AzTrials
AzTrials

COVID-19NCT04950803

A Randomised-controlled Trial of an Oral Microbiome Immunity Formula in Recovered COVID-19 Patients

A study testing Microbiome immunity formula in people with COVID-19 and Probiotic, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.

Active, not recruiting

Under way, not looking for participants. Everyone needed has enrolled. The study is still running.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an oral microbiome immunity formula in modulating gut microbiota, enhancing immunity and reducing long-term complications and co-morbidities in patients who have recovered from COVID-19. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
COVID-19, Probiotic
What is being tested?
Microbiome immunity formula
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
448 participants
Where
1 siteHong Kong
Study dates
25 Jun 2021to 31 Dec 2027
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Individuals aged 18 and above;
  • Subjects who are mentally capable to participate in the study and provide informed consent;
  • Subjects who can communicate in Chinese or English;
  • Subjects who are ambulatory and do not have difficulties travelling to the clinics for follow-up;
  • Subjects who do not have plans to leave Hong Kong in the subsequent two years after recruitment; and
  • Subjects who agree to give informed consent voluntarily.

Who cannot join

  • Subjects who are unable to receive oral fluids;
  • Subjects who have received surgery involving the intestine within past 30 days;
  • Subjects who are pregnant or breastfeeding; and
  • Subjects who are immunocompromised, e.g. on cancer treatment, bone marrow/organ transplant, immune deficiency, poorly controlled HIV/AIDS.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Hong Kong1 site
  • Prince of Wales Hospital

    Hong Kong

Other trials in Hong Kong

About this study

Official title: A Randomised-controlled Trial of an Oral Microbiome Immunity Formula in Reducing Development of Long-term Co-morbidities in Recovered COVID-19 Patients

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an oral microbiome immunity formula in modulating gut microbiota, enhancing immunity and reducing long-term complications and co-morbidities in patients who have recovered from COVID-19.

Read the detailed description

SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, emerged as a new zoonotic pathogen of humans at the end of 2019 and rapidly developed into a global pandemic. It may develop severe or critical disease with respiratory failure requiring oxygen support and intensive care.

Natural infection by virus triggers an effective system immunity so that the host can resist or highly reduce the chance of re-infection.

In many cases, this protection can maintain a long period of time. However, the long-term immunities (over a year) and complications from the patients are not yet very clear. We found that COVID-19 survivors who have cleared the virus continued to have persistent altered gut microbiota and up to 80 percent had residue COVID-19 related symptoms including fatigue, difficulty in breathing, impaired memory and hair loss up to 6 months after discharge (LONG COVID-19).

Earlier studies from our CU Medicine have shown a link between altered gut microbiome and COVID-19 severity, and more patients who received a novel microbiome immunity formula (SIM01) achieved complete symptom resolution and developed neutralising antibody than those who did not (unpublished data). Research from the Faculty also reported that almost 40% of people in Hong Kong had significant gut dysbiosis especially in elderly and patients with diabetes, obesity or chronic diseases.

This study is a single-centre, triple-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial that aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an oral microbiome immunity formula (SIM01) invented by the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in modulating gut microbiota, enhancing immunity and reducing long-term complications and co-morbidities (e.g. sepsis, cardiopulmonary complications, metabolic syndrome, neuropsychiatric disorders) in patients who have recovered from COVID-19.

Conditions
COVID-19, Probiotic
Being tested
Microbiome immunity formula, Active placebo
Medical subject headings
COVID-19

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Microbiome immunity formulaDietary supplement

    Microbiome immunity formula contains probiotics blend (3Bifidobacteria, 20 billion CFU daily)

  • Active placeboDietary supplement

    Active placebo contains active vitamin

Study groups in NCT04950803
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Active armActive comparatorSubjects will take microbiome immunity formula (SIM01) daily for 6 months
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Microbiome immunity formula
Placebo armPlacebo comparatorSubjects will take active vitamin daily for 6 months
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Active placebo

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Alleviation of symptoms or complications

    Proportion of subjects with alleviation of symptoms or complication of post-COVID conditions within 6 months.

