Epirubicin for the Treatment of Sepsis and Septic Shock (EPOS-1): study protocol for a randomised, placebo-controlled phase IIa dose-escalation trial.

Thomas-Rüddel D, Bauer M, Moita LF, Helbig C, Schlattmann P, Ehler J, Rahmel T, Meybohm P, Gründling M, Schenk H, Köcher T, Brunkhorst FM, Gräler M, Heger AJ, Weis S (2024) Epirubicin for the Treatment of Sepsis and Septic Shock (EPOS-1): study protocol for a randomised, placebo-controlled phase IIa dose-escalation trial. BMJ Open 14(4), e075158.

Abstract

Sepsis remains the major cause of death among hospitalised patients in intensive care. While targeting sepsis-causing pathogens with source control or antimicrobials has had a dramatic impact on morbidity and mortality of sepsis patients, this strategy remains insufficient for about one-third of the affected individuals who succumb. Pharmacological targeting of mechanisms that reduce sepsis-defining organ dysfunction may be beneficial. When given at low doses, the anthracycline epirubicin promotes tissue damage control and lessens the severity of sepsis independently of the host-pathogen load by conferring disease tolerance to infection. Since epirubicin at higher doses can be myelotoxic, a first dose-response trial is necessary to assess the potential harm of this drug in this new indication.

Leibniz-HKI-Authors

Sebastian Weis

Topics

Identifier

doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-075158

PMID: 38653508