Post-exposure Prophylaxis / Preemptive Therapy for SARS-Coronavirus-2 (COVID-19 PEP)
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The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details. |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04308668 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : March 16, 2020
Last Update Posted : July 17, 2020
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Study Objective:
- To test if post-exposure prophylaxis with hydroxychloroquine can prevent symptomatic COVID-19 disease after known exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
- To test if early preemptive hydroxychloroquine therapy can prevent disease progression in persons with known symptomatic COVID-19 disease, decreasing hospitalizations and symptom severity.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Corona Virus Infection Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome SARS-CoV Infection Coronavirus Coronavirus Infections | Drug: Hydroxychloroquine Other: Placebo | Phase 3 |
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a rapidly emerging viral infection causing COVID19. The current strategy uses a public health model of identifying infected cases, isolation, and quarantine to stop transmission. Once exposed, observation is standard-of-care. Therapy is generally not given to persons who are not hospitalized. The doses of hydroxychloroquine being used are within the normal standard FDA-approved doses.
Hydroxychloroquine may have antiviral effects against SARS-COV2 which may prevent COVID-19 disease or early preemptive therapy may decrease disease severity. This trial will use a modification of standard malaria dosing of hydroxychloroquine to provide post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent disease or preemptive therapy for those with early symptoms. People around the the United States and Canada can participate to help answer this critically important question. No in-person visits are needed.
This trial is targeting 5 groups of people NATIONWIDE to participate:
- If you are symptomatic with a positive COVID-19 test within the first 4 days of symptoms and are not hospitalized; OR
- If you live with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, with your last exposure within the last 4 days, and do not have any symptoms; OR
- If you live with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, and your symptoms started within the last 4 days; OR
- If you have had occupational exposure with known exposure to someone with lab-confirmed COVID-19 within the last 4 days and do not have symptoms; OR
- If you have had occupational exposure with known exposure to someone with lab-confirmed COVID-19 within the last 4 days AND have compatible symptoms starting within the last 4 days;
You may participate if you live anywhere in the United States (including territories) or in the Canadian Provinces of Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta, or Ontario.
For information on how to participate in the research trial, go to covidpep.umn.edu or email covid19@umn.edu for instructions. Please check your spam folder if you email.
In Canada, for trial information, please go to: www.covid-19research.ca
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 1309 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Intervention Model Description: | Asymptomatic participants are randomized and analyzed separate from symptomatic participants. |
Masking: | Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Post-exposure Prophylaxis or Preemptive Therapy for SARS-Coronavirus-2: A Pragmatic Randomized Clinical Trial |
Actual Study Start Date : | March 17, 2020 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | May 20, 2020 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | May 20, 2020 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: Treatment
Participants in this arm will receive the study drug.
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Drug: Hydroxychloroquine
200mg tablet; 800 mg orally once, followed in 6 to 8 hours by 600 mg, then 600mg once a day for 4 consecutive days
Other Name: Plaquenil |
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Participants in this arm will receive a placebo treatment.
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Other: Placebo
4 placebo tablets once, followed in 6 to 8 hours by 3 tablets, then 3 tablets once-a-day for 4 consecutive days |
- Incidence of COVID19 Disease among those who are asymptomatic at baseline [ Time Frame: 14 days ]Number of participants at 14 days post enrollment with active COVID19 disease.
- Overall change in disease severity over 14 days among those who are symptomatic at baseline [ Time Frame: 14 days ]Repeated Measure mixed regression model of change in: Visual Analog Scale 0-10 score of rating overall symptom severity (0 = no symptoms; 10 = most severe)
- Incidence of Hospitalization [ Time Frame: 14 days ]Outcome reported as the number of participants in each arm who require hospitalization for COVID19-related disease.
- Incidence of Death [ Time Frame: 90 days ]Outcome reported as the number of participants in each arm who expire due to COVID-19-related disease.
