inclusion criteria: age ≥ 18 years sars-cov-2 induced pneumonia confirmed by a positive pcr test in nasopharyngeal swab or respiratory tract secretions and ≤ 85 years acute respiratory distress syndrome (ards) according to berlin criteria (bilateral pulmonary infiltrates on frontal chest x-ray, pao2/fio2 ratio ≤300 mmhg, objective assessment excluding hydrostatic pulmonary edema) need for endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation informed consent by patient or legal representative. according to the specifications of emergency consent, randomization without the close relative or surrogate consent could be performed. affiliated to a social security system highly effective method of contraception and negative highly sensitive pregnancy test, for women of childbearing potential

inclusion criteria: age ≥ 18 years sars-cov-2 induced pneumonia confirmed by a positive pcr test in nasopharyngeal swab or respiratory tract secretions and ≤ 85 years acute respiratory distress syndrome (ards) according to berlin criteria (bilateral pulmonary infiltrates on frontal chest x-ray, pao2/fio2 ratio ≤300 mmhg, objective assessment excluding hydrostatic pulmonary edema) need for endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation informed consent by patient or legal representative. according to the specifications of emergency consent, randomization without the close relative or surrogate consent could be performed. affiliated to a social security system highly effective method of contraception and negative highly sensitive pregnancy test, for women of childbearing potential

inclusion criteria: 1. age ≥ 18 years 2. sars-cov-2 induced pneumonia confirmed by a positive pcr test in nasopharyngeal swab or respiratory tract secretions and ≤ 85 years 3. acute respiratory distress syndrome (ards) according to berlin criteria (bilateral pulmonary infiltrates on frontal chest x-ray, pao2/fio2 ratio ≤300 mmhg, objective assessment excluding hydrostatic pulmonary edema) 4. need for endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation 5. informed consent by patient or legal representative. according to the specifications of emergency consent, randomization without the close relative or surrogate consent could be performed. 6. affiliated to a social security system 7. highly effective method of contraception and negative highly sensitive pregnancy test, for women of childbearing potential

inclusion criteria: 1. age ≥ 18 years 2. sars-cov-2 induced pneumonia confirmed by a positive pcr test in nasopharyngeal swab or respiratory tract secretions and ≤ 85 years 3. acute respiratory distress syndrome (ards) according to berlin criteria (bilateral pulmonary infiltrates on frontal chest x-ray, pao2/fio2 ratio ≤300 mmhg, objective assessment excluding hydrostatic pulmonary edema) 4. need for endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation 5. informed consent by patient or legal representative. according to the specifications of emergency consent, randomization without the close relative or surrogate consent could be performed. 6. affiliated to a social security system 7. highly effective method of contraception and negative highly sensitive pregnancy test, for women of childbearing potential