13 January 2021
The Adaptive Platform Trial for Community-Acquired Pneumonia, REMAP-CAP, launched its second video. The video shows the smart, efficient and optimized design of REMAP-CAP.
As an adaptive platform, REMAP-CAP is designed to adapt in the event of a pandemic, increasing the likelihood of patients receiving an effective treatment. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the platform has extended its domains to investigate new treatments specifically for COVID-19 patients on the ICU and the ward. With the ability to test various interventions simultaneously within multiple therapeutic domains, REMAP-CAP can determine the best treatment regimen instead of one single treatment. It also allows for optimal use of data and provides information about interactions between domains and interventions.
Shortly after the intensification of the COVID-19 pandemic, five new COVID-19 domains that received ethical approval have been added in REMAP-CAP: Antiviral therapy, Immune Modulation therapy, Antibody therapy, Therapeutic anti-coagulation and Vitamin C.
Benefits of REMAP-CAP
Coordinating investigator and intensivist Lennie Derde (UMC Utrecht): “We can test several groups of medicines at the same time. An adaptive platform trial is fairer for the participants. If a particular drug shows better results, a larger percentage of new patients will be allocated to that drug. Fewer people are exposed to less promising medicines. As a result, patients are more likely to benefit from the knowledge that is gradually yielded by the study. We also have faster results.”
First results
In a sub-study of the REMAP-CAP study, published in JAMA in September, it was shown that the use of corticosteroids increases the likelihood of survival of critically ill COVID-19 patients. The results confirm what a study from the University of Oxford previously showed: a third fewer deaths with dexamethasone treatment.
The REMAP-CAP study also found that tocilizumab is effective in treating critically ill COVID-19 patients. On the recommendation of the data safety and monitoring board, REMAP-CAP declared efficacy of tocilizumab for benefit on a combination of survival and length of time patients received organ support in the ICU compared with standard care.
Follow REMAP-CAP
For the latest updates be sure to follow REMAP-CAP on Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, Spotify and iTunes. Listen to the REMAP-CAP Podcast!
Are you or your hospital interested in or want to join REMAP-CAP? Write to us!