Convalescent Plasma as Treatment for Acute Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

Convalescent plasma has been shown to be safe and effective for treatment of several diseases. Preliminary data indicates that it is safe and effective for treatment of COVID-19. However, data is limited to small studies and case series on severely ill patients. The proposed study assesses the safety and efficacy earlier in the course of illness, in slightly less severe patients with the possibility of detecting less severe adverse events and the potential for early treatment to hinder the development of severe disease. Plasma is collected from consenting donors who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2.

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18 and <81 years
• Active COVID-19 defined as symptoms + SARS CoV-2 identified from upper or lower airway samples
• Fever ≥38.5C, admitted to a study hospital, hypoxemia defined as having a peripheral oxygen saturation below 93% (measured by pulse oximetry) and a breathing rate of >20 breaths per minute without supplemental oxygen treatment
• A negative pregnancy test taken before inclusion and use of an acceptable effective method of contraception until treatment discontinuation if the participant is a woman of childbearing potential
• Written informed consent after meeting with a study physician and ability and willingness to complete follow up.

Exclusion criteria

• No matching plasma donor (exact matching in both the ABO system and the Rh system is required)
• Unavailability of plasma
• Significant growth of alternative lower airway pathogen such as Streptococcus pneumoniae or Haemophilus influenzae in sputum
• Disease duration >8 Days
• Estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 (kidney failure stage III or more)
• Pregnancy (urinary-hcg), breast feeding,
• History of severe allergic reactions
• Inability to give informed consent
• Significantly compromised immunity.*

• Compromised immunity includes but is not limited to treatment with major immunosuppressive agents including high dose corticosteroids, anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents, calcineurin inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors, lymphocyte depleting biological agents, chemotherapeutic anti neoplastic agents. Also patients with advanced HIV/AIDS, severe immunodeficiency such as hypoglobulinemia, decompensated liver cirrhosis and bone marrow transplant the last year will be excluded.