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Grigoropoulos I, Tsioulos G, Kastrissianakis A, Shapira S, Green O, Rapti V, Tsakona M, Konstantinos T, Savva A, Kavatha D, Boumpas D, Syrigos K, Xynogalas I, Leontis K, Ntousopoulos V, Sakka V, Sardelis Z, Fotiadis A, Vlassi L, Kontogianni C, Levounets A, Poulakou G, Gaga M, MacLoughlin R, Stebbing J, Arber N, Antoniadou A, Tsiodras S. The safety and potential efficacy of exosomes overexpressing CD24 (EXO-CD24) in mild-moderate COVID-19 related ARDS. Respir Res 2024; 25:151. [PMID: 38561798 PMCID: PMC10983648 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-024-02759-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION EXO-CD24 are exosomes genetically manipulated to over-express Cluster of Differentiation (CD) 24. It consists of two breakthrough technologies: CD24, the drug, as a novel immunomodulator that is smarter than steroids without any side effects, and exosomes as the ideal natural drug carrier. METHODS A randomized, single blind, dose-finding phase IIb trial in hospitalized patients with mild to moderate Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) was carried out in two medical centers in Athens. Patients received either 109 or 1010 exosome particles of EXO-CD24, daily, for five consecutive days and monitored for 28 days. Efficacy was assessed at day 7 among 91 patients who underwent randomization. The outcome was also compared in a post-hoc analysis with an income control group (n = 202) that fit the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS The mean age was 49.4 (± 13.2) years and 74.4% were male. By day 7, 83.7% showed improved respiratory signs and 64% had better oxygen saturation (SpO2) (p < 0.05). There were significant reductions in all inflammatory markers, most notably in C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ferritin, fibrinogen and an array of cytokines. Conversely, levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine Interleukin-10 (IL-10) were increased (p < 0.05). Of all the documented adverse events, none were considered treatment related. No drug-drug interactions were noted. Two patients succumbed to COVID-19. Post-hoc analysis revealed that EXO-CD24 patients exhibited greater improvements in clinical and laboratory outcomes compared to an observational income control group. CONCLUSIONS EXO-CD24 presents a promising therapeutic approach for hyper-inflammatory state and in particular ARDS. Its unique combination of exosomes, as a drug carrier, and CD24, as an immunomodulator, coupled with inhalation administration, warrants further investigation in a larger, international, randomized, quadri-blind trial against a placebo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Grigoropoulos
- 4, Department of Internal Medicine, University General Hospital Attikon, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Tsioulos
- 4, Department of Internal Medicine, University General Hospital Attikon, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462, Athens, Greece
| | - Artemis Kastrissianakis
- 4, Department of Internal Medicine, University General Hospital Attikon, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462, Athens, Greece
| | - Shiran Shapira
- Integrated Cancer Prevention Center, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizmann St., 6423906, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Molecular Genetic and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Orr Green
- Integrated Cancer Prevention Center, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizmann St., 6423906, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Vasiliki Rapti
- 3, Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, "Sotiria" General Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Tsakona
- 4, Department of Internal Medicine, University General Hospital Attikon, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462, Athens, Greece
| | - Thomas Konstantinos
- 4, Department of Internal Medicine, University General Hospital Attikon, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462, Athens, Greece
| | - Athina Savva
- 4, Department of Internal Medicine, University General Hospital Attikon, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitra Kavatha
- 4, Department of Internal Medicine, University General Hospital Attikon, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Boumpas
- 4, Department of Internal Medicine, University General Hospital Attikon, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Syrigos
- 3, Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, "Sotiria" General Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Xynogalas
- 3, Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, "Sotiria" General Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Leontis
- 3, Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, "Sotiria" General Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Vasileios Ntousopoulos
- 3, Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, "Sotiria" General Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Vissaria Sakka
- 3, Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, "Sotiria" General Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Zafeiris Sardelis
- 7, Respiratory Medicine Department "Sotiria" General Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Fotiadis
- 7, Respiratory Medicine Department "Sotiria" General Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Lamprini Vlassi
- 7, Respiratory Medicine Department "Sotiria" General Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Chrysoula Kontogianni
- 7, Respiratory Medicine Department "Sotiria" General Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia Levounets
- 7, Respiratory Medicine Department "Sotiria" General Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Garyfalia Poulakou
- 3, Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, "Sotiria" General Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Mina Gaga
- 7, Respiratory Medicine Department "Sotiria" General Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Ronan MacLoughlin
- R&D Science & Emerging Technologies, Aerogen Ltd., IDA Business Park, Dangan, Galway, Ireland
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Justin Stebbing
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Anglia Ruskin University, London, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, ARU, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nadir Arber
- Integrated Cancer Prevention Center, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizmann St., 6423906, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Department of Molecular Genetic and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Anastasia Antoniadou
- 4, Department of Internal Medicine, University General Hospital Attikon, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462, Athens, Greece
| | - Sotirios Tsiodras
- 4, Department of Internal Medicine, University General Hospital Attikon, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462, Athens, Greece
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