Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Ruxolitinib to Treat COVID-19 Pneumonia

University Health Network, Toronto

Status: Terminated

Conditions: COVID-19; Pneumonia

Treatments: Drug: Ruxolitinib

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04331665

20-5315 (Other Identifier)

U-DEPLOY: RUX-COVID

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of the drug ruxolitinib in people diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia by determining the number of people whose conditions worsen (requiring machines to help with breathing or needing supplemental oxygen) while receiving the drug.

This is a sub-study of the U-DEPLOY study: UHN Umbrella Trial Defining Coordinated Approach to Pandemic Trials of COVID-19 and Data Harmonization to Accelerate Discovery. U-DEPLOY helps to facilitate timely conduct of studies across the University Health Network and other centers.

Full description

Multifocal interstitial pneumonia is the most common cause of deterioration in people with COVID-19. This is attributed to a severe reaction where releases too many cytokines (proteins that play an important role in immune responses) which rush into the lungs resulting in lung inflammation and fluid buildup. This can lead to damage to the lungs and leading to breathing problems. Ruxolitinib when given early in the disease, may prevent the overproduction of cytokines which, in turn, may prevent lung damage.

Enrollment: 3 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 12+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• COVID-19 infection diagnosed by nasopharyngeal sample
• Need for supplemental oxygen to maintain oxygen saturation > 93%
• 12 years of age or older

Exclusion criteria

• Neutrophils < 1 x 10^9/L
• Platelets < 50 x 10^9/L
• Serum total bilirubin >2.0 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) > 5x ULN
• Creatinine clearance (CrCl) < 15 mL/minute
• Pregnant women
• Known HBV or HIV infection
• Signs and symptoms of Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) infection
• Patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. Patients requiring non-invasive mechanical ventilation (e.g., BiPAP) are eligible.
• Patients who require supplemental oxygen support prior to COVID-19 infection.
• Patients who are on ruxolitinib or similiar drugs.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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3 participants in 1 patient group

Ruxolitinib to prevent COVID-19 pneumonia

Experimental group

Description:

All participants will receive ruxolitinib at at 10 mg, twice a day, for 14 days, followed by 5 mg, twice a day, for 2 days and 5 mg, once daily, for 1 day.

Treatment:

Drug: Ruxolitinib