A Study of APL-9 in Adults With Mild to Moderate ARDS Due to COVID-19

A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Vehicle-Controlled, Multicenter, Parallel-Group Study of APL-9 in Mild to Moderate Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Due to COVID-19

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of APL-9 in adults with mild to moderate ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) caused by COVID-19 who are hospitalized and require supplemental oxygen therapy with or without mechanical ventilation.

It is thought that COVID-19 activates the complement system, part of the immune system that responds to infection or tissue damage, and increases inflammation in the lungs. APL-9 has been designed to inhibit or block activation of part of the complement pathway, and potentially reduce inflammation in the lungs.

Part 1 of the study is open-label to evaluate safety; all participants will receive APL-9 plus standard of care. Part 2 of the study is double-blind, randomized; participants will receive either APL-9 or the vehicle-control plus standard of care.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; Coronavirus Infection; Covid-19; COVID; Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome; Coronavirus; Ards; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2; Sars-CoV2
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: APL-9; Other: Vehicle Control

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 72
• Phase: Phase 2; Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Brazil
  • Paraná
    • Campina Grande Do Sul, Paraná, Brazil, 83430-000
      • Hospital Angelina Caron
  • Rio Grande Do Sul
    • Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil, 90020-090
      • Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericordia de Porto Alegre
    • Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil, 91530-001
      • Hospital Sao Lucas Da Pucrs
  • Sao Paulo
    • Santo André, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 09190-615
      • Hospital Estadual Mario Covas
    • São Bernardo Do Campo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 0917-090
      • CEMEC - Centro Multidisciplinar de Estudos Clínicos LTDA EPP
    • São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 01323-020
      • Hospital Alemao Oswaldo Cruz
    • São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 08270-120
      • Hospital Santa Marcelina
  • São Paulo
    • Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil, 18618-686
      • UPECLIN - Unidade de Pesquisa Clínica da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu - FMB/UNESP
• United States
  • California
    • Fresno, California, United States, 93701
      • University of California at San Francisco - Fresno
    • San Francisco, California, United States, 94115
      • California Pacific Medical Center
  • Florida
    • Jacksonville Beach, Florida, United States, 32250
      • Baptist Medical Center Beaches
    • Miami, Florida, United States, 40241
      • Westchester General Hospital
  • Illinois
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
      • Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
    • Maywood, Illinois, United States, 60153
      • Loyola University Medical Center
  • Indiana
    • Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States, 46804
      • Lutheran Health Physicians
  • Iowa
    • Iowa City, Iowa, United States, 52242
      • University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
  • Kentucky
    • Louisville, Kentucky, United States, 40207
      • Norton Women's and Children's Hospital
    • Louisville, Kentucky, United States, 40217
      • Norton Audobon Hospital
  • Louisiana
    • Alexandria, Louisiana, United States, 71301
      • Cambridge Medical Trials
  • Michigan
    • Southfield, Michigan, United States, 48075
      • Ascension Providence Hospital
  • New Jersey
    • New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States, 08903
      • Rutgers University - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
  • New York
    • Buffalo, New York, United States, 14203
      • University at Buffalo
    • New York, New York, United States, 10032
      • Columbia University
  • Texas
    • Temple, Texas, United States, 76508
      • Texas A&M College of Medicine - Scott and White

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Be at least 18 years of age at time of informed consent
• Diagnosis of active SARS CoV 2 infection using viral RNA or viral antigen within 7 days of screening
• Respiratory failure requiring oxygen supplementation or either invasive or noninvasive mechanical ventilation with PaO2/FiO2 ratio >100 mm Hg. Respiratory failure cannot be fully explained by cardiac failure or fluid overload.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors, or other immunomodulators within 3 months prior to study enrollment (however, treatment with convalescent plasma, steroids, IL-6 inhibitors, and antiviral agents is NOT excluded)
• Active bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infection
• History of neuromuscular degenerative disease (eg, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, or multiple sclerosis)
• Current participation in an interventional clincial trial
• Subjects who have, at screening, been on mechanical ventilation for >7 days Have evidence of kidney and liver failure at screening
• Have a hereditary complement deficiency
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: 180 mg APL-9 IV plus SOC	Drug: APL-9; Complement (C3) Inhibitor
Placebo Comparator: Isotonic saline plus SOC	Other: Vehicle Control; Normal saline of equal volume to active arm

