First clinical study using HCV protease inhibitor danoprevir to treat COVID-19 patients |
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Authors: | Hongyi Chen Zhicheng Zhang Li Wang Zhihua Huang Fanghua Gong Xiaodong Li Yahong Chen Jinzi J. Wu |
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Affiliation: | aThe First Department of Infectious Disease;bThe Intensive Care Unit;cThe Radiology Department;dThe Second Department of Infectious Disease, The Ninth Hospital of Nanchang, Nanchang 330002, Jiangxi Province;eAscletis Bioscience Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310051;fAscletis Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Shaoxing 310051, Zhejiang Province, China. |
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Abstract: | Introduction:As coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak globally, repurposing approved drugs is emerging as important therapeutic options. Danoprevir boosted by ritonavir (Ganovo) is a potent hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease (NS3/4A) inhibitor, which was approved and marketed in China since 2018 to treat chronic hepatitis C patients.Methods:This is an open-label, single arm study evaluating the effects of danoprevir boosted by ritonavir on treatment naïve and experienced COVID-19 patients for the first time. Patients received danoprevir boosted by ritonavir (100 mg/100 mg, twice per day). The primary endpoint was the rate of composite adverse outcomes and efficacy was also evaluated.Results:The data showed that danoprevir boosted by ritonavir is safe and well tolerated in all patients. No patient had composite adverse outcomes during this study. After initiation of danoprevir/ritonavir treatment, the first negative reverse real-time PCR (RT-PCR) test occurred at a median of 2 days, ranging from 1 to 8 days, and the obvious absorption in CT scans occurred at a median 3 days, ranging from 2 to 4 days. After 4 to 12-day treatment of danoprevir boosted by ritonavir, all enrolled 11 patients were discharged from the hospital.Conclusion:Our findings suggest that repurposing danoprevir for COVID-19 is a promising therapeutic option. |
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Keywords: | COVID-19 danoprevir HCV protease inhibitor ritonavir SARS-COV-2 treatment |
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