AllogeneiC Expanded Human MSC Therapy in Patients Recovering From COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Trial (ACE_CARD)

January 4, 2026 updated by: BioCardia, Inc.

Phase I/IIa Study to Assess AllogeneiC Expanded Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Patients Recovering From COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Trial (ACE CARD TRIAL)

Allogeneic culture-expanded bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are the subject of the current study as they are supported by preclinical and clinical data for potential to provide a safe and effective treatment for patients with acute respiratory distress.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

The majority of Covid-19 cases either are asymptomatic or result in only mild disease. However, in a substantial percentage of patients, a respiratory illness requiring hospital care develops, and such infections can progress to critical illness with hypoxemic respiratory failure requiring prolonged ventilatory support (Zhou 2020) , (Chen 2020) , (Cao 2020) , (Ruan 2020) . Among patients with Covid-19 who have been admitted to hospitals in the United Kingdom, the case fatality rate has been approximately 26%, a percentage that has increased to more than 37% among patients who were undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation.(Docherty 2020) Although remdesivir has been shown to shorten the time until recovery in hospitalized patients, (Beigel 2020). Efforts to modulate inflammation-mediated lung injury and thereby reduce progression to respiratory failure and death have shown promising results.

INVESTIGATIONAL PRODUCT The NK1R+ MSC cell therapy are allogeneic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells that will be delivered intravenously.

Details on cell culture and expansion of the cells are provided in the Chemistry Manufacturing and Controls Section of the IND.

Cells are provided cryopreserved and are thawed, washed, and prepared for IV delivery.

STUDY OBJECTIVES The objective of this clinical trial is to determine the safety and the optimal cell dose of the NK1R+ hMSC in patients recovering from ARDS.

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Study Type

Interventional

Phase

  • 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.

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 to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Patient > 18 years and ≤ 80 at age at consent
  2. Patient must have:

    • Have a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis (nucleic acid-based assay (e.g., RTPCR) to establish the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection), who recovered from moderate to severe COVID-19 associated ARDS, as determined by Berlin Criteria and been weaned off the ventilator support."
    • Meet the criteria for mild and moderate COVID-19 as described in COVID-19: Developing Drugs and Biological Products for Treatment or Prevention Guidance for Industry (Feb 2021).
    • Recovery from moderate to severe ARDS, diagnosed based on Berlin Criteria, within past 7 days.
  3. PaO2/FiO2 > 100 to <200 mmHg with PEEP>5cm H2O
  4. Patient or legally authorized representative (LAR) provides written informed consent, except as noted in 21 CFR 50.23
  5. Understands and agrees to comply with planned study procedures
  6. Available for clinical follow-up for duration of the treatment and follow-up period
  7. Woman of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test at admission or within 24 hours before starting treatment
  8. Agree not to become pregnant during treatment and for 1 months after receiving treatment
  9. Use at least 2 reliable forms of effective contraception, including 1 barrier method, during treatment and for 1 month after the treatment period

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Severe chronic respiratory disease with a PaCO2 > 50 mm Hg or the use of home oxygen (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or pulmonary fibrosis)
  2. Be an organ transplant recipient
  3. ALT/AST ≥ 5 times the upper limit of normal
  4. BMI > 40
  5. Stage 4 severe kidney disease or requiring dialysis (i.e. eGFR <30)
  6. Anticipated transfer to another hospital that is not a study site within 72 hours
  7. Shock or on ECMO
  8. Pregnant or nursing
  9. On a ventilator at the time of enrollment
  10. Have received high dose corticosteroids at doses >20 mg per day (or prednisone equivalent) administered for ≥14 consecutive days in the month prior to study entry.
  11. Have been diagnosed with cancer
  12. Demonstrated inability to comply with the study procedures

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Sequential Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Low dose
Experimental: Cohort 1 Low dose, 20M cells, 3 patients
MSCs
Other Names:
  • allogeneic NK1R+MSC
Experimental: Medium dose
Experimental: Cohort 2 Med dose, 100M cells, 3 patients
MSCs
Other Names:
  • allogeneic NK1R+MSC
Experimental: High dose
Experimental: Cohort 3 High dose, 200M cells, 3 patients
MSCs
Other Names:
  • allogeneic NK1R+MSC

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of product related adverse events through the duration of the study.
Time Frame: 3 months
Number of product related adverse events through the duration of the study.
3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Secondary Endpoint
Time Frame: 12 months

Number of participants with resolution and/or improvement of ARDS at 7 days, 14 days, 21 days, and 28 days according to the Berlin Criteria.

  • Change in PF ratio from baseline to >200-300, and above >300
  • Absolute change in PF ratio
12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

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)

January 4, 2026

Primary Completion (Actual)

January 4, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

January 4, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 5, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 5, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

August 8, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

January 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 4, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 05539-A

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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