Trinity Health Announces Plasma Clinical Trial Results

Press release from Trinity Health of New England:

September 30, 2020

HARTFORD, Conn. (September 28, 2020) –Trinity Health Of New England is pleased to announce their recent completion of the COVID-19 convalescent plasma phase two clinical trial. The results have now been published in the Infectious Diseases and Therapy Journal. The top-tier journal ranks amongst the top 10 percent of medical journals worldwide. Trinity Health Of New England is one of just four health systems in the United States to gain initial approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to run the trial back in April.

“This is a wonderful accomplishment and a real attestation of what we are capable of achieving,” said Danyal Ibrahim, MD, MPH, Regional Chief Quality Officer for Trinity Health Of New England, who served amongst a team of investigators of the study. “This publication will allow us to share our experience with convalescent plasma at a time when the conversation about safety and efficacy of this therapy remains alive and well in the U.S. and worldwide.”

The prospective, interventional study evaluated the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma transfusion on critically ill COVID-19 patients. Convalescent plasma was obtained from recovered donors and administered to adult patients with either severe or critical COVID-19 illness. Of the 38 patients included in the analysis, 24 (63%) recovered and were discharged. Patients who received convalescent plasma with sufficient total anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG titer (1:320) early in the disease course (severe illness group) as compared to the patients that received convalescent plasma later in the disease progression (critical illness group) had significantly lower hospital mortality 13% vs 55% (p < 0.02) and shorter mean hospital length of stay 15.4 vs 33 days (p < 0.01).

“Our results suggest that convalescent plasma is safe and has the potential for positive impact on clinical outcomes including recovery and survival if given to patients early in the course of COVID-19," added Latha Dulipsingh MD, FACP, FACE, Chair, Institutional Review Board, Trinity Health Of New England. Dr. Dulipsingh was also an investigator on the study.

“Trinity Health Of New England has a continued commitment to ongoing research and treatment to ensure the health and safety of our patients, colleagues, and communities," said Dr. Syed Hussain, Chief Clinical Officer, Trinity Health Of New England. "This study adds to the ongoing national discussion on efficacy of convalescent plasma and helps us add another tool in our armamentarium against COVID-19."

Trinity Health Of New England began screening donors and treating COVID-19 patients in April, during Connecticut’s peak surge, under the framework of the FDA clinical trial. The organization’s four acute care hospitals participated in the trial; Saint Francis Hospital, Saint Mary’s Hospital, Johnson Memorial Hospital, and Mercy Medical Center, in Springfield, Massachusetts. Saint Francis Hospital also participated in the Mayo Clinic Expanded Access Program (EAP) for convalescent plasma, which helped to increase access to investigational convalescent plasma.

About Trinity Health Of New England
Trinity Health Of New England is an integrated nonprofit health care delivery system formed in 2015 and is a member of Trinity Health located in Livonia, Michigan, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation serving communities in 22 states. Trinity Health Of New England is comprised of Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center and Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut; Johnson Memorial Hospital and Home & Community Health Services in Stafford Springs, Connecticut; Saint Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury, Connecticut; Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts; Providence Behavioral Health Hospital in Holyoke, Massachusetts; Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital, Springfield, Massachusetts; Brightside for Families and Children; and Mercy Continuing Care Network that includes Mercy Homecare, Mercy Hospice and Mercy LIFE. Visit TrinityHealthOfNE.org for more information and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @THOfNewEngland

This press release was produced by Trinity Health Of New England. The views expressed here are the author's own.