Efficacy of interferon beta-1a plus remdesivir compared with remdesivir alone in hospitalised adults with COVID-19: a double-bind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial
RCT (n=969) found the addition of interferon beta-1a to remdesivir did not improve time to recovery (5 days for both groups) or mortality at 28 days (5% v 3% placebo plus remdesivir; HR 1.33; 95% CI 0.69-2.55; p=0.39) in hospitalised adults with Covid-19 pneumonia.
Source:
The Lancet Respiratory Medicine
SPS commentary:
An accompanying comment notes that despite the potential efficacy signals from earlier studies and a plausible biological rationale for interferon beta treatment for COVID-19, this study showed no efficacy signal and highlighted a potential safety issue for subcutaneous therapy in patients with severe disease. The size and design of this study with a placebo control mitigates this finding being an aberrant result, and consequently there appears to be no future for subcutaneous interferon beta therapy in hospitalised patients with COVID-19.