Efficacy of Intravenous Anakinra and Ruxolitinib During COVID-19 Inflammation (JAKINCOV)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04366232 |
Recruitment Status :
Terminated
(investigator decision)
First Posted : April 28, 2020
Last Update Posted : December 16, 2020
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Covid-19 | Drug: Anakinra alone (stages 2b/3) Drug: Anakinra and Ruxolitinib (overcome stage 3) Other: Standard of care | Phase 2 |
Two physiopathological phases exist during COVID-19 disease: The early phase is mainly induced by the virus itself. It is imperative not to decrease the immune host response during this phase by prohibiting the use of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids at this stage and developing an anti-viral strategy. The late phase, around Day 7-9, depends only upon host response and is linked to an excessive inflammatory response with a major increase of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, MCP-1, GCSF indicative of IL-1b excess, as well as IP-10, MIP-1, indicative of IFNg signature, corresponding to a "cytokine storm". Clinical and biological features during Still's disease (complicated in 10% of cases with hemophagocytosic lymphohistiocytosis inducing cytopenia, hepatic insufficiency, major hyperferritinemia and multi-organ failure) are close to those reported during COVID-19 and underline physiopathological similarities.
Anakinra (KINERET) is an IL-1 pathway (IL-1ra) specific inhibitor that has been used for 15 years, also largely blocking IL-18 production. Adult Still's disease is very effectively treated with anakinra. During sepsis with hyperferritinemia, IL-1ra demonstrated patient survival improvement. Ruxolitinib (JAKAVI) inhibits the downstream IFNg pathway targeting JAK kinase receptor. It has recently proved its efficiency in hemophagocytosic lymphohistiocytosis refractory forms associated with a multi-organ failure.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 2 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Intervention Model Description: | Assignment to one of two or more groups in parallel during the study No crossover |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Interleukin-1 (IL-1) and Interferon Gamma (IFNg) Inhibition During COVID 19 Inflammation: Randomized, Controlled Study Assessing Efficacy and Safety of Anakinra and Ruxolitinib |
Actual Study Start Date : | August 19, 2020 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | October 2, 2020 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | October 2, 2020 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Anakinra +/- Ruxolitinib
According to clinical stage (gradual strategy):
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Drug: Anakinra alone (stages 2b/3)
Anakinra 300 mg 1/d Intravenous 5 days then dose tapering
Other Name: KINERET Drug: Anakinra and Ruxolitinib (overcome stage 3) Anakinra 300 mg od Intravenous (maximum14 days) Ruxolitinib 5 mg bid per os (maximum 28 days)
Other Name: KINERET and JAKAVI |
Active Comparator: Standard of care
Treatment with drugs or procedures in routine clinical practice
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Other: Standard of care
Routine clinical care for Covid-19 |
- Biological criteria [ Time Frame: 7 days from enrolment ]
At least 3 parameters are met including CRP and/or Ferritin among:
- CRP: decrease > 50%
- Ferritinemia: decrease > 1/3
- Serum creatinine: decrease > 1/3
- AST/ALT: decrease > 50%
- Eosinophils > 50 /mm3
- Lymphocytes > 1000 /mm3
- Duration of oxygen therapy (days) [ Time Frame: 28 days from enrolment ]Number of days without mechanical ventilation
- Number of intensive care units admissions [ Time Frame: 28 days from enrolment ]Number of patients included in stage 2b
- Number of days in intensive care units [ Time Frame: 28 days from enrolment ]Number of days in intensive care units for patients managed in intensive care units
- Mortality rate [ Time Frame: 28 days from enrolment ]Mortality rate
- Total number of days in hospital [ Time Frame: 28 days from enrolment ]Total number of days in hospital
- Organ failure score modification (Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score) [ Time Frame: 28 days from enrolment ]Organ failure score modification (Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score); Sofa score's minimum and maximum values are 0 and 24, the lowest score corresponds to a better outcome.
- Number of bacterial and/or fungal sepsis [ Time Frame: 28 days from enrolment ]Number of bacterial and/or fungal sepsis

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Confirmed respiratory tract SARS-coV-2 infection by at least one PCR on nasopharygeal sample or a bronchoalveolar lavage
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Patient hospitalized with clinical, biological and radiological features corresponding to the following stages :
- Stage 2b: hypoxic pneumonia (respiratory frequency > 30/mn, Sa02 < 90 mmHg on room air) associated with a clear biological inflammatory syndrome (CRP > 150 mg/l)
- Stage 3: ARDS defined by a patient under mechanical ventilation with a ratio PaO2/FiO2 < 300 for more than 24h
- Evolved stage 3: ARDS according to previous definition associated with another organ failure or syndrome among:
- A state of shock with noradrenaline dosing > 3mg/h
- Acute kidney failure oligo-anuric or justifying extra-renal purification
- Hepatocellular insufficiency or coagulopathy with a V factor < 50%
- Myocarditis responsible for acute heart failure and or cardiogenic shock
- Hemophagocytic syndrome
- Hyperferritinemia > 5000 ng/mL
- Subject or legal representative having expressed written consent after information
- Subject affiliated to or entitled to a social security regimen
- Patient presenting in a life-threatening emergency situation that does not allow consent to be obtained
Exclusion Criteria:
- Pregnancy or lactation
- Absolute neutrophil count less than 1.5 x 109/L
- Hepatic transaminases AST or ALT greater than 5 times normal values
- Platelet count less than 50,000 per mm3
- Solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients
- Patients treated with immunosuppressants or immunomodulators
- Use of oral corticosteroids chronically at doses greater than 10 mg prednisone equivalent per day for a non-COVID-19 related condition.
- Uncontrolled autoimmune disease
- Patients with active, suspected or known, uncontrolled systemic bacterial, viral (excluding COVID-19) or fungal infections
- Hypersensitivity to anakinra and/or ruxolitinib and their excipients
- Vaccinations with live attenuated vaccines in the month prior to inclusion
- Patients with severe pre-existing uncontrolled organ dysfunction (heart, liver or kidney failure)
- Persons deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision or major persons under a legal protection measure.
- Person in exclusion period of another research protocol for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Person not mastering enough French understanding and reading to be able to consent to participate in the study.
- Persons under psychiatric care pursuant to Articles A3112-1 and L3113-1 who are not covered by the provisions of Article L1121-8
- Every condition which, according to investigator, might increase and compromise the person security in case of study participation or might interfere with research results.

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): NCT04366232
France | |
AP-HM, Hôpital de la Conception | |
Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France, 13005 | |
Hôpital Sainte-Musse | |
Toulon, VAR, France, 83000 | |
Sainte Anne Teaching Military Hospital | |
Toulon, Var, France, 83000 |
Principal Investigator: | David DELARBRE, MD | French Army Health Service |
Responsible Party: | Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Toulon La Seyne sur Mer |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT04366232 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
2020-CHITS-003 2020-001963-10 ( EudraCT Number ) |
First Posted: | April 28, 2020 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | December 16, 2020 |
Last Verified: | December 2020 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
COVID SARS-CoV-2 Anakinra |
Ruxolitinib IL-1 inhibitors JAK inhibitors |
COVID-19 Inflammation Respiratory Tract Infections Infections Pneumonia, Viral Pneumonia Virus Diseases Coronavirus Infections |
Coronaviridae Infections Nidovirales Infections RNA Virus Infections Lung Diseases Respiratory Tract Diseases Pathologic Processes Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein Antirheumatic Agents |