Two major clinical trials for COVID-19 treatments

Québec City, June 25, 2020—Two promising treatments for COVID-19 will be the subject of pan-Canadian and international clinical trials led by Dr. Alexis Turgeon, a critical care physician, CHU de Québec-Université Laval (CHU-UL) researcher, and professor with the Université Laval Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Turgeon today received nearly $2.2 million in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to test the effectiveness of convalescent plasma and anticoagulants in patients with COVID-19 admitted to intensive care. 

The first treatment, which involves administering plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19, uses human antibodies to neutralize the virus. This clinical trial is being conducted in collaboration with Héma-Québec and Canadian Blood Services, two organizations that distribute blood products in Canada.

The second treatment involves administering anticoagulants (blood thinning drugs), specifically low-molecular-weight and unfractionated heparins, to seriously ill patients in intensive care to prevent the formation of micro clots in the blood, a known complication of COVID-19 responsible for a number of deaths.

“The two treatments to be examined in these clinical trials are very promising, inexpensive, and highly accessible compared to other treatments under study,” said Dr. Turgeon. “With this funding from CIHR, we will not only be able to find out whether these two treatment options are effective in treating critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care, but also ensure that their use is properly managed.”

These clinical trials will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Ryan Zarychanski of the University of Manitoba; Canadian researchers from the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group, including professors François Lauzier and Lynne Moore; and other international researchers. Patient recruitment for both trials is expected to begin shortly, both in Québec and in various other centres across Canada and in other countries. 

“I’d like to congratulate Dr. Turgeon and his team for this important contribution to the international effort to find effective treatments for COVID-19. The current crisis is a constant reminder not only of the importance of clinical research, but also of the leadership and innovation shown by the teams at the CHU research centre,” said Martin Beaumont, President and CEO of CHU de Québec-Université Laval. 

Three other CIHR-funded projects
In addition to Dr. Turgeon and his team, three other Université Laval professors and CHU de Québec-Université Laval researchers were awarded funding as part of today’s announcement by CIHR. They are Louis Flamand, professor and chair of Université Laval's Department of Microbiology-Infectiology and Immunology, who is studying inflammatory response; Marie-Pierre Gagnon, professor at the Faculty of Nursing, whose work focuses on public health measures implemented in French-speaking African countries in conflict during the pandemic; and Holly Witteman, professor at the Department of Family and Emergency Medicine, who is working to create adaptable digital communication tools. 

“These new projects announced today, which strive to more effectively combat COVID-19, are in addition to eight research initiatives by Université Laval professors already receiving support from CIHR,” added Université Laval rector Sophie D’Amours. “They demonstrate once again the significant role that Université Laval is able to play in the fight against the pandemic both here in Canada and around the world.”