    Measured: 6 months

Secondary outcomes (8)
  1. Any comorbidities

    A composite outcome of any comorbidities, including clinical manifestations of long-COVID, hospitalizations due to sepsis, cardiopulmonary complications, metabolic syndrome and neuropsychiatric disorders

    Measured: 24 months

  2. Increase in metabolic syndrome (MetS) score

    a validated index computed from an analysis based on waist circumference, fasting triglycerides, fasting glucose, and systolic blood pressure, calculated in score (1-5), higher levels indicated higher probability of presence of metabolic syndrome

    Measured: 24 months

  3. Increase in other system-specific comorbidities

    Increase in other system-specific comorbidities involving cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, liver, renal, genitourinary, haematological, and neurological systems

    Measured: 24 months

  4. Healthcare service utilization

    The frequency of healthcare service (including clinics and Accident and Emergency) that the subject has attended

    Measured: 24 months

  5. Self-reported long-COVID-19 symptoms

    Subjects will fill in a survey whether they have long-COVID-19 symptoms (e.g. cough, fatigue, etc) and grade the symptoms. The higher the score, the worse the outcome.

    Measured: 24 months

  6. Changes in Quality of life

    Changes in Quality of life using visual analogue scale, score ranging 0-100. The higher the score, the better the outcome.

    Measured: 48 months

  7. Changes in faecal microbial and bacterial metabolites

    Shotgun metagenomics and metabolomics sequencing of faecal samples at baseline and each visit will be used to generate serial gut microbial taxonomic and bacterial functional profiles.

    Measured: 48 months

  8. Blood immunity profiles

    Inflammatory cytokines in plasma samples will be identified and quantified using human inflammation panel 1 (13-plex) of LEGENDplex

    Measured: 24 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted6 Jul 2021
  2. Study start25 Jun 2021
  3. Primary completion31 May 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator
Enrolment
448 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04950803
Sponsor's protocol ID
RECOVERY
Status last verified
Aug 2024
First submitted
21 Jun 2021
Last updated
22 Aug 2024
Results posted
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Publications

  • Huang C, Wang Y, Li X, Ren L, Zhao J, Hu Y, Zhang L, Fan G, Xu J, Gu X, Cheng Z, Yu T, Xia J, Wei Y, Wu W, Xie X, Yin W, Li H, Liu M, Xiao Y, Gao H, Guo L, Xie J, Wang G, Jiang R, Gao Z, Jin Q, Wang J, Cao B. Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet. 2020 Feb 15;395(10223):497-506. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5. Epub 2020 Jan 24.

    PubMed 31986264
  • Guan WJ, Ni ZY, Hu Y, Liang WH, Ou CQ, He JX, Liu L, Shan H, Lei CL, Hui DSC, Du B, Li LJ, Zeng G, Yuen KY, Chen RC, Tang CL, Wang T, Chen PY, Xiang J, Li SY, Wang JL, Liang ZJ, Peng YX, Wei L, Liu Y, Hu YH, Peng P, Wang JM, Liu JY, Chen Z, Li G, Zheng ZJ, Qiu SQ, Luo J, Ye CJ, Zhu SY, Zhong NS; China Medical Treatment Expert Group for Covid-19. Clinical Characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in China. N Engl J Med. 2020 Apr 30;382(18):1708-1720. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2002032. Epub 2020 Feb 28.

    PubMed 32109013
  • Ngai JC, Ko FW, Ng SS, To KW, Tong M, Hui DS. The long-term impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome on pulmonary function, exercise capacity and health status. Respirology. 2010 Apr;15(3):543-50. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2010.01720.x. Epub 2010 Mar 19.

    PubMed 20337995
  • Li TS, Gomersall CD, Joynt GM, Chan DP, Leung P, Hui DS. Long-term outcome of acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS): an observational study. Crit Care Resusc. 2006 Dec;8(4):302-8.

    PubMed 17227266
  • Martin JE, Louder MK, Holman LA, Gordon IJ, Enama ME, Larkin BD, Andrews CA, Vogel L, Koup RA, Roederer M, Bailer RT, Gomez PL, Nason M, Mascola JR, Nabel GJ, Graham BS; VRC 301 Study Team. A SARS DNA vaccine induces neutralizing antibody and cellular immune responses in healthy adults in a Phase I clinical trial. Vaccine. 2008 Nov 25;26(50):6338-43. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2008.09.026. Epub 2008 Sep 26.

