Experimental Drugs in Randomized Controlled Trials for Long-COVID: What's in the Pipeline? A Systematic and Critical Review.
Shin Jie YongAlice HalimMichael HalimLong Chiau MingKhang Wen GohMubarak AlfaresiBashayer M AlShehailMona A Al FaresMohammed AlissaTarek SulaimanZainab AlsalemAmeen S S AlwashmiFaryal KhamisNawal A Al KaabiHawra AlbayatAhmed AlsheheriMohammed GaroutJameela AlsalmanAmal H AlfarajMashael AlhajriKuldeep DhamaLamees M AlburaikyAhlam H AlsanadAbdelmunim T AlShurbajiAli A RabaanPublished in: Expert opinion on investigational drugs (2023)
We identified four completed and 22 ongoing RCTs, investigating 22 unique drugs. However, most drugs were deemed to not have high potential for treating long-COVID, according to three pre-specified domains, a testament to the ordeal of treating long-COVID. Given that long-COVID is highly multifaceted with several proposed subtypes, treatments likely need to be tailored accordingly. Currently, rintatolimod appears to have modest to high potential for treating the myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) subtype, LTY-100 and Treamid for pulmonary fibrosis subtype, and metformin for general long-COVID prevention.