Queensway Carleton Hospital tapped for two COVID-19 Trials

Jul 17, 2020 | COVID-19


COVID-19 Trials

Queensway Carleton Hospital was activated as a participating centre in the Canadian Treatment for COVID-19 (CATCO) and the CONCOR-1 trials in June, which will run for 2 years. CATCO is the Canadian arm of the World Health Organization Solidarity trial and is being sponsored in Canada by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. QCH is among three hospitals in Ottawa who are participating, alongside Montfort and The Ottawa Hospital, and one of 25 activated hospitals across Canada, with the anticipation of more centres signing on.


The CATCO trial is a worldwide effort to develop find an effective treatment for COVID-19, with over 3000 patients enrolled worldwide since March 2020. This trial has a pragmatic, adaptive design where treatment arms may be added or removed as data is reviewed and new evidence emerges. The arms are under constant revision or are called to be modified following results obtained in the course of the study (adaptive study).


“QCH is a good candidate for being involved in this trial due to the volume of COVID-19 patients we have been seeing,” says Dr. Moira Rushton-Marovac, the local lead investigator for the CATCO trial at QCH. “Additionally, we have a keen group of investigators who are committed to the success of this trial. This may prove the start of a successful research program being developed at QCH.”


Patients admitted to QCH with confirmed COVID-19 infection are eligible to participate in the CATCO trial which will see them randomized to one of 3 treatment arms (Hydroxychloroquine, Ritonavir/Lopinavir, Remdesivir) or standard of care. The patients and their healthcare team will know which treatment they will receive, as this trial is open-label. If members of the health care team identify a potential trial candidate, please contact either the infectious disease COVID service or the COVID trial team directly through the call centre to speak with the patient in detail.


The CONCOR-1 trial explores whether a COVID-19 convalescent plasma treatment can prevent ventilation or death. COVID-19 convalescent plasma is a blood product which is being collected by Canadian Blood Services from people who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection and contains antibodies against COVID-19. Admitted COVID-19 patients who require oxygen, but do not yet require a ventilator will be enrolled in this trial. Patients are randomized 2:1 to COVID-19 convalescent plasma vs. standard of care.


Dr. Jake Majewski, an Infectious Disease physician at QCH, initiated QCH’s participation in the trial and quickly brought on Dr. Rushton-Marovac to be the local lead investigator due to her experience with clinical trials. The QCH CATCO trail team includes physicians in infectious disease, respirology, hospitalist, critical care, and the chief of ICU, as well as dedicated support from nursing and pharmacy.