Lower mortality rate, better clinical status, and shorter duration of invasive ventilation were observed in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 treated with imatinib during a 90-day follow-up

A long-term clinical outcomes analysis of COVID-19 patients treated with imatinib has recently been published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. The study, performed by Exvastat’s collaborators, VUmc, reviewed the 90-day outcomes from the 385-patient CounterCOVID Phase II study and investigated the mechanisms underlying the clinical benefit of imatinib. In previously published results, patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 and treated with imatinib had a shorter duration of invasive ventilation, shorter stay in the ICU and reduced mortality. This analysis pleasingly substantiates the earlier suggestions, of improved survival in COVID-19 patients treated with imatinib (after correction for comorbidities, the hazard ratio was 0.52 [p=0.045]) and also confirms a better clinical status according to an eight-point ordinal scale along with and reduced time on invasive ventilation (7 days on imatinib vs 12 days on placebo).

David Cavalla, CEO, commented: “This updated analysis confirms the benefit of imatinib in patients with COVID-19, particularly in its more severe manifestations. The results with respect to improved mortality when corrected for all comorbidities are particularly encouraging. We are continuing with the investigation of Impentri™, a bespoke intravenous formulation of imatinib, in intensive care patients with moderate to severe ARDS as a result of COVID and non-COVID pneumonia as well planning for pivotal studies in this area.”

Read The Lancet’s study here