In patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, an immune-mediated “cytokine storm” is thought to lead to acute respiratory failure and death. The CORIMUNO-19 platform was rapidly developed and established to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of various immunomodulators and other treatments in adult patients with severe COVID-19 infection through a series of multicenter randomized controlled trials. The starting point was March 27, 2020.
The CORIMUNO-TOCI study investigated the effect of tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody that blocks the interleukin-6 cytokine receptor and is used clinically, particularly in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Patients hospitalized for moderate or severe COVID-19 pneumonia who did not require intensive care on admission were selected.
The primary composite end point was need for ventilation (noninvasive or mechanical) or death on day 14 . A total of 129 patients were randomized: 65 to standard of care + tocilizumab and 64 to standard of care alone. A significantly lower proportion of patients achieved the primary outcome in the tocilizumab arm. The results of this study will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
These results should be independently confirmed by additional studies. Given the pandemic context, the investigators and sponsor felt ethically obligated to disclose this information pending peer review and longer follow-up. Additional CORIMUNO studies testing other IL-6 receptor inhibitors and other immunomodulators are currently being analyzed. The CORIMUNO-19 test platform is sponsored and funded by Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris and supported by Reacting / INSERM.
Source: Hôpitaux de Paris / Paris University Hospitals.
InFo PNEUMOLOGY & ALLERGOLOGY 2020; 2(2): 4 (published 6/17/20, ahead of print).
