In inpatients with COVID-19, none of remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, or interferon b -1a differed from standard care for in-hospital mortality
Pan H, Peto R, et al.
Question: In adults hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), what are the effects of 4 antiviral drugs compared with local standard care without the antivirals on in-hospital mortality? Design: Interim results for a randomized controlled trial (World Health Organization [WHO] Solidarity trial). Blinding: Treatment allocation concealed; blinded (monitoring committee).* Setting: 405 hospitals in 30 WHO countries. Patients: 11330 patients aged ≥18 years (35% <50 y; 19% ≥70 y; 62% men; 8% ventilated) who were hospitalized with COVID-19. Key exclusions: known receipt of any trial drug, expected transfer within 72 hours, or contraindication to any trial drug. Interventions: IV remdesivir, 200 mg/d (day 0), then 100 mg/d (days 1 to 9) (n = 2750), or standard care (n = 2725); oral hydroxychloroquine sulfate, 200 mg/tablet, 4 tablets at hours 0 and 6, then 2 tablets, twice/d, starting at hour 12, for 10 days (n = 954), or standard care (n = 909); oral lopinavir, 200 mg plus ritonavir, 50 mg/tablet, 2 tablets twice/d for 14 d (n = 1411), or standard care (n = 1380); or interferon (IFN) b-1a, 44 mcg/d subcutaneously (day 0, 3, 6) or IV, 10 mcg/d for 6 d (n = 2063), or standard care (n = 2064). Funding: WHO and national government agencies; intervention drugs provided by Gilead Sciences, Mylan, AbbVie, Cipla, Merck KGaA, and Faron.