The (HD)IVACOV Trial (The High-Dose IVermectin Against COVID-19 Trial)

Summary

Ivermectin, a classical antiparasitic and anti-scabies agent, has demonstrated antiviral activity for a variety of viruses including chikungunya virus, zyka virus and dengue virus and was tested as a potentially effective for COVID-19. Although ivermectin demonstrated potent in vitro action by reducing viral load by 5000x after 48 hours of incubation, simultaneous pharmacokinetics simulations suggested that the minimum effective concentrations would be unfeasible to be reached within safety range (EC-50 = 2 Micromol). However, despite the theoretical unfeasible concentrations to be achieved, preliminary observational yet well-structured studies followed by randomized clinical trials (RCTs) demonstrated ivermectin efficacy when combined with hydroxychloroquine, doxycycline or azithromycin, which was corroborated by a recent systematic review and metanalysis. In common, a dose-response effect for effectiveness was observed, and no adverse effects was reported at any dose between 0.2mg/kg/day and 1.0mg/kg/day. Based on the scientific rationale combined with the preliminary evidence, ivermectin has sufficient evidence to be tested in higher doses in a RCT for COVID-19. The investigators propose to test ivermectin at high doses as a treatment for patients recently diagnosed with COVID-19, aiming to explore the possible protective role of high-dose ivermectin in SARS-CoV-2 infection in terms of reduction of clinic and virologic disease duration, and prevention of oxygen use, hospitalization, mechanical ventilation, death, and post-COVID persisting symptoms.

Timeline

Start

2021-01-25

Primary completion

2021-03-21

Completion

2021-04-20

Publications

• Results Guan WJ, Ni ZY, Hu Y, Liang WH, Ou CQ, He JX, Liu L, Shan H, Lei CL, Hui DSC, Du B, Li LJ, Zeng G, Yuen KY, Chen RC, Tang CL, Wang T, Chen PY, Xiang J, Li SY, Wang JL, Liang ZJ, Peng YX, Wei L, Liu Y, Hu YH, Peng P, Wang JM, Liu JY, Chen Z, Li G, Zheng ZJ, Qiu SQ, Luo J, Ye CJ, Zhu SY, Zhong NS; China Medical Treatment Expert Group for Covid-19. Clinical Characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in China. N Engl J Med. 2020 Apr 30;382(18):1708-1720. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2002032. Epub 2020 Feb 28.
• Results Zhou F, Yu T, Du R, Fan G, Liu Y, Liu Z, Xiang J, Wang Y, Song B, Gu X, Guan L, Wei Y, Li H, Wu X, Xu J, Tu S, Zhang Y, Chen H, Cao B. Clinical course and risk factors for mortality of adult inpatients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective cohort study. Lancet. 2020 Mar 28;395(10229):1054-1062. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30566-3. Epub 2020 Mar 11.
• Results Lauer SA, Grantz KH, Bi Q, Jones FK, Zheng Q, Meredith HR, Azman AS, Reich NG, Lessler J. The Incubation Period of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) From Publicly Reported Confirmed Cases: Estimation and Application. Ann Intern Med. 2020 May 5;172(9):577-582. doi: 10.7326/M20-0504. Epub 2020 Mar 10.
• Results Li L, Liu J, Qin K. Comparison of double-dose vs standard-dose oseltamivir in the treatment of influenza: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2020 Oct;45(5):918-926. doi: 10.1111/jcpt.13203. Epub 2020 Jun 4.
• Results Varghese FS, Kaukinen P, Glasker S, Bespalov M, Hanski L, Wennerberg K, Kummerer BM, Ahola T. Discovery of berberine, abamectin and ivermectin as antivirals against chikungunya and other alphaviruses. Antiviral Res. 2016 Feb;126:117-24. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2015.12.012. Epub 2016 Jan 2.
• Results Padhy BM, Mohanty RR, Das S, Meher BR. Therapeutic potential of ivermectin as add on treatment in COVID 19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Pharm Pharm Sci. 2020;23:462-469. doi: 10.18433/jpps31457.
• Results Rajter JC, Sherman MS, Fatteh N, Vogel F, Sacks J, Rajter JJ. Use of Ivermectin Is Associated With Lower Mortality in Hospitalized Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019: The Ivermectin in COVID Nineteen Study. Chest. 2021 Jan;159(1):85-92. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2020.10.009. Epub 2020 Oct 13.
• Results Elgazzar, A et al. Efficacy and Safety of Ivermectin for Treatment and prophylaxis of COVID-19 Pandemic. Research Square doi.org/10.21203, 2020
• Results Chowdhury, ATMM et al. A Randomized Trial of Ivermectin-Doxycycline and Hydroxychloroquine-Azithromycin therapy on COVID19 patients. Research Square: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-38896/v1, 2020.
• Results Niaee, MS et al. Ivermectin as an adjunct treatment for hospitalized adult COVID-19 patients: A randomized multi-center clinical trial. Research Square: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-109670/v1, 2020.
• Results Francés-Monerris, A et al. Has Ivermectin Virus-Directed Effects against SARS-CoV-2? Rationalizing the Action of a Potential Multitarget Antiviral Agent. ChemRxiv, 2020.

Drugs

Indications