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Treatment of Respiratory Complications Associated With COVID-19 Using Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

Treatment of Respiratory Complications Associated With COVID-19 Infection Using Wharton's Jelly (WJ)-Umbilical Cord (UC) Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (ProTrans®): a Randomized Phase II Controlled Clinical Trial

Status
Terminated
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04869397
Acronym
ProTrans19+
Enrollment
19
Registered
2021-05-03
Start date
2021-06-14
Completion date
2023-05-26
Last updated
2025-09-08

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

Conditions

Covid19

Keywords

mesenchymal stromal cells, wharton's jelly, respiratory complication, biologics

Brief summary

This is a randomized phase II placebo controlled clinical trial. Active arm: Allogeneic Wharton's jelly derived MSCs (WJ-MSCs). Both groups will receive standard of care treatment for COVID (e.g. dexamethasone)

Detailed description

Allogeneic Wharton's jelly-MSCs (WJ-MSC) will be provided by NextCell Pharma under the commercial name of ProTrans®. ProTrans® will be administered at a fixed dose of 100 million cells per patient in a single infusion at bedside. Placebo: Sodium chloride buffer supplemented with 5% HSA and 10% DMSO same volume and mode of administration as treatment group (NextCell Pharma).

Interventions

BIOLOGICALAllogeneic Wharton's jelly-MSCs (WJ-MSC)

The product is provided cryopreserved by NextCell Pharma. The cells are frozen in cryobags at a concentration of 2 × 107 cells/ml in 5% Human Serum Albumin (HSA) and 10% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). One cryobag contains one dose. The bags are frozen in a controlled rate freezer and directly transferred to -190 ºC for storage until the time of infusion. Cryobags are thawed at bedside and diluted in 100 ml of saline prior to administration. Cells will be delivered at a rate of 5 million cells per minute over a total of 20 minutes.

OTHERPlacebo

Sodium chloride buffer supplemented with 5% HSA and 10% DMSO same volume and mode of administration as treatment group

Sponsors

McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* Male or female, aged 18 years-old or older * Laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection determined by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) prior to randomization * Hospitalized patients * Severe COVID-19 pneumonia defined as patients who cannot saturate \> 96% on 4 L/min but are NOT on non-invasive ventilation nor invasive mechanical ventilation nor Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Patients on high flow would be eligible if they receive treatment in a non-critical care unit only. * Use of contraception or acceptable birth control for the duration of the study in women of childbearing potential * Provision of written or verbal informed consent by the patient or designated substitute decision maker

Exclusion criteria

* Inability to provide informed consent * Patients expected to survive less than 24 hours * Advanced directives of patient's wishes to refuse intubation. * Patients on mechanical ventilation * Pregnant women \[pregnancy defined as the state of a female after conception and until the termination of gestation, confirmed by a positive human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) laboratory test\] * Breastfeeding * Weight \> 100 kg or \< 50 kg * Cancer not in remission or active serious illness unrelated to COVID-19. * Any of the following laboratory results at screening: Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≤ 1.0 x 109/L, Platelets (PLT) \< 50 G /L, Alanine transaminase (ALT) or Aspartate transaminase (AST) \> 5N, eGFR \< 30 mL/min * Current documented bacterial infection * Known infection with Human immunodeficiency virus, Treponema pallidum, Hepatitis B antigen (serology consistent with previous vaccination and a history of vaccination is acceptable) or Hepatitis C * On-going therapy against tuberculosis, or exposed to tuberculosis or have travelled in areas with high risk of tuberculosis or mycosis within the last 3 months * Known allergies to a component of the ProTrans® product * Pre-existing chronic respiratory diseases requiring long-term oxygen therapy or severe pulmonary hypertension (PAPS \>30 mm HG) or pulmonary fibrosis * Pre-existing cirrhosis with basal Child and Pugh of C

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Composite endpointat 15 days after interventionrate of use of mechanical ventilation (i.e. need for intubation) or death

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Clinical status evaluation assessed by the 9-point ordinal scaleday 7, 15 and 30Score 0. No clinical or virological evidence of infection. 1. No limitations of activities. 2. Ambulatory, limitation of activities. 3. Hospitalized, not requiring supplemental oxygen. 4. Hospitalized, requiring supplemental oxygen. 5. Hospitalized, on non-invasive ventilation or high flow oxygen devices. 6. Hospitalized, intubated and on mechanical ventilation. 7. Hospitalized, ventilation + additional organ support - pressors, RRT, ECMO, 8. Death
Survivalday 7, 15 and 30Rate of patients alive at Day 7, Day 15 and Day 30
Time to clinical improvement assessed by the 9-point ordinal scaletime from randomization to either an improvement of 1 point on the 9-point ordinal scale or discharge from hospitalScore 0. No clinical or virological evidence of infection. 1. No limitations of activities. 2. Ambulatory, limitation of activities. 3. Hospitalized, not requiring supplemental oxygen. 4. Hospitalized, requiring supplemental oxygen. 5. Hospitalized, on non-invasive ventilation or high flow oxygen devices. 6. Hospitalized, intubated and on mechanical ventilation. 7. Hospitalized, ventilation + additional organ support - pressors, RRT (Renal Replacement Therapy), ECMO, 8. Death
Duration of hospitalization and ICU stayFrom enrolment to discharge or ICU transfer or deathLength of hospitalization and ICU stay in days

Countries

Canada

Outcome results

None listed

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