BCG Vaccination to Prevent COVID-19

Summary

The current COVID-19 epidemic threatens to overwhelm the capacity of many countries to meet their populations' health care needs. Although several vaccines specific for SARS-CoV-2 have been or are being developed, these require testing in animal and human safety studies and they are unlikely to be available during the expected peak periods of the growing epidemic. Two groups at especially high risk of infection and disease are front line health care workers working directly with COVID-19 patients and elderly residents of group homes or facilities that provide skilled nursing care to this frail population. Interim measures to protect these groups while we await a high efficacy vaccine are desperately needed. Based on the capacity of BCG to (1) reduce the incidence of respiratory tract infections in children and adults; (2) exert antiviral effects in experimental models; and (3) reduce viremia in an experimental human model of viral infection, we hypothesize that BCG vaccination may induce (partial) protection against susceptibility to and/or severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study will evaluate the efficacy of BCG to reduce risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2 and mitigate COVID-19 disease severity in at risk health care providers. A phase III randomized controlled trial provides the highest validity to answer this research question. Given the immediate threat of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic the trial has been designed as a pragmatic study with a highly feasible primary endpoint, which can be continuously measured. This allows for the most rapid identification of a beneficial outcome that would allow other at-risk individuals, including the control population, to also benefit from the intervention if and as soon as it has demonstrated efficacy and safety.

Timeline

Start

2020-12-07

Primary completion

2021-03-23

Completion

2021-03-23

Outcome

Outcome not reported

Stopped (Enrollment): “Due to funding - project never enrolled”

