Interferons in COVID-19: missed opportunities to prove efficacy in clinical phase III trials?

ABSTRACT: Interferons were repeatedly used in the therapy of COVID-19 due to their antiviral effects. Three recently published randomized controlled clinical phase III trials (WHO SOLIDARITY, ACTT-3, and SPRINTER) missed their primary objectives, i.e., a significant therapeutic effect of interferons was not demonstrated in these studies. In only one randomized controlled phase III trial (TOGETHER), a significant reduction in the hospitalization rate was revealed. Our study analyzes these findings, gives possible explanations for the failure of interferons, provides a proposal on how these agents could be successfully used, and also highlights the limitations of their employment in COVID-19. Interferons are apparently beneficial only if the patients are in the early stage of this disease and when the

SUBMITTER: Brzoska J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10263057 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature