Sarilumab in adults hospitalised with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 pneumonia (CORIMUNO-SARI-1): An open-label randomised controlled trial

Xavier Mariette*, Olivier Hermine, Pierre Louis Tharaux, Matthieu Resche-Rigon, Raphael Porcher, Philippe Ravaud, Serge Bureau, Maxime Dougados, Annick Tibi, Elie Azoulay, Jacques Cadranel, Joseph Emmerich, Muriel Fartoukh, Bertrand Guidet, Marc Humbert, Karine Lacombe, Matthieu Mahevas, Frédéric Pene, Valérie Pourchet-Martinez, Frédéric SchlemmerYazdan Yazdanpanah, Gabriel Baron, Elodie Perrodeau, Damien Vanhoye, Cécile Kedzia, Lauren Demerville, Anne Gysembergh-Houal, Alexandre Bourgoin, Sarah Dalibey, Nabil Raked, Lakhdar Mameri, Stéphanie Alary, Samir Hamiria, Thinhinane Bariz, Hala Semri, Dhiaa Meriem Hai, Moustafa Benafla, Mohamed Belloul, Pernelle Vauboin, Saskia Flamand, Claire Pacheco, Anouk Walter-Petrich, Emilia Stan, Souad Benarab, Corine Nyanou, Claire Montlahuc, Lucie Biard, Robin Charreteur, Celine Dupré, Estelle Henry, The CORIMUNO-19 Collaborative group

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Patients with COVID-19 pneumonia can have increased inflammation and elevated cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6, which might be deleterious. Thus, sarilumab, a high-affinity anti-IL-6 receptor antibody, might improve the outcome of patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods: We did a multicentric, open-label, Bayesian randomised, adaptive, phase 2/3 clinical trial, nested within the CORIMUNO-19 cohort, to test a superiority hypothesis. Patients 18 years or older hospitalised with COVID-19 in six French centres, requiring at least 3L/min of oxygen but without ventilation assistance and a WHO Clinical Progression Scale [CPS] score of 5 were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) via a web-based system, according to a randomisation list stratified on centre and with blocks randomly selected among 2 and 4, to receive usual care plus 400 mg of sarilumab intravenously on day 1 and on day 3 if clinically indicated (sarilumab group) or usual care alone (usual care group). Primary outcomes were the proportion of patients with WHO-CPS scores greater than 5 on the 10-point scale on day 4 and survival without invasive or non-invasive ventilation at day 14. This completed trial is closed to new participants and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04324073. Findings: 165 patients were recruited from March 27 to April 6, 2020, and 148 patients were randomised (68 patients to the sarilumab group and 80 to the usual care group) and followed up for 90 days. Median age was 61·7 years [IQR 53·0–71·1] in the sarilumab group and 62·8 years [56·0–71·7] in the usual care group. In the sarilumab group 49 (72%) of 68 were men and in the usual care group 59 (78%) of 76 were men. Four patients in the usual care group withdrew consent and were not analysed. 18 (26%) of 68 patients in the sarilumab group had a WHO-CPS score greater than 5 at day 4 versus 20 (26%) of 76 in the usual care group (median posterior absolute risk difference 0·2%; 90% credible interval [CrI] −11·7 to 12·2), with a posterior probability of absolute risk difference greater than 0 of 48·9%. At day 14, 25 (37%) patients in the sarilumab and 26 (34%) patients in the usual care group needed ventilation or died, (median posterior hazard ratio [HR] 1·10; 90% CrI 0·69–1·74) with a posterior probability HR greater than 1 of 37·4%. Serious adverse events occurred in 27 (40%) patients in the sarilumab group and 28 (37%) patients in the usual care group (p=0·73). Interpretation: Sarilumab treatment did not improve early outcomes in patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the effect of sarilumab on long-term survival.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)e24-e32
JournalThe Lancet Rheumatology
Volume4
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2022
Externally publishedYes

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