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COVID-19 Treatment of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome With Veru-111

Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 2 Study of VERU-111 for the Treatment of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Patients at High Risk for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04388826
Enrollment
39
Registered
2020-05-14
Start date
2020-06-18
Completion date
2021-08-13
Last updated
2022-10-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult

Brief summary

To demonstrate the efficacy of VERU-111 in the treatment of SARS-Cov-2 Infection by assessing its effect on the proportion of subjects that are alive without respiratory failure at Day 22. Respiratory failure is defined as non-invasive ventilation or high-flow oxygen, intubation and mechanical ventilation, or ventilation with additional organ support (e.g., pressors, RRT, ECMO).

Detailed description

This study is a multicenter, randomized, placebo-control, efficacy and safety study of VERU-111 for the treatment of COVID-19. Subjects will receive either 18 mg of VERU-111 or matching placebo orally or through nasogastric tube daily for to 21 days or until the subject is discharged from the hospital, whichever comes first. The primary efficacy endpoint of the study will be the proportion of subjects that are alive without respiratory failure at Day 22. Respiratory failure is defined as non-invasive ventilation or high-flow oxygen, intubation and mechanical ventilation, or ventilation with additional organ support (e.g., pressors, RRT, ECMO). The total study duration for a subject from screening to follow up visit is planned to be 62 days. An evaluation of the effect of VERU-111 on SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) compared to the placebo control will be evaluated after the last subject has completed Day 22. This will allow for the decision to move to Phase 3 more quickly if the Phase 2 portion of the study shows a clinically relevant difference in the proportion of subjects that are alive without respiratory failure at Day 22 in the VERU-111 treated groups compared to the Placebo treatment group and VERU-111 is well tolerated in the study.

Interventions

Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult

Sponsors

Veru Inc.
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Double Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled

Intervention model description

Randomized Placebo-Controlled

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Provide informed consent 2. Be able to communicate effectively with the study personnel 3. Aged ≥18 years 4. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test 5. Patients at high risk for ARDS, with known comorbidities for being at high risk, such as, Asthma (moderate to severe), Chronic Lung Disease, Diabetes, Chronic Kidney Disease being treated with dialysis, Severe Obesity (BMI ≥40), 65 years of age or older, primarily reside in a nursing home or long-term care facility, immunocompromised 6. Peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO2) ≤ 94% on room air at screening 7. Subjects must agree to use acceptable methods of contraception * If subject is female or the male subject's partner could become pregnant, use acceptable methods of contraception from the time of the first administration of study medication until 6 months following administration of the last dose of study medication. Acceptable methods of contraception are as follows: Condom with spermicidal foam/gel/film/cream/suppository \[i.e., barrier method of contraception\], surgical sterilization (vasectomy with documentation of azospermia) and a barrier method {condom used with spermicidal foam/gel/film/cream/suppository}, the female partner uses oral contraceptives (combination estrogen/progesterone pills), injectable progesterone or subdermal implants and a barrier method (condom used with spermicidal foam/gel/film/cream/suppository) * If female subject or the female partner of a male subject has undergone documented tubal ligation (female sterilization), a barrier method (condom used with spermicidal foam/gel/film/cream/suppository) should also be used * If female subject or the female partner of a male subject has undergone documented placement of an intrauterine device (IUD) or intrauterine system (IUS), a barrier method (condom with spermicidal foam/gel/film/cream/suppository) should also be used 8. Subject is willing to comply with the requirements of the protocol through the end of the study

