DEFINE - Evaluating Therapies for COVID-19

Nafamostat has been shown to have potential antiviral effects against MERS CoV and is thought to possibly inhibit SARS CoV2 infection via inhibition of viral entry due to inhibition of TMPRSS2. In addition, nafamostat has potent anticoagulant properties which may provide benefit in patients with DIC, a common finding in serious cases of COVID-19. Nafamostat has been broadly well tolerated in clinical trials in patients with DIC and acute pancreatitis.

TD139 is a specific inhibitor of galectin-3 which has been investigated in healthy volunteers and patients with IPF. No serious drug related serious adverse events have been reported to date. TD139 had no impact on cardiac, haematological or biochemical measures of safety during trials in humans to date. Beneficial effects on biomarker measures of lung inflammation were observed in patients with IPF. It is the purpose of this investigation to examine the potential for delivery of this inhibitor in pre-ventilator patients hospitalised with COVID-19 to examine whether this may lead to detectable changes in blood biomarkers, reduce viral load and also reduce disease severity such as time to ventilation.

Patients will receive standard care.

The allogeneic SARS-CoV-2 VSTs are manufactured in a single stage process directly from the starting material procured from suitable post COVID-19 recovered individuals. This is an early dose escalation safety trial phase Ib/IIa interventional clinical trial with SARS-CoV-2 VSTs.