High-Dose Moderna mRNA-1273 Booster Study for Lung Transplant Recipients

March 24, 2025 updated by: Michael Y. Shino, MD, University of California, Los Angeles

Phase I/II, Open-Label Dose-Finding Trial of High-Dose mRNA-1273 Booster for Lung Transplant Recipients

Lung transplant recipients have poor outcomes after COVID-19 infection with mortality. Due to the immunosuppression, they have had poor responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and remain at high risk of poor outcomes. This is a Phase I/II clinical trial to evaluate the safety and immune response from a higher dose mRNA-1273 vaccine among lung transplant recipients who have already received three or four doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

This is a Phase I/II open-label dose-finding trial among lung transplant recipients who received three or four mRNA vaccine doses (mRNA-1273 or BNT162b2) after lung transplantation to: standard-dose (50 ug), mid-dose (100 ug) or high-dose (200 ug) mRNA-1273 booster vaccine. Sixty participants will be enrolled into three dose groups: 1) Standard-dose - 20 participants, 2) Mid-dose - 20 participants, 3) High-dose - 20 participants. The first 2 participants in both the mid-dose and high dose groups will be considered the 'sentinel' group. Participants in the sentinel group will receive the vaccine and undergo a 7-day observation period for safety and reactogenicity before additional participants are enrolled into that dose group.

Overall study enrollment will begin with the mid-dose sentinel group (n=2). During the observation period for the mid-dose sentinel group, we will enroll two participants into the standard-dose group. Once the mid-dose sentinel group completes their 7-day observation period without triggering halting rules and is approved to proceed by the DSMB, we will enroll the next 27 participants (Cohort 1) with a 2:1 randomization into the mid-dose (n=18) and standard-dose (n=9) groups.

Once all 20 participants have received their mid-dose vaccine without triggering halting rules and is approved to proceed by the DSMB, we will enroll the high-dose sentinel group (n=2). Once the high-dose sentinel group completes their 7-day observation period without triggering halting rules and is approved to proceed by the DSMB, we will enroll the next 27 participants (Cohort 2) with a 2:1 randomization into the high-dose (n=18) and standard-dose (n=9) groups. All 20 participants in the mid-dose group will be enrolled prior to the enrollment of the high-dose group.

We will perform stratified randomization for the two cohorts based on: 1) the number of prior doses, and 2) prior receipt of any BNT162b2 vaccines. Randomization with be done by the UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) statistics team based on scheduled participants prior to the study visit. The 6 participants in the sentinel (n=4) and initial (n=2) groups (Table 1) will be assigned into the 3 groups based on their scheduled visit day.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

19

Phase

  • Phase 2
  • Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • California
      • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90095
        • UCLA Clinical Translational Research Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

  1. All adult lung transplant recipients (age ≥ 18 at the time of consent) who received all of their COVID-19 vaccines after lung transplantation.
  2. Received three or four doses of either the Moderna mRNA-1273 or Pfizer BNT162b2 vaccine with the last dose received at least 4 months prior to study enrollment.
  3. Currently receiving standard regimen of three drug immunosuppression with prednisone, tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil (cellcept, minimum 250 mg bid) or mycophenolate sodium (myfortic, minimum 180 mg bid).
  4. Agrees not to receive other investigational agents for prophylaxis against COVID-19 including Evusheld monoclonal antibodies for at least 30 days after the study vaccine.
  5. Understands and agrees to comply with the study procedures and provides written informed consent.
  6. Is in stable health without any new or worsening medical conditions in the opinion of the Investigator.
  7. Female participants of childbearing potential (<1 year since start of menopause) may be enrolled in the study if the participant fulfills all the following criteria:

    1. Has a negative pregnancy test at Visit 1 Day 1.
    2. Has practiced adequate contraception or has abstained from all activities that could result in pregnancy for at least 28 days prior to the first injection (Day 1).
    3. Has agreed to continue adequate contraception or practice abstinence through 3 months following the booster injection (Day 90).
    4. Is not currently breastfeeding.
    5. Adequate female contraception is defined as consistent and correct use of a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved contraceptive method in accordance with the product label. For example:

