T cells that recognize COVID-19 peptides will be manufactured at Thomas Jefferson University and are frozen and ready for use. The T cells have to have an immune protein called HLA in common with a patient to work. If a patient enrolled on the COVID-19 study has this HLA, they will receive a dose of the COVID-19 T cells. Groups of 3-6 patients will be treated at each testing dose level. There are four dose levels of T cells: 1 x 105/kg, 3 x 105/kg, 1 x 106/kg, and 3 x 106/kg. Patients will receive the T cells intravenously in the hospital and be monitored there for 4 days before being discharged. Before discharge, patients will be taught to take and record their temperature, blood pressure, and oxygen levels (using a finger monitor) at home. After discharge, study staff will continue to monitor patient symptoms and recordings with video visits or phone calls daily until the monitoring period of 14 days is over. Patients will also be asked to give blood samples 7, 14, 28, days and 2, 3, and 6 months after the T cells are given. Patients who meet study criteria and wish to participate but do not have the HLA protein in common with the T cells, will be monitored by study personnel in their own homes for the full 14 day period. These patients will also be taught to take and record their temperature, blood pressure, and oxygen level. Study personnel will contact them daily by video or voice calls and check on the results of their readings and their symptoms. These patients may be treated with any standard or experimental COVID-19 therapy. How patients handle their COVID-19 infection will be compared between the group of people receiving the T cells and the group of people who do not receive the T cells.
This clinical trial will study the safety and efficacy of COVID-19-specific T cells when given as treatment to adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) with a COVID-19 infection. This immunologic treatment is aimed at patients, who are at high risk of progression due to their advanced age, or other underlying health conditions. The outcomes of patients receiving the T cells (Arm A) will be compared to patients treated with standard of care (Arm B).