Review Experimental Drugs in Randomized Controlled Trials for Long-COVID: What’s in the Pipeline? A Systematic and Critical Review, 2023, Yong et al

[Andy]

Introduction
Over three years have passed since the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and yet the treatment for long-COVID, a post-COVID-19 syndrome, remains long overdue. Currently, there is no standardized treatment available for long-COVID, primarily due to the lack of funding for post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS). Nevertheless, the past few years have seen a renewed interest in long-COVID research, with billions of dollars allocated for this purpose. As a result, multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been funded in the quest to find an effective treatment for long-COVID.

Areas covered
This systematic review identified and evaluated the potential of current drug treatments for long-COVID, examining both completed and ongoing RCTs.

Expert opinion
We identified four completed and 22 ongoing RCTs, investigating 22 unique drugs. However, most drugs were deemed to not have high potential for treating long-COVID, according to three pre-specified domains, a testament to the ordeal of treating long-COVID. Given that long-COVID is highly multifaceted with several proposed subtypes, treatments likely need to be tailored accordingly. Currently, rintatolimod appears to have modest to high potential for treating the myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) subtype, LTY-100 and Treamid for pulmonary fibrosis subtype, and metformin for general long-COVID prevention.

Paywall, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13543784.2023.2242773

 

[rvallee]

there is no standardized treatment available for long-COVID, primarily due to the lack of funding for post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS).

I like the honesty here. You don't succeed when you don't try.

Although:

the past few years have seen a renewed interest in long-COVID research, with billions of dollars allocated for this purpose

Really doesn't align with:

We identified four completed and 22 ongoing RCTs, investigating 22 unique drugs

This is not billions of dollars worth of research, or clinical trials. Not even close. Even on the research side it's mostly mediocre, with a huge amount of clearly denial-based efforts to dismiss the whole thing and bury it under the carpet.