Publications

• Background World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Situation Report - 23. COVID-19 Situational Reports (2020). Accessed on April 1, 2020 at: https://www.who.int/docs/default- source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200212-sitrep-23-nCoV.pdf?sfvrsn=41e9fb78_4
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• Background Chang D, Xu H, Rebaza A, Sharma L, Dela Cruz CS. Protecting health-care workers from subclinical coronavirus infection. Lancet Respir Med. 2020 Mar;8(3):e13. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30066-7. Epub 2020 Feb 13. No abstract available.
• Background Zhang J, Zhou L, Yang Y, Peng W, Wang W, Chen X. Therapeutic and triage strategies for 2019 novel coronavirus disease in fever clinics. Lancet Respir Med. 2020 Mar;8(3):e11-e12. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30071-0. Epub 2020 Feb 13. No abstract available.
• Background Chou R, Dana T, Buckley DI, Selph S, Fu R, Totten AM. Epidemiology of and Risk Factors for Coronavirus Infection in Health Care Workers: A Living Rapid Review. Ann Intern Med. 2020 Jul 21;173(2):120-136. doi: 10.7326/M20-1632. Epub 2020 May 5.
• Background Rivett L, Sridhar S, Sparkes D, Routledge M, Jones NK, Forrest S, Young J, Pereira-Dias J, Hamilton WL, Ferris M, Torok ME, Meredith L; CITIID-NIHR COVID-19 BioResource Collaboration; Curran MD, Fuller S, Chaudhry A, Shaw A, Samworth RJ, Bradley JR, Dougan G, Smith KG, Lehner PJ, Matheson NJ, Wright G, Goodfellow IG, Baker S, Weekes MP. Screening of healthcare workers for SARS-CoV-2 highlights the role of asymptomatic carriage in COVID-19 transmission. Elife. 2020 May 11;9:e58728. doi: 10.7554/eLife.58728.
• Background CDC COVID-19 Response Team. Characteristics of Health Care Personnel with COVID-19 - United States, February 12-April 9, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020 Apr 17;69(15):477-481. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6915e6.
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• Background Wang X, Ferro EG, Zhou G, Hashimoto D, Bhatt DL. Association Between Universal Masking in a Health Care System and SARS-CoV-2 Positivity Among Health Care Workers. JAMA. 2020 Aug 18;324(7):703-704. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.12897.
• Background Ritz N, Hanekom WA, Robins-Browne R, Britton WJ, Curtis N. Influence of BCG vaccine strain on the immune response and protection against tuberculosis. FEMS Microbiol Rev. 2008 Aug;32(5):821-41. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6976.2008.00118.x. Epub 2008 Jul 9.
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• Background Koeken VACM, Verrall AJ, Netea MG, Hill PC, van Crevel R. Trained innate immunity and resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2019 Dec;25(12):1468-1472. doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2019.02.015. Epub 2019 Feb 23.
• Background Suliman S, Geldenhuys H, Johnson JL, Hughes JE, Smit E, Murphy M, Toefy A, Lerumo L, Hopley C, Pienaar B, Chheng P, Nemes E, Hoft DF, Hanekom WA, Boom WH, Hatherill M, Scriba TJ. Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) Revaccination of Adults with Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection Induces Long-Lived BCG-Reactive NK Cell Responses. J Immunol. 2016 Aug 15;197(4):1100-1110. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1501996. Epub 2016 Jul 13.
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• Background World Health Organization. Clinical Management of Severe acute respiratory infection when COVID-19 is suspected. (2020). Accessed on April 1, 2020 at: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle /10665/331446/WHO-2019-nCoV-clinical-2020.4- eng.pdf.
• Background O'Neill LAJ, Netea MG. BCG-induced trained immunity: can it offer protection against COVID-19? Nat Rev Immunol. 2020 Jun;20(6):335-337. doi: 10.1038/s41577-020-0337-y.
• Background Kleinnijenhuis J, Quintin J, Preijers F, Joosten LA, Ifrim DC, Saeed S, Jacobs C, van Loenhout J, de Jong D, Stunnenberg HG, Xavier RJ, van der Meer JW, van Crevel R, Netea MG. Bacille Calmette-Guerin induces NOD2-dependent nonspecific protection from reinfection via epigenetic reprogramming of monocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Oct 23;109(43):17537-42. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1202870109. Epub 2012 Sep 17.
• Background Spencer JC, Ganguly R, Waldman RH. Nonspecific protection of mice against influenza virus infection by local or systemic immunization with Bacille Calmette-Guerin. J Infect Dis. 1977 Aug;136(2):171-5. doi: 10.1093/infdis/136.2.171.
• Background Netea MG, Joosten LA, Latz E, Mills KH, Natoli G, Stunnenberg HG, O'Neill LA, Xavier RJ. Trained immunity: A program of innate immune memory in health and disease. Science. 2016 Apr 22;352(6284):aaf1098. doi: 10.1126/science.aaf1098. Epub 2016 Apr 21.
• Background Netea MG, Giamarellos-Bourboulis EJ, Dominguez-Andres J, Curtis N, van Crevel R, van de Veerdonk FL, Bonten M. Trained Immunity: a Tool for Reducing Susceptibility to and the Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Cell. 2020 May 28;181(5):969-977. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.04.042. Epub 2020 May 4.
