An exploratory Phase IV randomised, open-labelled, controlled study on the safety and efficacy of either lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) or Arbidol – antivirals used in some countries against HIV-1 and to treat influenza, respectively – as treatments for COVID-19 suggests that neither drug improves the clinical outcome of patients hospitalised with mild-to-moderate cases of the disease over supportive care.
“We found that neither LPV/r nor Arbidol could benefit clinical outcomes for patients and that they might bring some side effects,” said co-senior author Linghua Li, Vice Director of the Centre for Infectious Diseases of Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital in Guangzhou, China. “And although the sample size is small, we believe it could still provide meaningful suggestions for proper application of LPV/r or Arbidol for COVID-19.” ...
Full text at GMPnews.Net