Reconvalescent Plasma/Camostat Mesylate Early in SARS-CoV-2 Q-PCR (COVID-19) Positive High-risk Individuals

The novel coronavirus designated SARS CoV-2, and the disease caused by this virus designated COVID-19. No treatment is available for early disease stages and non-hospitalized patients to date. This trial focusses on SARS-CoV-2 positive patients with pre-existing risk factors for a moderate or severe COVID-19 disease course. This study is a 4-arm, multicenter, randomized, partly double-blind, controlled trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of convalescent serum (CP) or camostat mesylate with control or placebo in adult patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 and high risk for moderate/severe COVID-19. Camostat mesylate acts as an inhibitor of the host cell serine protease TMPRSS2 and prevents the virus from entering the cell. Convalescent plasma (CP) represents another antiviral strategy in terms of passive immunization. The working hypothesis to be tested in the RES-Q HR study is that the early use of convalescent plasma (CP) or camostat mesylate (Foipan®) reduces the likelihood of disease progression to modified WHO stages 4b-8 in SARS-CoV-2 positive adult patients at high risk of moderate or severe COVID-19 progression.

Inclusion criteria

• Individuals (female, male, diverse) ≥ 18 years with SARS-CoV-2 infection, confirmed by PCR before study enrollment
• SARS-CoV-2 positive PCR ≤ 3 days old (date of NP swab)
• Presence of ≥ 1 SARS-CoV-2 typical symptom (fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, headache, fatigue, smell/and or taste disorder, diarrhea, abdominal symptoms, exanthema) and symptom duration <= 3 days.
• Ability to provide written informed consent
• Presence of at least one of the following criteria:

• Patients > 75 years
• Patients > 65 years with at least one other risk factor (BMI >35 kg/m2, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease (CKD) with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <60 ml/min but >= 30 ml/min, diabetes mellitus, active tumor disease)
• Patients with a BMI >35 kg/m2 with at least one other risk factor (CAD, CKD with GFR <60 ml/min but >= 30 ml/min, diabetes mellitus, active tumor disease)
• Patients with a BMI >40 kg/m2
• Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and/or pulmonary fibrosis

Exclusion criteria

• Age <18 years
• Unable to give informed consent
• Pregnant women or breast-feeding mothers
• Previous transfusion reaction or other contraindication to a plasma transfusion
• Known hypersensitivity to camostat mesylate and/or severe pancreatitis
• Volume stress due to CP administration would be intolerable
• Known IgA deficiency
• Life expectancy < 6 months
• Duration SARS-CoV-2 typical symptoms > 3 days
• SARS-CoV-2 PCR detection older than 3 days
• SARS-CoV-2 associated clinical condition >= WHO stage 3 (patients hospitalized for other reasons than COVID-19 may be included if they fulfill all inclusion and none of the exclusion criteria).
• Previously or currently hospitalized due to SARS-CoV-2
• Previous antiviral therapy for SARS-CoV-2
• alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate transferase (AST) > 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) at screening
• Liver cirrhosis > Child A (patients with Child B/C cirrhosis are excluded from the trial)
• Chronic kidney disease with GFR < 30 ml/min
• Concurrent or planned anticancer treatment during trial period
• Accommodation in an institution due to legal orders (§40(4) AMG).
• Any psycho-social condition hampering compliance with the study protocol.
• Evidence of current drug or alcohol abuse.
• Use of other investigational treatment within 5 half-lives of enrollment is prohibited
• Previous use of convalescent plasma for COVID-19
• Concomitant proven influenza A infection
• Patients with organ or bone marrow transplant in the three months prior to Screening Visit