Researchers from the University of Georgia have discovered that probenecid, an anti-inflammatory drug typically used to treat gout, could significantly improve outcomes for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 infections.
The drug, which was initially approved in 1951 to inhibit the production of gout-causing uric acid, has shown to be effective in preventing the transmission of COVID-19 and in speeding up symptom clearance.
Ralph Tripp, a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine and a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar, noted that probenecid helped clear symptoms several days faster compared to other FDA-approved drugs used to treat the virus.
A Study on Probenecid Dosage and Effects
The biotechnology company TrippBio, co-founded by Tripp, enrolled 75 non-hospitalized patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 for the dose-range study of probenecid.
Participants were divided into three groups, with each receiving different daily doses of the drug or a placebo for five days. Over the course of 28 days, patients’ symptoms were recorded to assess progress.
Impressively, none of the study’s participants required hospitalization.
The group receiving 500 mg of probenecid twice daily showed a two-day improvement in viral clearance compared to the placebo group, while the group on a 1,000 mg dose experienced a four-day improvement, averaging a recovery time of seven days.
Symptoms also improved within three to five days of contracting the virus for patients treated with probenecid.
Broader Potential of Probenecid
Historically used as a gout treatment, probenecid has recently gained attention for its potential to treat respiratory illnesses in both children and the elderly.
Its effectiveness in treating various respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), has been demonstrated in lab and animal studies.
As a next step, further testing is needed to assess if improved solubility or a higher dosage of the drug could enhance results. The development of oral tablets and syrup forms of the drug are also under consideration.
The research findings are published in the journal Viruses.
This study’s encouraging results could offer a promising path for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 cases, potentially reducing the need for hospitalizations and the strain on healthcare systems.
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The study was published in Viruses.
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