• Background Arts RJW, Moorlag SJCFM, Novakovic B, Li Y, Wang SY, Oosting M, Kumar V, Xavier RJ, Wijmenga C, Joosten LAB, Reusken CBEM, Benn CS, Aaby P, Koopmans MP, Stunnenberg HG, van Crevel R, Netea MG. BCG Vaccination Protects against Experimental Viral Infection in Humans through the Induction of Cytokines Associated with Trained Immunity. Cell Host Microbe. 2018 Jan 10;23(1):89-100.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2017.12.010.
• Background Netea MG, van Crevel R. BCG-induced protection: effects on innate immune memory. Semin Immunol. 2014 Dec;26(6):512-7. doi: 10.1016/j.smim.2014.09.006. Epub 2014 Oct 23.
• Background Kleinnijenhuis J, van Crevel R, Netea MG. Trained immunity: consequences for the heterologous effects of BCG vaccination. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2015 Jan;109(1):29-35. doi: 10.1093/trstmh/tru168.
• Background Higgins JP, Soares-Weiser K, Lopez-Lopez JA, Kakourou A, Chaplin K, Christensen H, Martin NK, Sterne JA, Reingold AL. Association of BCG, DTP, and measles containing vaccines with childhood mortality: systematic review. BMJ. 2016 Oct 13;355:i5170. doi: 10.1136/bmj.i5170.
• Background Wardhana, Datau EA, Sultana A, Mandang VV, Jim E. The efficacy of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccinations for the prevention of acute upper respiratory tract infection in the elderly. Acta Med Indones. 2011 Jul;43(3):185-90.
• Background Han RF, Pan JG. Can intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin reduce recurrence in patients with superficial bladder cancer? A meta-analysis of randomized trials. Urology. 2006 Jun;67(6):1216-23. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2005.12.014.
• Background Leentjens J, Kox M, Stokman R, Gerretsen J, Diavatopoulos DA, van Crevel R, Rimmelzwaan GF, Pickkers P, Netea MG. BCG Vaccination Enhances the Immunogenicity of Subsequent Influenza Vaccination in Healthy Volunteers: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study. J Infect Dis. 2015 Dec 15;212(12):1930-8. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiv332. Epub 2015 Jun 12.
• Background World Health Organization. Expert committee on biological standardization: Recommendations to assure the quality, safety and efficacy of BCG vaccines. (2011). Accessed on April 1, 2020 at: https://www.who.int/biologicals/BCG_DB_HK_23_April_2012.pdf
• Background Hatherill M, Geldenhuys H, Pienaar B, Suliman S, Chheng P, Debanne SM, Hoft DF, Boom WH, Hanekom WA, Johnson JL. Safety and reactogenicity of BCG revaccination with isoniazid pretreatment in TST positive adults. Vaccine. 2014 Jun 30;32(31):3982-8. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.04.084. Epub 2014 May 9.
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• Background Mangtani P, Abubakar I, Ariti C, Beynon R, Pimpin L, Fine PE, Rodrigues LC, Smith PG, Lipman M, Whiting PF, Sterne JA. Protection by BCG vaccine against tuberculosis: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Clin Infect Dis. 2014 Feb;58(4):470-80. doi: 10.1093/cid/cit790. Epub 2013 Dec 13.
• Background Kemp EB, Belshe RB, Hoft DF. Immune responses stimulated by percutaneous and intradermal bacille Calmette-Guerin. J Infect Dis. 1996 Jul;174(1):113-9. doi: 10.1093/infdis/174.1.113.
• Background Pizzi M, Albertoni L, Stefanizzi L, Mescoli C, Rugge M. Gastrointestinal Crohn-like disease following BCG therapy. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2015 Dec;30(12):1745-6. doi: 10.1007/s00384-015-2157-2. Epub 2015 Feb 18. No abstract available.
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• Background Dudelzak J, Curtis AR, Sheehan DJ, Lesher JL Jr. New-onset psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in a patient treated with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) immunotherapy. J Drugs Dermatol. 2008 Jul;7(7):684. No abstract available.
• Background Randomised controlled trial of single BCG, repeated BCG, or combined BCG and killed Mycobacterium leprae vaccine for prevention of leprosy and tuberculosis in Malawi. Karonga Prevention Trial Group. Lancet. 1996 Jul 6;348(9019):17-24.
• Background To KK, Tsang OT, Leung WS, Tam AR, Wu TC, Lung DC, Yip CC, Cai JP, Chan JM, Chik TS, Lau DP, Choi CY, Chen LL, Chan WM, Chan KH, Ip JD, Ng AC, Poon RW, Luo CT, Cheng VC, Chan JF, Hung IF, Chen Z, Chen H, Yuen KY. Temporal profiles of viral load in posterior oropharyngeal saliva samples and serum antibody responses during infection by SARS-CoV-2: an observational cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2020 May;20(5):565-574. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30196-1. Epub 2020 Mar 23.
• Background Chen Y, Li L. SARS-CoV-2: virus dynamics and host response. Lancet Infect Dis. 2020 May;20(5):515-516. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30235-8. Epub 2020 Mar 23. No abstract available.
• Background Hoft DF, Leonardi C, Milligan T, Nahass GT, Kemp B, Cook S, Tennant J, Carey M. Clinical reactogenicity of intradermal bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccination. Clin Infect Dis. 1999 Apr;28(4):785-90. doi: 10.1086/515201.
• Background Giamarellos-Bourboulis EJ, Tsilika M, Moorlag S, Antonakos N, Kotsaki A, Dominguez-Andres J, Kyriazopoulou E, Gkavogianni T, Adami ME, Damoraki G, Koufargyris P, Karageorgos A, Bolanou A, Koenen H, van Crevel R, Droggiti DI, Renieris G, Papadopoulos A, Netea MG. Activate: Randomized Clinical Trial of BCG Vaccination against Infection in the Elderly. Cell. 2020 Oct 15;183(2):315-323.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.08.051. Epub 2020 Sep 1.

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Indications