Oral Probenecid Cuts Time to Viral Clearance in COVID-19

TUESDAY, Aug. 1, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with symptomatic, mild-to-moderate COVID-19, oral probenecid results in a reduction in the time to viral clearance, according to a study published online July 6 in Viruses.

David E. Martin, Pharm.D., from TrippBio Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida, and colleagues conducted a phase 2 randomized, dose range-finding trial in nonhospitalized patients with symptomatic, mild-to-moderate COVID-19. Patients were randomly assigned to 500 mg probenecid, 1,000 mg probenecid, or placebo every 12 hours for five days (25 patients in each group).

The researchers found that the median time to viral clearance was significantly shorter for probenecid 1,000 mg and for probenecid 500 mg versus placebo (seven and nine days, respectively, versus 11 days). Furthermore, the median time to viral clearance was significantly shorter for probenecid 1,000 versus 500 mg (seven versus nine days). On days 3 and 5, all patients reported at least one COVID-19-related symptom; however, on day 10, complete resolution of symptoms was reported by a significantly greater proportion of patients receiving probenecid 1,000 mg and probenecid 500 mg versus placebo (68 and 56 percent, respectively, versus 20 percent). The incidence of adverse events during treatment was 12 percent and was similar across all groups; all events were mild, with no reports of serious events or discontinuation due to an adverse event.

"Based on these results, probenecid 1,000 mg b.i.d. for five days will be further evaluated to characterize its efficacy in patients with COVID-19," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to TrippBio, which funded the study; one author is employed by Zenovel Pharma Services; one author is an inventor on a granted patent application covering the method of use of probenecid as a treatment for coronavirus infections.

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