Inhaled Gaseous Nitric Oxide (gNO) Antimicrobial Treatment of Difficult Bacterial and Viral Lung (COVID-19) Infections

Summary

Non tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), Burkholdria spp, Aspergillus in the lung are almost impossible to eradicate with conventional antibiotics. In addition COVID-19 has know current treatment. These patients have few options to treat their lung infection. Nitric oxide has broad bactericidal and virucidal properties. It has been shown that nitric oxide was safe to be inhaled for similar cystic fibrosis patients and reduced drug resistant bacteria in the lungs. Further, research indicates that clinical isolates of NTM, Burkholderia spp, Aspergillus spp and Corona-like viruses can be eradicated by 160ppm NO exposure in the laboratory petri dish. This is not the first time inhaled NO treatment has been used in patients with difficult lung infections. This study will provide more data to see if NO therapy can reduce the bacterial load in the lungs, help the patients breath better; and in the case of COVID-19 act as a anti-viral agent resulting in the reduction of incidence of oxygen therapy, mechanical assistance of BIPAP, CPAP, intubation and mechanical ventilation during the study period.

Timeline

Start

2017-10-24

Primary completion

2021-06-30

Completion

2021-06-30

Publications

• Background Deppisch C, Herrmann G, Graepler-Mainka U, Wirtz H, Heyder S, Engel C, Marschal M, Miller CC, Riethmuller J. Gaseous nitric oxide to treat antibiotic resistant bacterial and fungal lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis: a phase I clinical study. Infection. 2016 Aug;44(4):513-20. doi: 10.1007/s15010-016-0879-x. Epub 2016 Feb 9.
• Background Miller C, Miller M, McMullin B, Regev G, Serghides L, Kain K, Road J, Av-Gay Y. A phase I clinical study of inhaled nitric oxide in healthy adults. J Cyst Fibros. 2012 Jul;11(4):324-31. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2012.01.003. Epub 2012 Apr 18.
• Background Yaacoby-Bianu K, Gur M, Toukan Y, Nir V, Hakim F, Geffen Y, Bentur L. Compassionate Nitric Oxide Adjuvant Treatment of Persistent Mycobacterium Infection in Cystic Fibrosis Patients. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2018 Apr;37(4):336-338. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000001780.

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