Study: Interferon does not improve outcomes for hospitalized COVID-19 patients

Treatment with subcutaneous interferon beta-1a plus remdesivir was not superior to treatment with remdesivir alone in a clinical trial that enrolled 969 hospitalized adults with COVID-19 pneumonia in the United States, Japan, Mexico, Singapore and South Korea, the National Institutes of Health reported yesterday. In addition, interferon beta-1a was associated with more adverse events and worse outcomes in patients who required high-flow oxygen. Previous studies have found that many hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 produce less interferon. Subcutaneous interferon beta-1a is a multiple sclerosis medication.