ABSTRACT
Background: Immunocompromised persons are disproportionately affected by severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, but immune compromise is heterogenous, which may impact viral dynamics. We hypothesized that higher degrees of compromised immunity are associated with higher viral shedding and slower viral clearance in the absence of COVID-19 therapeutics. Method(s): Participants enrolled in ACTIV-2/A5401, a platform trial for COVID-19 therapeutics in non-hospitalized adults within 10 days of symptom onset, received either an active treatment or placebo between 8/2020 and 7/2021. Participants were categorized based on the extent of immunosuppression into none, mild, moderate and severe categories at enrollment (day 0). Longitudinal anterior nasal (AN) and plasma SARS-CoV-2 levels were measured with a quantitative PCR assay. Regression models assessed associations between immunocompromise severity and viral levels (VL) at day 0, and longitudinally among those on placebo with quantifiable RNA at day 0. Multivariate analyses adjusted for demographics and symptom duration and vaccination status at day 0. Result(s): Immunocompromised (mild 383, moderate 159, severe 35) and immunocompetent (1956) participants had comparable symptom durations at day 0 (median 6 days) and most were unvaccinated (~95%). AN VL at day 0 was higher in the moderate/severe group compared to the immunocompetent group (adjusted difference in means: 0.47 log10 copies/mL, 95% CI 0.12, 0.83). While AN VL decayed at similar rates among all groups from day 0 to 3, there was a trend towards higher cumulative AN VLs across the 28-day follow-up in the moderate/severe group compared to immunocompetent group (adjusted fold difference in VL AUC 1.63, 95%CI 0.95, 2.77). The mild group showed no differences in day 0 VL or AUC compared to the immunocompetent group. The frequency of detectable plasma SARS-CoV-2 RNA was similar at day 0 across all groups (overall 21%), but there appeared to be a higher proportion of immunocompromised participants with detectable plasma viral RNA at day 7 (moderate/severe 2/23 [9%], mild 5/44 [11%]) compared to the immunocompetent group (8/282, 3%). Conclusion(s): Before emergence of Omicron and widespread vaccination, moderate/severe immunocompromised status was associated with higher nasal viral levels at study enrollment and showed a trend towards higher cumulative AN viral load, and all immunocompromised groups appeared to have more persistent plasma viremia during follow-up.
ABSTRACT
Background: Within the ACTIV-2/A5401 platform (NCT04518410), the safety and efficacy of tixagevimab/cilgavimab (T/C), an anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody combination, was studied in outpatients with COVID-19. Intravenous (IV) and intramuscular (IM) administration of T/C were assessed. Method(s): Non-hospitalized adults >=18 years enrolled within 10 days of positive SARS-CoV-2 test and symptom onset. Participants at higher risk of disease progression were eligible for IV T/C 300mg (150mg each component) or placebo;all were eligible for IM T/C 600mg (300mg each) administered to the lateral thigh or placebo. Co-primary outcomes were: time to symptom improvement through day 28;nasopharyngeal (NP) SARS-CoV-2 RNA below lower limit of quantification (LLoQ) on days 3, 7 or 14;and treatment emergent Grade >=3 adverse events. Result(s): Between February and May 2021, 223 participants (106 T/C, 117 placebo) initiated study intervention and were included in the IM analysis and 114 participants (58 T/C, 56 placebo) in the IV analysis;the IV study was stopped early for administrative reasons. Both studies enrolled 45% Latinx;the IM and IV populations included 12% and 19% Black participants, 49% and 59% female sex at birth, and median age was 39 and 44 years, respectively, all of which were balanced between active vs placebo for each. Median (IQR) days from symptom onset at enrollment was 6 (4, 7). There were no differences in time to symptom improvement comparing IM T/C to placebo (median 8 (IQR 7, 12) vs 10 (8, 13) days;p=0.35) or IV T/C to placebo (11 (9, 15) vs 10 (7, 15) days;p=0.71). A significantly greater proportion (80%) in the IM T/C arm had NP SARS-CoV-2 RNA below LLoQ at day 7 compared to placebo (65%), but not days 3 or 14, overall p=0.003 across visits. Secondary and post-hoc analyses revealed antiviral effects within the smaller IV study. There was no difference in Grade >=3 AEs with either administration route. Fewer participants were hospitalized who received T/C vs placebo (4 vs 7 in IM group;0 vs 4 in IV group), neither group reaching statistical significance. Conclusion(s): Tixagevimab/cilgavimab administered IM or IV was well-tolerated and demonstrated antiviral activity and a trend towards fewer hospitalizations, but did not change time to symptom improvement in mild-to-moderate COVID-19 compared to placebo. Monoclonal antibodies administered intramuscularly to the thigh may present a valuable alternative for early SARSCoV-2 infection. Virologic Outcomes of Tixagevimab/Cilgavimab treatment 600mg IM (panels A and B) or 300mg IV (panels C and D) versus placebo.
