Title: NIH Launches Studies to Test Potential Treatments for Long COVID
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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced the initiation of several studies aimed at testing potential treatments for long COVID, addressing the pressing need for effective therapies for the condition. The NIH’s $1.15 billion RECOVER project aims to address the challenges faced by millions of long COVID patients, who have experienced debilitating health issues for prolonged periods with limited proven treatment options.
While the studies come as a relief to patients and researchers, some note that they should have been conducted earlier and on a larger scale. Despite this, experts believe that the NIH’s efforts represent a step in the right direction. Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly of Washington University in St. Louis, who is familiar with long COVID research, stated, “This is a year or two late and smaller in scope than one would hope but nevertheless it’s a step in the right direction.”
One of the key challenges in understanding and treating long COVID is the lack of a clear cause. The condition encompasses approximately 200 widely varying symptoms, making it difficult to define and address. It is estimated that between 10% and 30% of individuals experience long COVID after recovering from a coronavirus infection. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra highlighted the complexity of long COVID, stating, “If I get 10 people, I get 10 answers of what long COVID really is.”
To tackle this challenge, the RECOVER initiative has conducted observational studies on 24,000 patients, helping to identify the most common and burdensome symptoms associated with long COVID. These findings have informed the design of upcoming treatment trials.
The initial studies will focus on evaluating the potential effectiveness of Pfizer’s antiviral drug Paxlovid in alleviating long COVID symptoms. Paxlovid typically targets COVID-19 infection in the early stages and is used for a duration of five days. In this trial, however, patients will take the drug for up to 25 days to assess its impact on long COVID symptoms. Another area of focus is cognitive function, specifically addressing “brain fog” and related cognitive problems. Multiple treatment options, including cognitive training programs and brain stimulation devices, will be examined to determine their efficacy.
In the coming months, two additional studies will be launched. One will investigate treatments for sleep problems, while the other will explore issues related to the autonomic nervous system, including a disorder called POTS that affects unconscious bodily functions like breathing and heartbeat. Furthermore, a potentially controversial study on exercise intolerance and fatigue is being planned, taking into account concerns expressed by patient groups regarding the impact of exercise on certain long COVID sufferers.
The trials currently involve 300 to 900 adult participants but may expand in the future. Unlike traditional studies that test one treatment at a time, these “platform studies” allow the NIH to add additional therapies on a rolling basis, providing flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Dr. Amy Patterson from the NIH emphasized this flexibility, stating, “We can rapidly pivot. We can drop a failing treatment without stopping the entire trial, and if something promising emerges, we can incorporate it into the study.”
Experts, such as Dr. Anthony Komaroff from Harvard, who has extensively studied a similar condition called chronic fatigue syndrome or ME/CFS, support the approach taken by the NIH. While acknowledging frustration regarding the delay in treatment trials, Komaroff believes that it was important to gather clues about the underlying biology before initiating these trials. He highlighted the need to have specific targets in mind during the research process.
These new treatment trials provide hope for long COVID patients as researchers work towards finding effective therapies. As the studies progress, the NIH aims to address the urgent need for treatments that can improve the lives of those battling the long-term effects of COVID-19.
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