January 7, 2021

results from REMAP-CAP trial – updated analysis on tocilizumab and sarilumab for ICU patients with severe COVID-19

The REMAP-CAP trial (Randomised, Embedded, Multi-factorial, Adaptive Platform Trial for Community-Acquired Pneumonia), which began in March 2020, has been trialling potential treatments in hospitalised patients with either moderate or severe COVID-19.

Last November we heard interim results for the effectiveness of arthritis drug tocilizumab as a potential COVID-19 treatment after the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) informed the International Trial Steering Committee of results.

Now more trial data is in on two immune modulators, tocilizumab and sarilumab, (which are IL-6 receptor antagonists) and the authors have analysed the results.  Please note this data is a preprint, so it is early work that has not yet been through peer-review and is not published in a journal.

Journalists dialled in to this briefing to hear about the results from the scientists running the trial, and to ask their questions.

Speakers included:

Prof Anthony Gordon, Professor of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, NIHR Research Professor, Imperial College London and UK Chief Investigator of the REMAP-CAP trial

Dr Lennie Derde, Intensive Care Consultant and European Coordinating Investigator of the REMAP-CAP trial

Mr Paul Mouncey, Head of Research, Intensive Care National Audit & Research Centre (ICNARC)

This Briefing was accompanied by an SMC Roundup of Comments.