A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, First-in-Human Clinical Trial to Assess Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of LY-CovMab, a Potent Human Neutralizing Antibody Against SARS-CoV-2

Infect Dis Ther. 2022 Feb;11(1):405-422. doi: 10.1007/s40121-021-00572-x. Epub 2021 Dec 8.

Abstract

Introduction: We aimed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity of a single dose of LY-CovMab in Chinese healthy adults.

Methods: We conducted a phase 1, randomized, dose-escalation, placebo-controlled trial in 42 volunteers, 18-45 years of age, and 40 out of 42 received a single dose of LY-CovMab or placebo with LY-CovMab at a dose of 30 mg, 150 mg, 600 mg, 1200 mg, and 2400 mg. There were ten subjects in each group receiving LY-CovMab or placebo in a 4:1 ratio with the exception that the 30 mg group had two subjects both receiving LY-CovMab.

Results: Among the 42 randomized participants, 40 received an injection with 32 administered LY-CovMab and 8 administered placebo. A total of 18 drug-related treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were reported in 12 subjects (30.0%), including protein urine present (25%, 10/40) and blood creatinine increased (7.5%, 3/40). The incidence of drug-related TEAE in each dosage group was as follows: 150 mg (28.6%, 2/7), 600 mg (25%, 2/8), 1200 mg (14.3%, 1/7), 2400 mg (50%, 4/8), and placebo (37.5%, 3/8). All drug-related TEAEs were grade 1, and most of them were recovering/resolving or recovered/resolved without taking action. The serum exposure of LY-CovMab (Cmax, AUC0-last, AUC0-inf) after intravenous infusion increased in an approximately proportional manner as the dose increased from 150 to 2400 mg. The elimination half-life (t1/2) value did not differ among different dose cohorts and was estimated to be around 28.5 days.

Conclusions: A single dose of LY-CovMab was shown to be safe and well tolerated in Chinese healthy adults. The pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles of LY-CovMab in healthy adults showed typical monoclonal antibody distribution and elimination characteristics. LY-CovMab demonstrated dose proportionality.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrial.gov Identifier NCT04973735.

Keywords: COVID-19; Immunogenicity; LY-CovMab; Monoclonal neutralizing antibody; Pharmacokinetics; SARS-CoV-2; Safety.

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04973735