Clearance of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine by the Seraph® 100 Microbinda Affinity Blood Filter -a Device Approved for the Treatment of COVID-19 Patients

On April 17 2020, the United States Food and Drug Administration granted Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency use authorizations for the Seraph 100 Microbind Affinity Blood Filter. The medical device is aimed to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients with confirmed or imminent respiratory failure. The aim of this life size in vitro pharmacokinetic study was to investigate the in vitro adsorption of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine from human plasma using equipment that is also used at the bedside. After start of the hemoperfusion, Pre (C ) Seraph plasma levels were obtained at 5 (C ), 10 (C ), 15 (C ), 30 (C ), 60 (C ), and 120 (C ) minutes into the procedure. At two timepoints (5 and 120 minutes) post (C ) Seraph plasma levels were determined that were used to calculate the plasma clearance of the Seraph. Both drugs were determined using a validated HPLC method. Median [IQR] plasma clearance of the Seraph for chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine was 1.71 [0.51-4.38] mL/min/1.79 [0.21-3.68] mL/min respectively. The lack of elimination was also confirmed by the fact that plasma levels did not change over the 120 minutes treatment. As neither chloroquine nor hydroxychloroquine were removed by the treatment with the Seraph dose adjustments in COVID-19 patients undergoing this treatment are not necessary.