TACTIC-R

Multi-Arm Therapeutic Study in Pre-ICU Patients Admitted with COVID-19 – Repurposed Drugs

Research summary

The TACTIC-R trial, using licenced drug "Repurposed" for treatment of COVID-19-related disease, launched in Cambridge on 7th May 2020. The trial has three arms in parallel-group, randomised design. 

The treatments currently being tested are:

  • Baricitinib - a drug routinely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, which reduces soluble signals in the immune system called cytokines. It is hypothesised that this will reduce the damaging inflammatory drive in COVID-19-related disease.

  • Ravulizumab - a drug used to treat a form of anaemia caused by the person's immune system; this blocks activation of a cascade of soluble molecules which amplify inflammatory signals and, ultimately, destroy cells.

  • Standard of Care - itself evolving as data emerge from other clinical trials.

Main inclusion criteria

Patients may be invited to participate in this trial if they are suspected to be COVID-19 positive, are considered to be at moderate risk of developing severe symptoms and where it is believed that baricitinib or ravulizumab may be suitable treatment.

We plan to include 1167 participants with COVID-19 disease from up to 15 hospitals across the UK.

There is no guarantee that you will benefit from taking part in this trial. However, information collected as part of your participation in this trial may benefit patients with COVID-19 in the future.

Chief investigator

Chief Investigator: Dr Frances Hall

Co-Lead: Prof David Jayne