Dutch REMAP-CAP investigators got together for the first time
On 8 December, Dr Lennie Derde, lead REMAP-CAP investigator for Europe, and her co-lead Prof. Marc Bonten welcomed Dutch REMAP-CAP investigators to Utrecht for an afternoon full of insights and inspiration. After years of collaborating virtually, the attendees could finally put faces to the names of their colleagues. They heard insightful presentations about what has been achieved so far in the REMAP-CAP trial, recent developments, and the road ahead.
Prof. Frank van de Veerdonk opened the meeting by explaining the pathophysiological factors targeted by immune-based therapies in COVID-19. He gave a comprehensive overview of the evidence generated by major clinical trials of immune-based therapies.
He was followed by Dr Helen Leavis who highlighted the recently approved Immunoglobulin domain of the REMAP-CAP trial and explaining all the practicalities of this important domain.
An overview of the results of RAS inhibitors within Covid-19 clinical trials was delivered by Dr Frank Gommans who talked about the possible the risks and benefits of RAS inhibitors.
Dr Marjolein Hensgens then took the stage to summarise the results of antiviral treatment and introduced the treatment arm that will be added within the influenza antiviral domain.
Vitamin C plays a role in the fight against infectious diseases. Dr Angelique de Man talked about its impact on sepsis and COVID-19 in previous trials. She explained why the domains has been paused within the REMAP-CAP trial and gave a sneak peek at important results that will be published in the coming year.
Prof. Roger Schutgens ended the first part of the meeting with an overview of the conclusions within the Anticoagulation domain. He explained the latest recommendations and guidelines of antithrombotic treatment in COVID-19.
After a short break, attendees got a peak behind the scenes of the REMAP-CAP trial. Lennie Derde and project manager Irene Jongenelen highlighted the immense growth REMAP-CAP has experienced and described what it took for the operational team to make the trial such a success during the pandemic. Ecraid CEO Marc Bonten closed the meeting with an inspiring talk about the future of the trial and Ecraid.
After the meeting ended, participants continued the discussion in an informal setting and took time to get to know each other better over dinner.
About REMAP-CAP
The Randomized, Embedded, Multifactorial Adaptive Platform trial for Community-Acquired Pneumonia (REMAP-CAP) is a ground-breaking global clinical trial. Ecraid is home to REMAP-CAP's European arm which has over 200 active sites in 15 countries. The trial receives funding from the European Union through the ECRAID-Base project.
REMAP-CAP was conceived after the 2009 swine flu outbreak during which the research response was underwhelming. It was set up as an adaptive platform trial embedded in clinical care and allowing multiple therapies to be evaluated at the same time. The trial was designed to adapt to a future pandemic since its inception. This focus paid off during the COVID-19 pandemic when REMAP-CAP made a substantial contribution to global scientific efforts against the virus.