CATCOVID (CCR1 antagonist treatment in patients hospitalized with COVID-19)

CATCOVID

Duration of the project: May 2021 - August 2023

Clinical manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) range from no or mild symptoms to critical disease courses with acute respiratory failure. The overall goal of our study is to evaluate the effects of the CCR 1 inhibitor BAY 86-5277 in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 with need for additional respiratory support. Together with our partners (Bayer AG, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, BG Klinikum Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin) we´ve started a clinical trial and enrolled the first patient December 22nd 2021, in Leipzig.

DRKS-ID of this study: DRKS00024465

Scientific Background: Data from single-cell studies provided a mechanistic understanding on how the immune response in the airways is orchestrated in COVID-19 patients. We observed a significant induction of CCL2, CCL3, and CCL4 expression in macrophages together with an increased expression of the corresponding chemokine receptor 1 (CCR1) in different immune cells in patients with critical COVID-19 (Chua et al. 2020, Nat Biotechnol, Trump et al. 2020, Nat Biotechnol). Because binding of the chemokines to their receptor can induce immune cell recruitment into the lung parenchyma with subsequent differentiation into inflammatory phenotypes, CCR1 might represent a promising target in critical COVID-19.

Read more press release: Federal Ministry of Education and Research