Providence Swedish is now enrolling Long COVID patients in a federally funded clinical research effort called the REVERSE-LC trial.
Long COVID is a condition where symptoms of COVID-19 persist for months or years after the initial infection, affecting multiple body systems and varying widely between individuals.
REVERSE-LC is a trial funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to see if a U.S. Food and Drug Association-approved drug called Baricitinib can help improve thinking and memory problems and reduce fatigue for people living with Long COVID, according to a news release from Providence Swedish.
Baricitinib is already FDA-approved as a treatment for acute COVID during the early phase of infection, and FDA-approved for various autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
The REVERSE-LC trial seeks to test Baricitinib for Long COVID. Baricitinib is a JAK-inhibitor, which is a medication that blocks the activity of enzymes called Janus kinases (JAK). It calms down an overactive immune system by stopping certain cell signaling pathways that lead to inflammation and abnormal cell growth.
Participants will help researchers discover answers about how taking Baricitinib affects brain function, heart and lung function, and quality of life in people living with Long COVID. In addition, the study will be performing additional scientific assays on bio samples.
“The REVERSE-LC trial is an exciting study that will move the field of Long COVID forward. Baricitinib has excellent potential as a treatment for Long COVID based on its mechanism as a central blocker of inflammatory pathways,” infectious diseases specialist Jason Goldman, M.D., who is leading Providence Swedish’s participation in the trial, said in the news release. “We need to study Baricitinib to help ensure it is safe and effective. The REVERSE-LC study will produce lots of data about the disease process and mechanisms, in addition to studying whether the drug works to alleviate symptoms.”
Trial participants must be people 18 and older, who have had thinking and memory problems for at least six months after a COVID infection.
Providence Swedish is one of just 17 trial sites that are enrolling 550 adults nationwide, and is the only one in the Pacific Northwest participating. REVERSE-LC is a double-bind, randomized trial where half of the participants receive Baricitinib, and the other half get a placebo.
For more information about the REVERSE-LC trial, including enrollment and participation details, visit reversinglongcovid.org.
