Lopinavir/ritonavir are HIV protease inhibitors that act synergistically to decrease the amount of HIV in the blood. The combination is used to treat patients with HIV, however, based on animal data, it is also believed to be effective against coronaviruses [1].
An open-label clinical study in China found no benefit to adding lopinavir-ritonavir therapy to standard care [2].
Asan Medical Center in the Republic of Korea has initiated Phase 2 randomized controlled clinical trials of lopinavir/ritonavir or hydroxychloroquine in 150 children, adults, and older adults with mild COVID-19 [3]. Primary and full study results should be published in May 2020.
References
- Chan, J. F. W., Yao, Y., Yeung, M. L., Deng, W., Bao, L., Jia, L., … & Cai, J. P. (2015). Treatment with lopinavir/ritonavir or interferon-ß1b improves outcome of MERS-CoV infection in a nonhuman primate model of common marmoset. The Journal of infectious diseases, 212(12), 1904-1913.
- Cao, B., Wang, Y., Wen, D., Liu, W., Wang, J., Fan, G., … & Li, X. (2020). A trial of lopinavir–ritonavir in adults hospitalized with severe Covid-19. New England Journal of Medicine.
- Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials of Lopinavir/Ritonavir or Hydroxychloroquine in Patients With Mild Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
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