    PubMed 18824060
  • Modjarrad K, Roberts CC, Mills KT, Castellano AR, Paolino K, Muthumani K, Reuschel EL, Robb ML, Racine T, Oh MD, Lamarre C, Zaidi FI, Boyer J, Kudchodkar SB, Jeong M, Darden JM, Park YK, Scott PT, Remigio C, Parikh AP, Wise MC, Patel A, Duperret EK, Kim KY, Choi H, White S, Bagarazzi M, May JM, Kane D, Lee H, Kobinger G, Michael NL, Weiner DB, Thomas SJ, Maslow JN. Safety and immunogenicity of an anti-Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus DNA vaccine: a phase 1, open-label, single-arm, dose-escalation trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2019 Sep;19(9):1013-1022. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(19)30266-X. Epub 2019 Jul 24.

    PubMed 31351922
  • Perera RA, Mok CK, Tsang OT, Lv H, Ko RL, Wu NC, Yuan M, Leung WS, Chan JM, Chik TS, Choi CY, Leung K, Chan KH, Chan KC, Li KC, Wu JT, Wilson IA, Monto AS, Poon LL, Peiris M. Serological assays for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), March 2020. Euro Surveill. 2020 Apr;25(16):2000421. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.16.2000421.

    PubMed 32347204
  • Bonifacius A, Tischer-Zimmermann S, Dragon AC, Gussarow D, Vogel A, Krettek U, Godecke N, Yilmaz M, Kraft ARM, Hoeper MM, Pink I, Schmidt JJ, Li Y, Welte T, Maecker-Kolhoff B, Martens J, Berger MM, Lobenwein C, Stankov MV, Cornberg M, David S, Behrens GMN, Witzke O, Blasczyk R, Eiz-Vesper B. COVID-19 immune signatures reveal stable antiviral T cell function despite declining humoral responses. Immunity. 2021 Feb 9;54(2):340-354.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2021.01.008.

    PubMed 33567252
  • Rupp J, Dreo B, Gutl K, Fessler J, Moser A, Haditsch B, Schilcher G, Matzkies LM, Steinmetz I, Greinix H, Stradner MH. T Cell Phenotyping in Individuals Hospitalized with COVID-19. J Immunol. 2021 Apr 1;206(7):1478-1482. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.2001034. Epub 2021 Feb 8.

    PubMed 33558375
  • Legros V, Denolly S, Vogrig M, Boson B, Siret E, Rigaill J, Pillet S, Grattard F, Gonzalo S, Verhoeven P, Allatif O, Berthelot P, Pelissier C, Thiery G, Botelho-Nevers E, Millet G, Morel J, Paul S, Walzer T, Cosset FL, Bourlet T, Pozzetto B. A longitudinal study of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients reveals a high correlation between neutralizing antibodies and COVID-19 severity. Cell Mol Immunol. 2021 Feb;18(2):318-327. doi: 10.1038/s41423-020-00588-2. Epub 2021 Jan 6.

    PubMed 33408342
  • Hillier TA, Rousseau A, Lange C, Lepinay P, Cailleau M, Novak M, Calliez E, Ducimetiere P, Balkau B; D.E.S.I.R. Cohort. Practical way to assess metabolic syndrome using a continuous score obtained from principal components analysis. Diabetologia. 2006 Jul;49(7):1528-35. doi: 10.1007/s00125-006-0266-8. Epub 2006 May 16.

    PubMed 16752171
  • DeMets DL, Lan KK. Interim analysis: the alpha spending function approach. Stat Med. 1994 Jul 15-30;13(13-14):1341-52; discussion 1353-6. doi: 10.1002/sim.4780131308.

    PubMed 7973215
  • Lau RI, Su Q, Lau ISF, Ching JYL, Wong MCS, Lau LHS, Tun HM, Mok CKP, Chau SWH, Tse YK, Cheung CP, Li MKT, Yeung GTY, Cheong PK, Chan FKL, Ng SC. A synbiotic preparation (SIM01) for post-acute COVID-19 syndrome in Hong Kong (RECOVERY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2024 Mar;24(3):256-265. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00685-0. Epub 2023 Dec 7.

    PubMed 38071990

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Microbiome immunity formula in people with COVID-19 and Probiotic, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Aug 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Alleviation of symptoms or complications (time frame: 6 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04950803, which also lists 13 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 22 Aug 2024.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in