The RECOVERY trial has found that baricitinib, an anti-inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis drug, reduces deaths in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 by around one-fifth.
The benefit was in addition to those of dexamethasone and tocilizumab, two other anti-inflammatory treatments which have previously been shown to reduce the risk of death in these patients.
The University of Oxford-led trial has been testing a range of potential treatments for patients admitted to hospital for COVID-19 since March 2020. Between February and December 2021, 4,008 patients randomly allocated to usual care alone were compared with 4,148 patients who were randomly allocated to usual care plus baricitinib.
Treatment with baricitinib significantly reduced deaths, with a reduction of 33 deaths compared to patients within the usual care group - from 546 to 513.
The benefit of baricitinib was consistent regardless of which other COVID-19 treatments the patients were also receiving, including corticosteroids, tocilizumab, or remdesivir.
Patients receiving baricitinib were also more likely to be discharged alive within 28 days. Among patients not on invasive mechanical ventilation when entered into the trial, baricitinib reduced the chance of progressing to invasive mechanical ventilation or death.
Professor Nick Lemoine, Medical Director of the NIHR Clinical Research Network, said: "The incredible contribution of all those involved in the NIHR-supported RECOVERY trial has led to the discovery of a further life-saving treatment against COVID-19. We're particularly grateful to the 47,000 RECOVERY participants who have taken part in the study so far - without whom these game-changing discoveries would not be possible."