December 14, 2020

Baricitinib plus Remdesivir for Hospitalized Adults with Covid-19

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Testing and Treatment

Keywords (Tags): treatment

Receiving baricitinib, a kinase inhibitor that blocks a cytokine signaling pathway, in addition to remdesivir, was associated with shorter recovery time (median 7 vs. 8 days, RR=1.2) and higher odds of improvement at day 15 (OR=1.3) in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 1,033 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. The estimate for the risk of death through 28 days was lower in the combination group, but was not statistically significant (HR=0.65, 95% CI 0.39-1.09). Serious adverse events were less frequent with the combination therapy (16% vs. 21%, p=0.03).

Kalil et al. (Dec 11, 2020). Baricitinib plus Remdesivir for Hospitalized Adults with Covid-19. The New England Journal of Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2031994