# Immune Tolerance Network

> **NIH NIH UM1** · BENAROYA RESEARCH INST AT VIRGINIA MASON · 2021 · $2,300,000

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract: Anti CD14 (CaTT)
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to spread around the world, causing widespread illness
with significant mortality, overburdening health care systems and disrupting the global
economy. Severe illness is caused by viral infection of host cells leading to the generation of
secondary inflammatory responses that cause serious organ injury. We propose to test a novel
treatment that will add to antiviral therapy by blunting the host innate immune inflammatory
response to virally infected host cells using IC14, a specific blocking monoclonal antibody to the
CD14 pattern recognition receptor on macrophages, dendritic cells and other cells of the innate
immune system. In combination with a primary antiviral drug (e.g. remdesivir), this treatment
strategy should reduce host inflammatory responses and speed resolution of illness. The
primary hypothesis is that inhibiting the CD14 pattern recognition receptor will reduce the
intensity of deleterious host inflammatory responses to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and secondary
tissue damage and improve outcomes in patients with COVID-19 illness. We will conduct a
multicenter randomized controlled trial in 300 patients in 15 US clinical centers in order to
determine the efficacy and safety of IC14 in patients hospitalized with respiratory disease due
to SARS-CoV-2. In Aim 1 we will determine whether IC14 improves the time to resolution of
disease using an eight-point ordinal scale. In Aim 2 we will determine whether IC14 reduces
the need for high level respiratory support, including ICU care. In Aim 3 we will determine
whether IC14 reduces the severity of systemic inflammation and the recovery of virus in nasal
swabs. Overall, this program will determine whether treatment with IC14 is an effective new
approach to lessen systemic inflammation and organ injury triggered by the SARS-CoV-2 virus
and improves outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 illness.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10319233
- **Project number:** 3UM1AI109565-07S1
- **Recipient organization:** BENAROYA RESEARCH INST AT VIRGINIA MASON
- **Principal Investigator:** GERALD T NEPOM
- **Activity code:** UM1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $2,300,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-12-30 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10319233

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10319233, Immune Tolerance Network (3UM1AI109565-07S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10319233. Licensed CC0.

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