- Incidence of Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Detection [ Time Frame: 14 days ]Outcome reported as the number of participants in each arm who have confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Incidence of Symptoms Compatible with COVID19 (possible disease) [ Time Frame: 90 days ]Outcome reported as the number of participants in each arm who self-report symptoms compatible with COVID19 infection.
- Incidence of All-Cause Study Medicine Discontinuation or Withdrawal [ Time Frame: 14 days ]Outcome reported as the number of participants in each arm who discontinue or withdraw medication use for any reason.
- Overall symptom severity at 5 and 14 days [ Time Frame: 5 and 14 days ]Visual Analog Scale 0-10 score of rating overall symptom severity (0 = no symptoms; 10 = most severe)
- Ordinal Scale of COVID19 Disease Severity at 14 days among those who are symptomatic at trial entry [ Time Frame: 14 days ]Participants will self-report disease severity status as one of the following 3 options; no COVID19 illness (score of 1), COVID19 illness with no hospitalization (score of 2), or COVID19 illness with hospitalization or death (score of 3). Increased scale score indicates greater disease severity. Outcome is reported as the percent of participants who fall into each category per arm.

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Provision of informed consent
- Exposure to a COVID19 case within 4 days as either a household contact or occupational exposure, OR
- Symptomatic COVID19 case with confirmed diagnosis within 4 days of symptom onset OR symptomatic high risk exposure with known COVID19 contact and within 4 days of symptom onset;
Exclusion Criteria:
- Current hospitalization
- Allergy to hydroxychloroquine
- Retinal eye disease
- Known glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency
- Known chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or 5 or receiving dialysis
- Structural or ischemic heart disease
- Personal or Family History of Prolonged QT syndrome
- Weight < 50 kg
- Known Porphyria
- Current use of: hydroxychloroquine or cardiac medicines of: flecainide, Tambocor; amiodarone, Cordarone, Pacerone; digoxin or Digox, Digitek, Lanoxin; procainamide or Procan, Procanbid, propafenone, Rythmal, sotalol;
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Current use of medicines which prolong the QT interval including:
- Antimicrobials: levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, ketoconazole, itraconazole, or mefloquine
- Antidepressants: amitriptyline, citalopram, desipramine, escitalopram, imipramine, doxepin, fluoxetine, wellbutrin, or venlafaxine
- Antipsychotic or mood stabilizers: haloperidol, droperidol, lithium, quetiapine, thioridazine, ziprasidone
- Methadone
- Sumatriptan, zolmitriptan

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT04308668
United States, Minnesota | |
Nationwide Enrollment via Internet, please email: covid19@umn.edu | |
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455 | |
University of Minnesota | |
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455 | |
Canada, Alberta | |
University of Alberta | |
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | |
Canada, Manitoba | |
University of Manitoba | |
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | |
Canada, Quebec | |
Research Institute of the McGill University Heath Centre | |
Montréal, Quebec, Canada |
Principal Investigator: | David Boulware, MD, MPH | University of Minnesota |
Documents provided by University of Minnesota:
Other Publications:
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Responsible Party: | University of Minnesota |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT04308668 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
MED-2020-28673 |
First Posted: | March 16, 2020 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | July 17, 2020 |
Last Verified: | July 2020 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | Yes |
Plan Description: | De-identified dataset will be available within 1 month of publication. |
Supporting Materials: |
Study Protocol Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP) |
Time Frame: | at time of publication |
Access Criteria: | To be publicly provided |
URL: | http://covidpep.umn.edu |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | Yes |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
COVID-19 Corona Virus SARS-COV-2 Coronavirus |
Infection Communicable Diseases Coronavirus Infections Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult Acute Lung Injury Coronaviridae Infections Nidovirales Infections RNA Virus Infections Virus Diseases Lung Diseases Respiratory Tract Diseases |
Respiration Disorders Infant, Premature, Diseases Infant, Newborn, Diseases Lung Injury Respiratory Tract Infections Hydroxychloroquine Antimalarials Antiprotozoal Agents Antiparasitic Agents Anti-Infective Agents Enzyme Inhibitors Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action Antirheumatic Agents |