Early treatment with nitazoxanide prevents worsening of mild and moderate COVID-19 and subsequent hospitalization

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.19.21255441v1

NCT04486313- Time to sustained response was not reduced by nitazoxanide (median: 13.28 and 12.35 days for nitazoxanide and placebo). Nitazoxanide treatment provided an 85% reduction in the progression to severe COVID-19 (1/184, [0.5%] nitazoxanide vs. 7/195, [3.6%] placebo). In subjects at high-risk according to CDC criteria, 1/112 (0.9%) of nitazoxanide-treated subjects and 7/126 (5.6%) of placebo-treated subjects experienced progression to severe COVID-19. Treatment led to a 79% reduction in the rate of hospitalization (1/184 [0.5%] nitazoxanide vs. 5/195 [2.6%] placebo). The proportions positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and viral load at days 4 and 10 were not reduced. Nitazoxanide was safe and well tolerated. Treatment of mild or moderate COVID-19 with a five-day course of oral nitazoxanide was safe and well tolerated and was associated with an 85% reduction in the progression to severe illness.