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Subjects Who Experienced Treatment-emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) and Serious TEAEs	TEAEs were defined as those adverse events that developed or worsened in severity after initiation of the first dose of study drug and up to 30 (+7) days beyond the last dose of study drug. A serious TEAE was any TEAE or suspected adverse reaction that, in the view of either the Investigator or Sponsor, resulted in any of the following outcomes: death; is life threatening; inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization; a persistent or significant incapacity or substantial disruption of the ability to conduct normal life functions; or a congenital anomaly/birth defect.	From the first dose of study drug and up to 30 (+7) days after the last dose of study drug. Part 1: Day 1 up to Day 44; Part 2: Day 1 up to Day 58

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Hospital Length of Stay	Hospital length of stay was defined as randomization date to hospital discharge. For subjects with death of any cause or withdrawal of study participation, hospital length of stay was imputed with the longest hospital length of stay observed in the study. Median hospital length of stay was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.	Part 2: Day 1 up to Day 58
Overall Survival	Overall survival was defined as randomization date to death of any cause, censored at the last day known to be alive. Median overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.	Part 2: Day 1 up to Day 58 (until the safety follow-up assessment 30 days after last study treatment [+7 days])
Change From Baseline in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) Score Over Time	The SOFA score is an aggregate score based on objective measures of 6 organ systems: respiratory, coagulation, hepatic, cardiovascular, neurologic, and renal. The minimum value is 0 and maximum value is 24. Higher scores indicate worse outcomes. A subject with a SOFA score of zero was defined as being free of organ failure.	Part 2: Baseline (Day 1) and Days 3, 5, 7, 11, 15 and end of treatment (EOT) visit (up to Day 21)
Total Duration of Mechanical Ventilation	Total duration of mechanical ventilation was calculated from the randomization date and was defined as days on mechanical ventilation during the study participation. For subjects with death of any cause (or withdrawal of study participation), total duration of mechanical ventilation was imputed with the longest duration observed in the study. Any subject who was not on mechanical ventilation at the randomization date was excluded. Median total duration of mechanical ventilation was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.	Part 2: Day 1 up to Day 58
Total Duration of Oxygen Therapy	Total duration of oxygen therapy was calculated from randomization date and was defined as days on mechanical ventilation or supplemental oxygen during the study participation. For subjects with death of any cause (or withdrawal of study participation), total duration of oxygen therapy was imputed with the longest duration observed in the study. Any subject who was not on mechanical ventilation or supplemental oxygen at the randomization date was excluded. Median total duration of oxygen therapy was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.	Part 2: Day 1 up to Day 58
Serum Concentration of APL-9 Over Time	To evaluate pharmacokinetics (PK), blood samples were collected at pre-specified timepoints and serum concentrations of APL-9 were determined. Blood was collected 3 times on Day 1: prior to the initial infusion, as soon as possible following the initial infusion (within 5-10 minutes) prior to the continuous infusion, and at 2 hours after the beginning of the continuous infusion. Blood was then collected once daily between 1-2 hours after the first dose on Days 3, 5, 7, 11 (if treatment was ongoing), Day 15 (if treatment was ongoing) and at the EOT visit.	Part 1: Day 1 (pre- and post-dose) and Days 3, 5 and 7 (including EOT visit); Part 2: Day 1 (pre- and post-dose) and Days 3, 5, 7, 11, 15 and EOT visit (up to Day 21)
Change From Baseline at EOT Visit in Biomarkers of Complement Activation: Components C3 and C4	To evaluate pharmacodynamic (PD) parameters, blood samples were collected at pre-specified timepoints. Results are presented for change from baseline to EOT visit for complement biomarkers C3 and C4.	Part 1: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 7); Part 2: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 21)
Change From Baseline at EOT Visit in Biomarkers of Complement Activation: Components C3a, C4a, C5a and Terminal Complement Complex (TCC)	To evaluate PD parameters, blood samples were collected at pre-specified timepoints. Results are presented for change from baseline to EOT visit for complement biomarkers C3a, C4a, C5a and TCC.	Part 1: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 7); Part 2: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 21)