Exclusion criteria

1. Known hypersensitivity or allergy to colchicine 2. Participation in any other clinical trial of an experimental treatment for COVID-19 3. Concurrent treatment with other experimental agents with actual or possible direct acting antiviral activity against COVID-19 is prohibited \< 24 hours prior to study drug dosing (except standard of care) Remdesivir and convalescent plasma is allowed as standard of care. 4. Requiring mechanical ventilation at screening 5. Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) \>2 X upper limit of normal (ULN) 6. Total bilirubin \> ULN 7. Creatinine clearance \< 60 mL/min 8. Documented medical history of liver disease, including but not limited to, prior diagnosis of hepatitis of any etiology, cirrhosis, portal hypertension, or confirmed or suspected esophageal varices 9. Moderate to severe renal impairment 10. Hepatic impairment 11. Positive for HbsAg, or HCV antibodies at screening 12. Any comorbid disease or condition (medical or surgical) which might compromise the hematologic, cardiovascular, endocrine, pulmonary, renal, gastrointestinal, hepatic, or central nervous system; or other conditions that may interfere with the absorption, distribution, metabolism or excretion of study drug, or would place the subject at increased risk 13. Participants must agree to refrain from prolonged exposure to the sun or agree to use at least SPF 50 on all exposed skin and protective clothing during prolonged sun exposure throughout participation in this study and/or treatment with VERU-111.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of Subjects That Are Alive Without Respiratory Failure at Day 29.Day 29To demonstrate the efficacy of VERU-111 in the treatment of SARS-Cov-2 Infection by assessing its effect on the proportion of subjects that are alive without respiratory failure at Day 29. Respiratory failure is defined as endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, high-flow nasal cannula oxygen delivery, noninvasive positive pressure ventilation, clinical diagnosis of respiratory failure with initiation of none of these measures only when clinical decision making is driven solely by resource limitation

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
World Health Organization Ordinal Scale Clinical ImprovementDay 29Improvement on the World Health Organization Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement. 8-point ordinal scale (WHO scale from 0 to 8). Lower value equals better while higher value equals worse Score of 0 Uninfected No clinical or virologic evidence of infection Score of 1 Ambulatory No limitation of activities Score of 2 Limitation of activities Score of 3 Hospitalized, no oxygen therapy Score of 4 Oxygen by mask or nasal prongs Score of 5 Non-invasive ventilation or high-flow oxygen Score of 6 Intubation and mechanical ventilation Score of 7 Ventilation + additional organ support - pressors, RRT, ECMO Score of 8 Death
Proportion of Subjects With Fever Normalization and SPO2 Greater Than 94% by VisitDay 15, Day 22 and Day 29Proportion of subjects with normalization of fever and oxygen saturation through. Responders are subjects who have been discharged from the hospital or has fever normalization maintained for at least 24 hours AND peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SPO2) greater than 94% sustained for 24 hours is observed at the time of the visit. Non-responders are subjects who died before the visit or do not meet both criteria of the end point at the time of the visit.
Proportion of Subjects Alive and Discharged From Hospital by VisitDay 15, Day 22 and Day 29Proportion of subjects alive and discharged from hospital by visit. Responders are subjects who are alive and have been discharged from the hospital at the time of the visit. (Non-responders are subjects who died before the visit or in the hospital at the time of the visit).
Patients Alive and Free of Respiratory FailureDay 15 and Day 22Proportion of patients alive and free or respiratory failure

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Number of Patients Exposed to Veru-111 18 mg
Veru-111 18mg capsules Veru-111: Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult
19
Number of Patients Exposed to Placebo
Placebo capsules Veru-111: Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult
20
Total39

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyAdverse Event10
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up32

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicNumber of Patients Exposed to Veru-111 18 mgTotalNumber of Patients Exposed to Placebo
Age, Continuous59.3 Years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.4
58.5 Years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.28
57.8 Years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.32
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
6 Participants14 Participants8 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
13 Participants25 Participants12 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants1 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
0 Participants1 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants1 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants1 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
19 Participants35 Participants16 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
19 participants39 participants20 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
9 Participants12 Participants3 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
10 Participants27 Participants17 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
1 / 195 / 20
other
Total, other adverse events
12 / 1912 / 20
serious
Total, serious adverse events
3 / 195 / 20

Outcome results

Primary

Number of Subjects That Are Alive Without Respiratory Failure at Day 29.

To demonstrate the efficacy of VERU-111 in the treatment of SARS-Cov-2 Infection by assessing its effect on the proportion of subjects that are alive without respiratory failure at Day 29. Respiratory failure is defined as endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, high-flow nasal cannula oxygen delivery, noninvasive positive pressure ventilation, clinical diagnosis of respiratory failure with initiation of none of these measures only when clinical decision making is driven solely by resource limitation

Time frame: Day 29

Population: Responders

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Veru-111 18 mgNumber of Subjects That Are Alive Without Respiratory Failure at Day 29.17 Participants
PlaceboNumber of Subjects That Are Alive Without Respiratory Failure at Day 29.14 Participants
Secondary

