Drug makers, Scientists Working For Long COVID Treatments: Reuters

Researchers and drugmakers, including those who have launched antiviral pills and monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19, are having early discussions about targeting Long COVID, Reuters reported citing five scientists in the U.S. and U.K. 

Companies including GlaxoSmithKline plc GSK, Vir Biotechnology Inc VIR, and Humanigen Inc HGEN confirmed they had spoken to researchers on trials using their current treatments against long COVID. Pfizer Inc PFE and Roche Holdings AG RHHBY said they are interested but would not elaborate on plans.

According to the World Health Organization, long COVID currently afflicts over 100 million people. Long COVID symptoms can last longer than three months, including fatigue, chest pain, and brain fog.

There are fewer than 20 trials underway, with very few having moved beyond early stages, according to interviews with several government-backed scientists and a Reuters review of a global clinical trials database.

One major UK-funded trial led by University College, London, will test four drugs among 4,500 long COVID patients. Axcella Therapeutics Inc AXLA is working with the University of Oxford on a drug developed for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

In long COVID, the hope is the drug will restore the normal function of mitochondria - the energy factories of cells. Poorly functioning mitochondria may explain the crushing long-term fatigue.

PureTech Health plc PRTC is running a midstage trial of an experimental pulmonary fibrosis treatment to prevent long-term lung scarring linked with COVID.

Moderna Inc MRNA is donating its COVID-19 vaccine for early trials in the U.K., testing whether it can help kickstart the immune system and ease long COVID symptoms.

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