ABSTRACT
Background. Predictors of SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels and changes over time during early COVID-19 are not well characterized. Methods. ACTIV-2 is a phase II/III randomized, placebo-controlled, platform trial to evaluate investigational agents for treatment of COVID-19 in non-hospitalized adults. Participants enrolled within 10 days of symptom onset. Nasopharyngeal samples were collected for SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing on Days 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28;RNA was quantified with qPCR assay. SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity was defined as detectable IgG to any of nucleocapsid, receptor binding domain, S1 and S2 antigens by Bio-Plex multiplex assay. Censored linear regression and repeated measures Poisson models evaluated predictors of RNA including age, sex, race, ethnicity, risk of severe COVID-19, diabetes, BMI, obesity (BMI > 35 kg/m2) and serostatus. Results. The study enrolled 537 participants from Aug 2020 to July 2021 at US sites. Median age was 48 years;49% were female sex, >99% cis-gender, 83% white, 29% Hispanic/Latino, and 21% had BMI > 35 kg/m2. At Day 0, median symptom duration was 6 days, 50% were seropositive (2 were vaccinated) and 17% had RNA below the lower limit of quantification (LLoQ). Higher Day 0 RNA was associated with shorter symptom duration (Spearman correlation = -0.40, p< 0.001), as well as older age, white race, lower BMI and seronegativity, even when adjusting for symptom duration (all p< 0.03). Among the 203 on placebo with Day 0 RNA >= LLoQ, female sex had larger decreases in RNA at Day 3 vs male sex (difference in mean change: -0.8 log10 copies/mL (95% CI: -1.2, -0.4), p< 0.001) when adjusted for symptom duration and Day 0 RNA;this difference was also observed when evaluating the proportion with RNA < LLoQ at Day 3 (Risk Ratio (95% CI): 2.38 (1.11, 5.09)). Seropositivity at Day 0 was associated with higher probability of RNA < LLoQ at Days 3 and 7 (p< 0.001) in adjusted models. Seropositivity at Day 0 did not differ by sex. Conclusion. In this well characterized clinical trial cohort, shorter symptom duration, older age, white race, lower BMI and seronegativity were associated with higher RNA in early infection. Female sex and seropositivity were associated with earlier viral clearance. Further research is needed to determine if viral decay differences mediated by these host factors influence clinical outcomes.
ABSTRACT
Background: The relationship between nasopharyngeal (NP) SARS-CoV-2 RNA, demographics and symptom characteristics in non-hospitalized persons with COVID-19 is not well described. Methods: ACTIV-2 is a phase 2/3 adaptive platform trial testing antivirals for SARS-CoV-2 in symptomatic non-hospitalized adults. We analyzed associations between NP quantitative SARS-CoV-2 RNA (Abbott m2000sp/rt) and COVID-19 symptomatology in 284 participants with both a NP swab and symptom diary prior to study intervention. The diary included 13 targeted symptoms and questions about overall severity of COVID-19 symptoms, each scored as none, mild, moderate, or severe (and very severe for overall severity) and general physical health (scored as poor, fair, good, very good, excellent). Wilcoxon tests were used to compare NP RNA levels between pre-defined groups. Spearman correlations, Jonchkeere-Terpstra trend tests, and linear regressions evaluated associations between symptom measures and NP RNA. Results: Participants were 49% female, 82% white, 9% black, and 27% Latinx. Median age was 46 years and 50% met the protocol definition of higher risk for COVID-19 progression (age ≥55 years and/or protocol-defined comorbidities);32% reported moderate and 5% severe symptoms. Median (Q1, Q3) time from onset of symptoms to NP swab/symptom assessment was 6 (4, 8) days. NP RNA was above the lower limit of quantification in 85%;median (Q1, Q3) was 5.4 (3.5, 6.8) log10 copies/mL. Higher RNA levels were associated with shorter symptom duration (median 6.5 vs 4.7 log10 copies/mL for ≤5 vs >5 days) but not total symptom score (Figure). Controlling for symptom duration, higher NP RNA levels were associated with better general physical health (p=0.02) and more severe body/muscle pain (p=0.04). No associations were observed with symptom severity (sum of scores or overall severity) or any other symptoms. There was no association between NP RNA and age or risk category for COVID-19 progression. Conclusion: In symptomatic outpatients, NP SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels were higher in persons with more recent symptom onset, but were not associated with symptom severity or risk for disease progression. The range of viral RNA shedding was remarkably similar across the range of symptom severity, suggesting symptom severity may not correlate with transmission risk or the potential to respond to antiviral therapy. Outpatient trials aimed at evaluating antiviral activity of new agents should focus enrollment on participants with recent onset of symptoms. (Figure Presented).