Patients Alive and Free of Respiratory Failure

Proportion of patients alive and free or respiratory failure

Time frame: Day 15 and Day 22

Population: Responders

ArmMeasureGroupValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Veru-111 18 mgPatients Alive and Free of Respiratory FailureDay 2216 Participants
Veru-111 18 mgPatients Alive and Free of Respiratory FailureDay 1516 Participants
PlaceboPatients Alive and Free of Respiratory FailureDay 1513 Participants
PlaceboPatients Alive and Free of Respiratory FailureDay 2214 Participants
Secondary

Proportion of Subjects Alive and Discharged From Hospital by Visit

Proportion of subjects alive and discharged from hospital by visit. Responders are subjects who are alive and have been discharged from the hospital at the time of the visit. (Non-responders are subjects who died before the visit or in the hospital at the time of the visit).

Time frame: Day 15, Day 22 and Day 29

Population: Responders - subjects who are alive and have been discharged from the hospital at the time of the visit.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Veru-111 18 mgProportion of Subjects Alive and Discharged From Hospital by VisitDay 1514 Participants
Veru-111 18 mgProportion of Subjects Alive and Discharged From Hospital by VisitDay 2217 Participants
Veru-111 18 mgProportion of Subjects Alive and Discharged From Hospital by VisitDay 2918 Participants
PlaceboProportion of Subjects Alive and Discharged From Hospital by VisitDay 1512 Participants
PlaceboProportion of Subjects Alive and Discharged From Hospital by VisitDay 2215 Participants
PlaceboProportion of Subjects Alive and Discharged From Hospital by VisitDay 2914 Participants
Secondary

Proportion of Subjects With Fever Normalization and SPO2 Greater Than 94% by Visit

Proportion of subjects with normalization of fever and oxygen saturation through. Responders are subjects who have been discharged from the hospital or has fever normalization maintained for at least 24 hours AND peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SPO2) greater than 94% sustained for 24 hours is observed at the time of the visit. Non-responders are subjects who died before the visit or do not meet both criteria of the end point at the time of the visit.

Time frame: Day 15, Day 22 and Day 29

Population: Responders are subjects who have been discharged from the hospital or has fever normalization maintained for at least 24 hours AND peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SPO2) greater than 94% sustained for 24 hours is observed at the time of the visit.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Veru-111 18 mgProportion of Subjects With Fever Normalization and SPO2 Greater Than 94% by VisitDay 1514 Participants
Veru-111 18 mgProportion of Subjects With Fever Normalization and SPO2 Greater Than 94% by VisitDay 2217 Participants
Veru-111 18 mgProportion of Subjects With Fever Normalization and SPO2 Greater Than 94% by VisitDay 2917 Participants
PlaceboProportion of Subjects With Fever Normalization and SPO2 Greater Than 94% by VisitDay 1512 Participants
PlaceboProportion of Subjects With Fever Normalization and SPO2 Greater Than 94% by VisitDay 2216 Participants
PlaceboProportion of Subjects With Fever Normalization and SPO2 Greater Than 94% by VisitDay 2914 Participants
Secondary

World Health Organization Ordinal Scale Clinical Improvement

Improvement on the World Health Organization Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement. 8-point ordinal scale (WHO scale from 0 to 8). Lower value equals better while higher value equals worse Score of 0 Uninfected No clinical or virologic evidence of infection Score of 1 Ambulatory No limitation of activities Score of 2 Limitation of activities Score of 3 Hospitalized, no oxygen therapy Score of 4 Oxygen by mask or nasal prongs Score of 5 Non-invasive ventilation or high-flow oxygen Score of 6 Intubation and mechanical ventilation Score of 7 Ventilation + additional organ support - pressors, RRT, ECMO Score of 8 Death

Time frame: Day 29

Population: World Health Organization Ordinal Scale for clinical improvement (Eight Point Ordinal Scale)-With Last Observation Carried Forward Values

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Veru-111 18 mgWorld Health Organization Ordinal Scale Clinical Improvement-1.7 Units on WHO COVID ScaleStandard Deviation 1.49
PlaceboWorld Health Organization Ordinal Scale Clinical Improvement-1.1 Units on WHO COVID ScaleStandard Deviation 2.42

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026