Change From Baseline at EOT Visit in Biomarkers of Complement Activation: Complement Bb	To evaluate PD parameters, blood samples were collected at pre-specified timepoints. Results are presented for change from baseline to EOT visit for complement biomarker Bb, a marker of alternative pathway activation.	Part 1: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 7); Part 2: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 21)
Change From Baseline at EOT Visit in Biomarkers of Complement Activation: Alternative Complement Pathway Hemolytic Activity (AH50)	To evaluate PD parameters, blood samples were collected at pre-specified timepoints. Results are presented for change from baseline to EOT visit for complement biomarker AH50.	Part 1: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (Day 7); Part 2: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 21)
Change From Baseline at EOT Visit in Biomarkers of Coagulopathy: Reticulocytes	To evaluate PD parameters, blood samples were collected at pre-specified timepoints. Results are presented for change from baseline to EOT visit for the coagulation biomarker reticulocytes. Percentage (%) of reticulocytes was calculated as (Number of Reticulocytes / Number of Red Blood Cells) X 100.	Part 1: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (Day 7); Part 2: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 21)
Change From Baseline at EOT Visit in Biomarkers of Coagulopathy: Schistocytes	To evaluate PD parameters, blood samples were collected at pre-specified timepoints. Results are presented for change from baseline to EOT visit for the coagulation biomarker schistocytes.	Part 1: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (Day 7); Part 2: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 21)
Change From Baseline at EOT Visit in Biomarkers of Coagulopathy: Lactate Dehydrogenase	To evaluate PD parameters, blood samples were collected at pre-specified timepoints. Results are presented for change from baseline to EOT visit for the coagulation biomarker lactate dehydrogenase.	Part 1: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (Day 7); Part 2: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 21)
Change From Baseline at EOT Visit in Biomarkers of Coagulopathy: D-Dimer and Ferritin	To evaluate PD parameters, blood samples were collected at pre-specified timepoints. Results are presented for change from baseline to EOT visit for the coagulation biomarkers D-dimer and ferritin.	Part 1: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (Day 7); Part 2: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 21)
Change From Baseline at EOT Visit in Biomarkers of Coagulopathy: Haptoglobin and Fibrinogen	To evaluate PD parameters, blood samples were collected at pre-specified timepoints. Results are presented for change from baseline to EOT visit for the coagulation biomarkers haptoglobin and fibrinogen.	Part 1: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (Day 7); Part 2: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 21)
Change From Baseline at EOT Visit in Biomarkers of Inflammation: C-reactive Protein (CRP)	To evaluate PD parameters, blood samples were collected at pre-specified timepoints. Results are presented for change from baseline to EOT visit for the inflammatory cytokine CRP.	Part 1: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (Day 7); Part 2: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 21)
Change From Baseline at EOT Visit in Biomarkers of Inflammation: Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNFα), Interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6)	To evaluate PD parameters, blood samples were collected at pre-specified timepoints. Results are presented for change from baseline to EOT visit for the inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6.	Part 1: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (Day 7); Part 2: Baseline (Day 1) and EOT visit (up to Day 21)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 28, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 13, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): February 13, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 22, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 22, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): May 26, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 23, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 21, 2022
• Last Verified: March 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Infections; Respiratory Tract Infections; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Respiration Disorders; Pneumonia, Viral; Pneumonia; Lung Diseases; Disease; Infant, Newborn, Diseases; Lung Injury; Infant, Premature, Diseases; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Syndrome; Respiratory Distress Syndrome; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn; Acute Lung Injury
• Other Study ID Numbers: APL9-COV-201

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No