    i. Barrier method (such as condoms, diaphragm, or cervical cap) used in conjunction with spermicide ii. Intrauterine device iii. Prescription hormonal contraceptive taken or administered via oral (pill), transdermal (patch), subdermal, or IM route iv. Sterilization of a female participant's monogamous male partner prior to entry into the study v. Note: periodic abstinence (e.g., calendar, ovulation methods) and withdrawal are not acceptable methods of contraception.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Previous documented COVID-19 infection.
  2. Use of investigational agents for prophylaxis against COVID-19 within 90 days of the start of the study, including Evusheld monoclonal antibodies.
  3. Ongoing therapy for acute cellular or antibody mediated rejection.
  4. Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) administration within the prior 3 months or ongoing IVIG therapy.
  5. Anaphylaxis or allergic reaction to any prior vaccines.
  6. History of anaphylaxis or other significant adverse reaction requiring medical intervention after receipt of a vaccine.
  7. Is acutely ill or febrile 24 hours prior to or at the Day 1 visit. Fever is defined as a body temperature ≥ 38.0°C/100.4°F. Participants meeting this criterion may be rescheduled within the relevant window periods. Afebrile participants with minor illnesses can be enrolled at the discretion of the investigator.
  8. Pregnant or breastfeeding.
  9. Has a medical, psychiatric, or occupational condition that may pose additional risk as a result of participation, or that could interfere with safety assessments or interpretation of results according to the investigator's judgment.
  10. Known history of hypertension (HTN) with systolic blood pressure (BP) > 180 mm Hg at the Day 1 visit.
  11. Known history of hypotension with systolic blood pressure < 85 mm Hg at the Day 1 visit.
  12. Bleeding disorder considered a contraindication to IM injection or phlebotomy.
  13. Active malignancy diagnosed within previous 4 years (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer).
  14. Received a major surgery including lung transplantation in the past 3 months.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Standard-dose
mRNA-1273 (Moderna COVID-19 vaccine) 50 ug
Study Drug will be administered via intramuscular injection (IM). Only one dose of study drug will be administered for the study.
Experimental: Mid-Dose
mRNA-1273 (Moderna COVID-19 vaccine) 100 ug
Study Drug will be administered via intramuscular injection (IM). Only one dose of study drug will be administered for the study.
Experimental: High-Dose
mRNA-1273 (Moderna COVID-19 vaccine) 200 ug
Study Drug will be administered via intramuscular injection (IM). Only one dose of study drug will be administered for the study.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Participants Experiencing Solicited Local and Systemic Reactogenicity Adverse Reactions (AR)
Time Frame: Day 1 - Day 7 after study drug administration
Solicited local and systemic reactogenicity adverse events were documented daily in a dedicated diary, and assigned a grade 1-3 according to the "Toxicity Grading Scale for Healthy Adult and Adolescent Volunteers Enrolled in Preventive Vaccine Clinical Trials" (FDA grading scale). Higher grades are assigned to more severe events.
Day 1 - Day 7 after study drug administration
Participants Reporting Unsolicited Adverse Events (AEs) Recorded on a Daily Diary
Time Frame: Day 1 - Day 30 after study drug administration
Comprehensive recording of occurrence and severity grade of unsolicited adverse events (AEs) daily. These events were documented in a dedicated diary starting from Day 1 of the study and continued through to Day 30. Data collection encompassed adverse events not specifically solicited, with each event's frequency recorded for analysis.
Day 1 - Day 30 after study drug administration
Participants Reporting Any Serious Adverse Experiences (SAEs) and Adverse Events of Special Interests (AESIs) Related to the Intervention From Day 1 Until Day 180.
Time Frame: Day 1 - Day 180 after study drug administration
This comprehensive data collection is intended to provide insights into the occurrence of significant adverse events and specific adverse events of interest over an extended period
Day 1 - Day 180 after study drug administration

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Humoral Immunogenicity Measured by Anti-RBD and Anti-spike (S-2P) IgG Levels at Day 30.
Time Frame: Day 30 after study drug administration
This evaluation provides insights into the vaccine's ability to induce an immune response by quantifying specific antibody levels targeting key viral components, contributing to the understanding of vaccine efficacy and immune response dynamics.
Day 30 after study drug administration
Humoral Immunogenicity Measured by Neutralizing Antibody Titers From a Pseudovirus Neutralization Assay at Day 30.
Time Frame: Day 1, Day 30 after study drug administration
Provide a direct measure of the vaccine-induced immune response's ability to neutralize viral infection, offering critical insights into vaccine efficacy and immune response effectiveness
Day 1, Day 30 after study drug administration
Cellular Immunogenicity (CD8+ T Cell Responses After Spike Protein Peptide Pool Stimulation) Measured by Cellular Response Assays Including Flow Cytometry With Intracellular Staining.
Time Frame: Day 1, Day 30 after study drug administration
Percent of total CD8+ T Cells to quantify vaccine-induced cellular immune response, the activation and functionality of specific immune cell populations to contribute to understanding the vaccine's ability to elicit a robust cellular immune response, which is essential for effective protection against viral infections.
Day 1, Day 30 after study drug administration
Cellular Immunogenicity (CD4+ T Cell Responses After Spike Protein Peptide Pool Stimulation) Measured by Cellular Response Assays Including Flow Cytometry With Intracellular Staining.
Time Frame: Day 1, Day 30 after study drug administration
Percent of total CD4+ T Cells to quantify vaccine-induced cellular immune response, the activation and functionality of specific immune cell populations to contribute to understanding the vaccine's ability to elicit a robust cellular immune response, which is essential for effective protection against viral infections.
Day 1, Day 30 after study drug administration

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Collaborators

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Yusaku Michael Shino, MD, University of California, Los Angeles

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

March 10, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

February 27, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

February 27, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 5, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 5, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

March 15, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

March 26, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 24, 2025

Last Verified

March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 22-000192

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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Clinical Trials on mRNA-1273 (Moderna COVID-19 vaccine)

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