Peginterferon lambda for the treatment of outpatients with COVID-19: a phase 2, placebo-controlled randomised trial

https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30566-X

NCT04354259-The decline in SARS-CoV-2 RNA was greater in those treated with peginterferon lambda than placebo from day 3 onwards, with a difference of 2.42 log copies per mL at day 7 (p=0.0041). By day 7, 24 (80%) participants in the peginterferon lambda group had an undetectable viral load, compared with 19 (63%) in the placebo group (p=0.15). After controlling for baseline viral load, patients in the peginterferon lambda group were more likely to have undetectable virus by day 7 than were those in the placebo group (odds ratio [OR] 4.12 [95% CI 1.15-16.73; p=0.029). Of those with baseline viral load above 10(6) copies per mL, 15 (79%) of 19 patients in the peginterferon lambda group had undetectable virus on day 7, compared with six (38%) of 16 in the placebo group (OR 6.25 [95% CI 1.49-31.06]; p=0.012).Peginterferon lambda accelerated viral decline in outpatients with COVID-19, increasing the proportion of patients with viral clearance by day 7, particularly in those with high baseline viral load. Peginterferon lambda has potential to prevent clinical deterioration and shorten duration of viral shedding.

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