Efficacy, Safety, Tolerability, and Biomarkers of Ibudilast (MN-166) in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 at Risk for ARDS

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Group Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety, Tolerability, Biomarkers and Pharmacokinetics of Ibudilast (MN-166) in COVID-19 Subjects at Risk for Developing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

The goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of Ibudilast (MN-166) versus placebo in hospitalized patients infected with COVID-19 at risk for developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) receiving standard of care (including anticoagulation therapy) by measuring the following outcomes: 1) the need for oxygen therapy at Days 7, 14, and 28, 2) clinical status as measured by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) ordinal scale at Days 7, 14, and 28, and 3) safety (as measured by incidence of adverse events and clinical laboratory findings) and tolerability of Ibudilast.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Pneumonia, Viral
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Ibudilast; Drug: Placebo

Detailed Description

This is a randomized (1:1) double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study evaluating the efficacy of Ibudilast to prevent ARDS in hospitalized patients infected with COVID-19 who are at risk for developing ARDS. The study will consist of a Screening Phase, Double-Blind Treatment Phase, and Follow-up Phase. Following the Screening Phase, if the participant meets eligibility criteria, they will be randomly assigned to Ibudilast or matching placebo. Participants will receive Ibudilast 100 mg/d (50 mg twice a day) or placebo every day for 7 days. Upon completion of the 7-day Treatment Phase, subject will be followed-up at Day 14 and at Day 28. Participants discharged prior to Day 7 will be given the remainder of their study medication (Ibudilast or placebo) to be taken at home twice daily until Day 7 and will be given a pulse oximeter to measure their oxygen levels once daily until Day 14.

The following screening assessments will be performed upon signing the Informed Consent Form (ICF): inclusion/exclusion criteria review, physical exam, vital signs and oxygen use, clinical status using the NIAID ordinal scale, 12-lead ECG, blood collection for plasma biomarkers. A complete blood count (CBC), comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), D-dimer and coagulation tests will also be drawn. A serum pregnancy test will be given to pre-menopausal female participants. Concomitant medications taken within the last 7 days prior to study drug administration will be recorded.

During the Treatment Phase, hospitalized participants will be treated with Ibudilast or placebo for a 7-day period plus standard of care and anticoagulation therapy. During the Treatment Phase, participants will undergo study-related procedures including physical exam, ECG, oxygen use assessment, biomarkers and pharmacokinetic sample draws, CBC, CMP, D-dimer blood collection, clinical status using the NIAID scale, and information on adverse events and concomitant medications will be recorded.

On Study Day 14, conduct physical examination, clinical status, vital signs and oxygen use, ECG, CBC, CMP, D-dimer, and coagulation tests, biomarkers, AE and concomitant medications review. On Day 28, participant's clinical status and survival status will be recorded.

If the participant is discharged before Day 7, they will be given the remainder of their study drug to take at home for up to 7 days, and the Sponsor will supply a pulse oximeter to participants to measure their oxygen levels once daily until Day 14.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 34
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Colorado
    • Denver, Colorado, United States, 80204
      • Denver Health and Hospital Authority
  • Connecticut
    • New Haven, Connecticut, United States, 06520
      • Yale University School of Medicine

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed with WHO criteria (including a positive PCR of any specimen, e.g., blood, respiratory, stool, urine, or any other body fluid)
• Chest imaging (radiograph, computerized tomography (CT) scan or lung ultrasound) with abnormalities consistent with COVID-19 pneumonia
• Oxygen saturation (SpO2) ≤92% on room air (RA), respiratory rate ≥24 breaths per min on RA, and/or requirement for supplemental oxygen
• At least 1 risk factor which may put patient at higher risk for more severe illness from COVID-19: Age > 65, underlying serious heart disease, chronic lung disease, moderate to severe asthma, body mass index of ≥40, or diabetes

Exclusion Criteria:

• Suspected active bacterial, fungal, viral, or other cause of respiratory failure other than COVID-19
• Subject is already intubated and on ventilator support
• Known or suspected immunosuppression with immunosuppressant medications or chemotherapeutic agents
• Patient is receiving dialysis treatment
• On a home ventilator support or continuous domiciliary oxygen therapy for baseline lung disease
• Active tuberculosis infection

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Active Treatment Group	Drug: Ibudilast; 50 mg (5 x 10 mg capsules) twice daily for 7 days; Other Names: MN-166
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Treatment Group	Drug: Placebo; 0 mg (5 matching capsules) twice daily for 7 days

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Participants Free From Respiratory Failure at Day 7	Participants were considered "responders" if they did not meet the need for supplemental oxygen requirements (invasive mechanical ventilation, non-invasive ventilation, high-flow oxygen, or ECMO, CPAP, BiPAP, nasal cannula) at the end of the 7-day double-blind treatment.	Day 7
Number of Participants With at Least a 1-point Improvement in Clinical Status on Day 7	Number (percentage) of participants with at least a 1-point improvement in clinical status on Day 7. Clinical status is measured by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) 8-Point Ordinal Scale: 1=Not hospitalized, no limitations on activities; 2=Not hospitalized, limitation on activities and/or requiring home oxygen; 3=Hospitalized, not requiring supplemental oxygen - no longer requires ongoing medical care; 4=Hospitalized, not requiring supplemental oxygen - requiring ongoing medical care (COVID-19 related or otherwise) 5=Hospitalized, Hospitalized, requiring supplemental oxygen; 6=Hospitalized, on non-invasive ventilation or high flow oxygen devices; 7=Hospitalized, on invasive mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO); 8=Death.	Day 7

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Participants Receiving Mechanical Ventilation or Intubation	Number (percentage) of participants receiving mechanical ventilation or intubation after starting study drug.	Days 7, 14, and 28
All-cause Mortality	Number of reported participant deaths	Day 1 to Day 60
Number of Participants Discharged From Hospital at Days 7, 14, and 28	Number (percentage) of participants discharged from hospital at Days 7, 14, and 28	Days 7, 14, and 28

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: MediciNova
• Investigators: Study Chair: Kazuko Matsuda, MD PhD MPH, Medicinova Inc

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 11, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 30, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): August 7, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 9, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 11, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): June 12, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 30, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 28, 2024
• Last Verified: October 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Pneumonia; COVID-19; Acute respiratory distress syndrome
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Respiratory Tract Infections; Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Lung Diseases; Respiration Disorders; Coronavirus Infections; Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; COVID-19; Respiratory Distress Syndrome; Pneumonia; Pneumonia, Viral; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Autonomic Agents; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Enzyme Inhibitors; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; Respiratory System Agents; Anti-Asthmatic Agents; Bronchodilator Agents; Vasodilator Agents; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; Ibudilast
• Other Study ID Numbers: MN-166-COVID-19-201

Drug and device information, study documents

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