Austrian CoronaVirus Adaptive Clinical Trial (COVID-19)

A Multicenter, Randomized, Active Controlled, Open Label, Platform Trial on the Efficacy and Safety of Experimental Therapeutics for Patients With COVID-19 (Caused by Infection With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2)

The Austrian Coronavirus Adaptive Clinical Trial (ACOVACT) is a randomized, controlled, multicenter, open-label basket trial that aims to compare various antiviral treatments for COVID-19. Moreover three substudies have been integrated. Currently, patients will be randomized to receive (hydroxy-)chloroquine (Treatment stopped after reports of safety issues), lopinavir/ritonavir, remdesivir or standard of care. Moreover, these patients are eligible for substudy A (randomized to rivaroxaban 5mg 1-0-1 vs. standard of care), substudy B (renin-angiotensin (RAS) blockade vs. no RAS blockade for patients with blood pressure >120/80mmHg), and substudy C (asunercept vs standard of care, pentglobin vs. standard of care for patients with respiratory deterioration and high inflammatory biomarkers).

Endpoints were chosen based on the master protocol published by the World Health Organisation and include a 7-point scale of clinical performance, mortality, oxygen requirement (both dose and type), duration of hospitalization, viral load and safety.

Inclusion Criteria

Laboratory confirmed (i.e. PCR-based assay) infection with SARS-CoV-2 (ideally but not necessarily

≤72 hours before randomization for "antiviral" treatments) OR radiological signs of COVID-19 in chest X-ray or computed tomography

• Hospitalisation due to SARS-CoV-2 infection, except for sub-study B, which may also include outpatients with COVID-19
• Requirement of oxygen support (due to oxygen saturation <94% on ambient air or >3% drop in case of chronic obstructive lung disease)
• Informed Consent obtained, the patient understands and agrees to comply with the planned study procedures, except for sub-study C: obtaining informed consent may be impossible due to the severe condition of the patient and may be waived
• ≥18 years of age
• Sub-study A: not on chronic anticoagulation Sub-study B: Sub-study B: blood pressure ≥130/85mmHg in 2 consecutive measurements OR patients with established and treated hypertension
• Sub-study B: Control group 1: Patients with suspicion of but negative tests for COVID-19. This group may consist of hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients.
• Sub-study B: healthy volunteers
• Sub-study C: Signs of respiratory deterioration and progressing inflammation: need for oxygen supplementation, non-invasive ventilation, high-flow oxygen devices or mechanical ventilation AND CRP levels >5mg/dL (for Pentaglobin only) and ICU admission (for Pentaglobin only)
• For female patients with childbearing potential: willingness to perform effective measures of contraception during the study

Exclusion Criteria

• Moribund, or estimated life expectancy <1 month (e.g. terminal cancer, etc.)
• Patient does not qualify for intensive care, based on local triage criteria
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Severe liver dysfunction (e.g. ALT/AST > 5 times upper limit of normal)
• Stage 4 chronic kidney disease or requiring dialysis for direct anticoagulant treatment
• Allergy or intolerances to experimental substance (ineligibility for treatment arm), for Asunercept known hereditary fructose intolerance
• Anticipated discharge from hospital within 48 hours (for any given reason)
• Contraindications for treatment arm 2 (lopinavir/ritonavir): severe hepatic impairment, CYP3A4/5 metabolized drugs, as deemed relevant by treating physicians
• Contraindications for treatment arm 3 (remdesivir): <40kg bodyweight
• Known active HIV or viral hepatitis
• Substudy A contraindications for rivaroxaban: active bleeding or bleeding diathesis, lesion or condition considered as major risk factor for bleeding, recent brain or spinal injury, recent brain or spinal or ophthalmic surgery, recent intracranial hemorrhage, known or suspected esophageal varices, arteriovenous malformations, vascular aneurysms, major intraspinal or intracerebral vascular abnormalities, ongoing therapeutic anticoagulation, which will be continued, according to clinical practice
• Sub-study B contraindications for nitrendipine: chronic heart failure, allergies, hypersensitivities and intolerances, severe hepatic impairment and/or cholestasis, concomitant therapy with aliskirencontaining medications (for patients with diabetes mellitus or a GFR<60ml/min/1.73m2), known significant bilateral renal artery stenosis or renal artery stenosis of a solitary kidney
• Sub-study C contraindications for IL-6 blockade: Contraindications: allergies and intolerances, active untreated diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, any treatment with an IL-6 or IL-6R blocking drug (e.g. tocilizumab, sarilumab, siltuximab) <30 days before study inclusion.
• Sub-study C: Known active tuberculosis.
• Asunercept: females of childbearing potential
• Sub-study C with Pentaglobin: Contraindications to Pentaglobin