Triple combination of interferon beta-1b, lopinavir–ritonavir, and ribavirin in the treatment of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19: an open-label, randomised, phase 2 trial

Type Journal Article Author Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung Author Kwok-Cheung Lung Author Eugene Yuk-Keung Tso Author Raymond Liu Author Tom Wai-Hin Chung Author Man-Yee Chu Author Yuk-Yung Ng Author Jenny Lo Author Jacky Chan Author Anthony Raymond Tam Author Hoi-Ping Shum Author Veronica Chan Author Alan Ka-Lun Wu Author Kit-Man Sin Author Wai-Shing Leung Author Wai-Lam Law Author David Christopher Lung Author Simon Sin Author Pauline Yeung Author Cyril Chik-Yan Yip Author Ricky Ruiqi Zhang Author Agnes Yim-Fong Fung Author Erica Yuen-Wing Yan Author Kit-Hang Leung Author Jonathan Daniel Ip Author Allen Wing-Ho Chu Author Wan-Mui Chan Author Anthony Chin-Ki Ng Author Rodney Lee Author Kitty Fung Author Alwin Yeung Author Tak-Chiu Wu Author Johnny Wai-Man Chan Author Wing-Wah Yan Author Wai-Ming Chan Author Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan Author Albert Kwok-Wai Lie Author Owen Tak-Yin Tsang Author Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng Author Tak-Lun Que Author Chak-Sing Lau Author Kwok-Hung Chan Author Kelvin Kai-Wang To Author Kwok-Yung Yuen URL https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(20)31042-4.pdf Rights © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Series The Lancet Article Volume 395 Publication The Lancet Date 08/05/2020 Journal Abbr Lancet 2020; 395: 1695–704 DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/ S0140-6736(20)31042-4 Language en Abstract Effective antiviral therapy is important for tackling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We assessed the efficacy and safety of combined interferon beta-1b, lopinavir–ritonavir, and ribavirin for treating patients with COVID-19.Methods This was a multicentre, prospective, open-label, randomised, phase 2 trial in adults with COVID-19 who were admitted to six hospitals in Hong Kong. Patients were randomly assigned (2:1) to a 14-day combination of lopinavir 400 mg and ritonavir 100 mg every 12 h, ribavirin 400 mg every 12 h, and three doses of 8 million international units of interferon beta-1b on alternate days (combination group) or to 14 days of lopinavir 400 mg and ritonavir 100 mg every 12 h (control group). The primary endpoint was the time to providing a nasopharyngeal swab negative for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RT-PCR, and was done in the intention-to-treat population. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04276688.