The COVID-19 pandemic (Coronavirus Disease-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) has caused more that 10 million infections worldwide, with a general mortality of 6%. Multiple studies have found that the hyperinflammatory immune response induced by SARS-CoV-2 is one of the main causes of severity and death in infected patients. In severe COVID-19 patients, an association was found between pneumonitis and/or ARDS (Acute Severe Respiratory Syndrome), increased serum levels of cytokines and chemokines, extensive lung damage and microthrombosis. Studies of both gene expression in lungs and blood cytokines and chemokines have related chemokine signaling clusters with COVID-19 severity, being CCL3, CCL4 and CCL7 (CC chemokine ligands 3, 4 and 7) particularly interesting. All these are CCR5 (CC chemokine receptor 5) ligands. A strategy to modulate activation and trafficking of leukocytes to the lungs is by blocking CCR5 by using maraviroc (MVC), which has shown capable of modulating conditions of generalized inflammation. Along with a good regulation of the immune response, an antiviral that helps to reduce the viral load must be considered. Favipiravir (FPV) has shown to be capable to reduce the time of viral clearance by half. Hence, we propose that the conjoint use of MVC and FPV could help to reduce the progression of severe hospitalized COVID-19 patients to critical by decreasing the percentage of patients in need of mechanical respiratory support or death by at least 30%. This is a randomized, controlled clinical trial that besides evaluating the safety and efficacy of MVC+FPV to avoid progression in severe COVID-19 patients as a primary endpoint, is also aimed at other secondary endpoints: A) Evaluate the activation of CCR5 in peripheral blood lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophils. B) Find possible modifications in the ongoing chemokine and cytokine storm in serum, particularly IL-6, IL-1b, (interleukins 6 and 1 beta) TNF (tumor necrosis factor), IFNa, IFNg (interferons alpha and gamma), VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), CXCL10 (CXC chemokine ligand 10), CCL7, CCL3, and CCL5 (CC chemokine ligands 7, 3 and 5), C) Search for alterations in the patterns of activation, trafficking, and exhaustion of peripheral blood lymphocytes, monocytes and neutrophils, and D) Determine if it has an effect in viral loads in saliva. 100 severe patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 will be randomized in 4 treatment arms:~Arm A: Currently used therapy (CT) only, Enoxaparin, dexamethasone, and antibiotics if associated bacteremia is present, as per currently used at Hospital General de México Dr. Eduardo Liceaga).~Arm B: CT+MVC Arm C: CT+FPV Arm D: CT+MVC+FPV
Phase 2, randomized, open-label study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of maraviroc, favipiravir, and both drugs administered along with currently used therapy in hospitalized patients with pulmonary SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) infection (COVID-19)