Conclusions
Our study design precludes clinical efficacy inferences but the results implicate CCR5 as a therapeutic target for COVID-19 and they form the basis for ongoing randomized clinical trials.
Methods
In March 2020, 10 terminally ill, critical COVID-19 patients received two doses of leronlimab via individual emergency use indication. We analyzed changes in clinical presentation, immune cell populations, inflammation, as well as SARS-CoV-2 plasma viremia before and 14 days after treatment.
Objective
Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is now a global pandemic. Emerging
Results
Over the 14-day study period, six patients survived, two were extubated, and one discharged. We observed complete CCR5 receptor occupancy in all donors by day 7. Compared with the baseline, we observed a concomitant statistically significant reduction in plasma IL-6, restoration of the CD4/CD8 ratio, and resolution of SARS-CoV2 plasma viremia (pVL). Furthermore, the increase in the CD8 percentage was inversely correlated with the reduction in pVL (r = -0.77, p = 0.0013). Conclusions: Our study design precludes clinical efficacy inferences but the results implicate CCR5 as a therapeutic target for COVID-19 and they form the basis for ongoing randomized clinical trials.