Pharming Group N.V. announces the publication of data in the peer-reviewed journal, Frontiers in Immunology, from a compassionate use programme of five patients with confirmed COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) infections hospitalized with related severe pneumonia that were treated with Ruconest (recombinant human C1 inhibitor, conestat alfa) at the University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.

As reported on 21 April 2020, following treatment with Ruconest, fever resolved in four of the five patients within 48 hours, and laboratory markers of inflammation decreased significantly (CRP, IL-6). Soon thereafter, four of the five patients were discharged from the hospital as fully recovered. One patient had increased oxygen requirement and was temporarily transferred to the ICU for intubation but over the subsequent days made a full recovery.

Given this was a small case series, the outcomes were retrospectively compared to a matched control population of 15 patients. Baseline characteristics, admission laboratory parameters and treatments administered were similar in both groups. Both groups received standard of care as well as experimental therapies including antiviral and anti-cytokine directed medications. However, 8/15 (53%) patients in the control population required mechanical ventilation and four of these patients died, compared to only one (20%) requiring mechanical ventilation and no deaths in the Ruconest group. Overall, treatment with, in total five normal dose equivalents of Ruconest over 48h was well-tolerated.
(Source: Pharming)