Experimental Treatment with Favipiravir for COVID-19: An Open-Label Control Study

There is currently an outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus. The virus has been named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the disease it causes has been named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). More than 16% of patients developed acute respiratory distress syndrome, and the fatality ratio was 1%–2%. No specific treatment has been reported. Herein, we examined the effects of favipiravir (FPV) versus lopinavir (LPV)/ritonavir (RTV) for the treatment of COVID-19. Patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who received oral FPV (Day 1: 1600 mg twice daily; Days 2–14: 600 mg twice daily) plus interferon (IFN)-α by aerosol inhalation (5 million international…

• CP
  China Postdoctoral Science Foundation

  Award: 2019M660836
• GS
  Guangdong Science and Technology Department

  Award: 2020B111105001
• NS
  National Science and Technology Major Project

  Awards: 2020YFC0841700, 2017ZX10204401, 2018ZX10711001, 2018ZX09711003, 2017ZX10103011
• SP
  Sanming Project of Medicine in Shenzhen

  Awards: SZSM201512005, SZSM201412003
• SF
  Special Fund Project for Science and Technology Innovation Strategy of Guangdong Province
• RA
  Research and Development

  Award: 202002073000001