Convalescent Plasma as Adjunctive Therapy for Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19: The Co-CLARITY Trial.

Background and Objective: Convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) may reduce the risk of disease progression among patients with COVID-19. This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CPT in preventing ICU admission among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Methods: In this open-label randomized controlled trial, we randomly assigned hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19 in a 1:1 ratio to receive convalescent plasma as an adjunct to standard of care or standard of care alone. The primary endpoint was ICU admission within first 28 days of enrolment. Primary safety endpoints include rapid deterioration of respiratory or clinical status within four hours of convalescent plasma transfusion and cumulative incidence of serious adverse events during the study period including transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO), severe allergic reactions, and transfusion-related infections. Results: A total of 22 patients were assigned to receive convalescent plasma as an adjunct to standard of care and 22 to receive standard of care alone. The median time from onset of COVID-19 symptoms to study enrolment was eight days (IQR, 4 to 10). Two patients (9.1%) in the CPT group and one patient (4.5%) in the control group were admitted to the ICU. The primary outcome measure, ICU admission, was not different between the two groups (q-value >0.9). No patient who received convalescent plasma had rapid deterioration of respiratory/clinical status within four hours of transfusion and none developed TRALI, TACO, anaphylaxis, severe allergic reactions, or transfusion-related infections. There was also no significant difference in the secondary outcomes of 28-day mortality (two patients in the CPT group and none in the control group, q-value >0.90), dialysis-free days, vasopressor-free days, and ICU-free days. Conclusions: Among hospitalized COVID-19 patients, no significant differences were observed in the need for ICU admission between patients given CPT as adjunct to standard of care and those who received standard of care alone. Interpretation is limited by early termination of the trial which may have been underpowered to detect a clinically important difference.

HIV-1 Subtype Shift in the Philippines is Associated With High Transmitted Drug Resistance, High Viral Loads, and Fast Immunologic Decline.

OBJECTIVES: The Philippines has one of the fastest growing HIV epidemics in the world. A subtype shift from B to CRF01_AE may have contributed to the increase in cases. We undertook a genotyping and transmitted drug resistance (TDR) study to determine if the dominant subtype has any advantages in resistance and transmission. METHODS: Filipinos who were treatment-naive who were living with HIV were recruited from two large government treatment hubs from March 2016 to August 2018. HIV-1 viral load, CD4 count, genotyping, and TDR testing were performed. Demographic and clinical data were collected and compared across subtypes. RESULTS: A total of 298 Filipinos living with HIV were recruited. Median CD4 count was 143 cells/µl and HIV viral load was 2,345,431 copies/ml. Sanger-based sequencing showed 230/298 (77.2%) had subtype CRF01_AE, 41 (13.8%) subtype B, and the rest had other subtypes or recombinants. Overall TDR was 11.7%. TDR was associated with lower viral loads and no previous HIV testing. CRF01_AE had a higher likelihood of a viral load >100,000 copies/ml and having a baseline CD4 count <50 cells/mm3. CONCLUSION: TDR in the Philippines is high at 11.7%. CRF01_AE was observed to have a higher baseline viral load and lower CD4 counts compared with other cocirculating subtypes. Further research needs to confirm this observation because it suggests that CRF01_AE may have a survival advantage that led to replacement of subtype B as the dominant subtype. Drug resistance testing is recommended in the Philippines when initiating NNRTI-based antiretroviral therapy but may not be necessary for INSTI-based regimens.

High rates of tenofovir failure in a CRF01_AE-predominant HIV epidemic in the Philippines.

BACKGROUND: The Philippines has the fastest growing HIV epidemic in the Asia-Pacific. This increase was accompanied by a shift in the predominant HIV subtype from B to CRF01_AE. Increasing evidence points to a difference in treatment responses between subtypes. We examined treatment failure and acquired drug resistance (ADR) in people living with HIV (PLHIVs) after one year on antiretrovirals (ARVs). METHODS: PLHIV maintained on ARVs for one year were recruited. Treatment failure was defined as a viral load of ≥1000 copies/mL. Sanger sequencing for genotyping and drug resistance mutation (DRM) detection was performed on patients failing treatment. RESULTS: 513 PLHIV were enrolled. The most common antiretroviral regimens were TDF+3TC + EFV (269) and AZT+3TC + EFV (155). 53 (10.3%) subjects failed treatment. Among these, 48 (90.6%) had DRMs, 84.9% were subtype CRF01_AE. Tenofovir-based regimens performed worse than zidovudine-based regimens (OR 3.28, 95% CI 1.58-7.52 p < 0.001). Higher rates of NRTI, NNRTI, K65R tenofovir resistance, and multi-class resistance were found compared to those reported in literature. CONCLUSIONS: HIV treatment failure at one year of treatment in the Philippines is 10.3%. We found unusually high tenofovir and multiclass resistance, and optimal ARV regimens may need to be reevaluated for CRF01_AE-predominant epidemics.

Shortening intradermal rabies post-exposure prophylaxis regimens to 1 week: Results from a phase III clinical trial in children, adolescents and adults.

BACKGROUND: This phase III clinical trial compared the immunogenicity and safety of a purified chick-embryo cell rabies vaccine (PCECV) administered according to a shortened post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) 4-site/1-week intradermal regimen, compared with the currently recommended 2-site/Thai Red Cross (TRC) regimen. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This controlled, open-label, multi-center study (NCT02177032) enrolled healthy individuals ≥1 year of age, randomized into 4 groups to receive intradermal PCECV according to one of the 2 regimens, with or without human rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG) administration at first visit (in adults only). Rabies virus neutralizing antibody (RVNA) concentrations and percentages of participants with RVNA concentrations ≥0.5 IU/mL (considered as adequate concentrations following PEP) were assessed up to day (D) 365 post-first vaccination. Non-inferiority of the 4-site/1-week regimen to the 2-site/TRC regimen was demonstrated if at D49, the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the difference between groups in the percentage of participants with adequate RVNA concentrations was >-5%. Of the 443 participants receiving the 4-site/1-week regimen, 88 adults received HRIG; 442 participants received the 2-site/TRC regimen (88 with HRIG). All participants achieved adequate RVNA concentrations by D14. At D49, the difference in percentage of participants with adequate RVNA concentrations between the 4-site/1-week and the 2-site/TRC groups was -1 (95%CI: -2.4-0.0); thus, non-inferiority was concluded. RVNA geometric mean concentrations were 18 IU/mL in 4-site/1-week groups and 12 IU/mL in 2-site/TRC groups at D14, and subsequently declined in all groups. RVNA concentrations were consistently lower in adults with HRIG administration than in those without. The 2 regimens had similar safety profiles. Of the 15 serious adverse events reported in 4-site/1-week groups and 19 in 2-site/TRC groups, none were vaccination-related. SIGNIFICANCE: The data suggest that the 4-site/1-week regimen might be an alternative to current recommendations, with potential benefits in terms of improved cost-efficiency and compliance to vaccination.