A small pilot study gave dialysis patients a peptide called thymosin‑alpha‑1 (1.6 mg under the skin twice a week for 8 weeks) and tracked COVID‑19 outcomes. The group that got the peptide had fewer deaths (3 vs 7) and slightly fewer serious COVID‑19 events, but the numbers are tiny and most participants were also vaccinated. The trial is still ongoing, so full results aren’t in yet.

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD) are considered particularly susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV2 on the basis of the immunodeficiency associated with advanced age, comorbidity burden, medication use, and need for frequent visits to dialysis clinics. In prior studies, thymalfasin (thymosin alpha 1, Ta1) has been shown to enhance antibody response to influenza vaccine and reduce influenza infection in geriatric populations, including hemodialysis patients, when used as an adjunct to influenza vaccine. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic we speculated that administration of Ta1 to HD patients would result in reduced rate and severity of COVID-19 infection. We also hypothesized that HD patients treated with Ta1 who did become infected with COVID-19 would have a milder course of infection in terms of hospitalization rates, requirement for and length of ICU stays, requirement for mechanical ventilation, and survival. Further, we proposed that patients who avoided COVID-19 infection during the study would have decreased non-COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations compared to controls. The study launched in January 2021 and, as of July 1, 2022, 254 ESRD/ HD patients from five dialysis centers in Kansas City, MO have been screened. Of these, 194 patients have been randomized 1:1 to either Group A (1.6 mg Ta1 given subcutaneously twice weekly for 8 weeks), or Group B (control group not receiving Ta1). After the 8-week treatment period, subjects were followed for an additional 4 months and monitored for safety and efficacy. A data safely monitoring board reviewed all reported adverse effects and commented on study progress. To date, only 3 deaths have occurred in subjects treated with Ta1 (Group A), compared to 7 in the control (Group B). There have been 12 COVID-19 related serious adverse effects (SAEs; 5 in Group A, and 7 in Group B). The majority of patients have received a COVID-19 vaccine (91 patients in group A, and 76 patients in Group B) at various times throughout the study. Nearing completion of the study, blood samples have been collected and antibody responses to COVID-19 will be analyzed along with safety and efficacy endpoints when all subjects have completed the study.