international trial of convalescent blood plasma tests on COVID-19 patients with moderate and severe illness has halted enrollment of seriously ill COVID-19 patients in need of intensive care after finding no benefit, Monday reported. the trial investigators.
The decision of the leaders of the REMAP-CAP trial came after an initial analysis of more than 900 participants in intensive trials of serious diseases that showed that treatment with the product (a plasma rich in antibodies taken from people who have recovered from pandemic disease) do not improve outcomes.
“There was no evidence of damage associated with convalescent plasma administration” (i) the trial continues to recruit hospitalized COVID-19 patients who are moderately ill but are not in intensive care, scientists who led the study said. essay in a statement.
“It is biologically plausible that patients who do not produce antibodies at the time of convalescent plasma therapy and patients with excess virus may benefit more than others. Our additional analyzes will explore this,” said Manu Shankar-Hari, clinician and professor of critical care medicine at Guy’s and St Thomas’ British Hospital, who co-directs the trial.
He added that the initial analysis did not evaluate the effects of plasma in hospitalized patients with less severe disease. This “remains a very important issue” and will continue to be explored in the ongoing trial, he said.
The underlying hypothesis for using convalescent plasma as a potential treatment for patients with COVID-19 is that the antibodies it contains could neutralize the virus, preventing it from reproducing, and stopping tissue damage.
But this initial analysis that led to the REMAP-CAP pause in critical patient enrollment showed that there was a very low probability (2.2%) that it would reduce mortality rates or decrease the number of days patients needed. intensive care.
“It is not yet known why convalescent plasma does not improve outcomes in patients with severely ill COVID-19 admitted to the ICU. However, it may be because lung damage is too advanced for convalescent plasma to change the difference.” said Alexis Turgeon, a critical care physician and professor at Laval University in Canada who is also working on the trial.
REMAP-CAP is an international clinical trial that explores possible treatments for COVID-19. It has already recruited 4,100 COVID-19 patients at more than 290 clinical sites in Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Australasia.
Separate findings from REMAP-CAP showed last week that treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients with Roche’s Actemra or Sanzofi arthritis medications significantly improved survival rates and reduced the time that patients need intensive care.
The trial also studies the potential effects of other existing therapies, including anticoagulant drugs, antiplatelet agents, antibiotics, statins, and vitamin C.
Reports by Kate Kelland; Edited by Nick Macfie