COVID antiviral speeds recovery but doesn't reduce hospitalisation in vaccinated patients, trials find

Professor Christopher Butler, has co-led a major UK clinical trial examining the effectiveness of the antiviral treatment Paxlovid in people with COVID-19.

The PANORAMIC trial, one of the largest studies of COVID-19 treatments in the UK, focused on vaccinated adults at higher risk of severe illness. The findings show that while Paxlovid can help patients recover more quickly, it does not significantly reduce the risk of hospitalisation or death in this group.

Published alongside results from the Canadian CanTreatCOVID trial, the research provides important evidence for clinicians and policymakers on how best to target antiviral treatments as the pandemic evolves. The results suggest that the benefits of Paxlovid may be more limited in highly vaccinated populations than earlier studies indicated.

"In today's highly vaccinated populations, the benefits of Paxlovid have fundamentally changed," said Professor Christopher Butler, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, who led the UK trial. "While people feel better sooner from treatment with this important antiviral drug, we found no reduction in the already low rate of hospitalisations or deaths. This provides essential evidence for optimal, cost-effective targeting of this treatment."

The study represents a major collaboration across the UK and internationally, contributing to ongoing efforts to optimise COVID-19 treatment strategies.

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