Clinico-Virological Outcomes and Mutational Profile of SARS-CoV-2 in Adults Treated with Ribavirin Aerosol for COVID-19 Pneumonia

Abstract

The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants can affect vaccine efficacy, laboratory diagnosis and the therapies already available, triggering interest in the search for antiviral agents for SARS-CoV-2 infections. Ribavirin (RBV) is a broad-spectrum antiviral with demonstrated in vitro activity against multiple viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. This retrospective study evaluated the dynamics and viral clearance of SARS-CoV-2 in hospitalised adult participants (PTs) with COVID-19 pneumonia who received an RBV aerosol within a compassionate use study. The impact of RBV on the clinical outcome and the mutational profile of SARS-CoV-2 was also assessed. The median RNA values measured in nine PTs included in this study decreased from baseline to discharge (at BL, threshold cycle (Ct) = 22.4, IQR 19.84–5.07; at discharge, Ct = 27.92, IQR 26.43–36.11), with a significant decline in the Ct value evaluated by Friedman rank ANOVA analysis, p = 0.032. Seven out of nine PTs experienced a clinical improvement, while two PTs deceased during hospitalisation. In PTs with a favourable outcome, the virus clearance rate at discharge was 28.6%. The cumulative clearance rate was 71.4% within 14 days from discharge. A mutational pattern after RBV was detected in three out of five PTs in whom whole-genome sequencing was available. Our findings suggest that RBV limits SARS-CoV-2 replication, possibly resulting in a favourable clinical outcome. Ribavirin may also contribute to the mutational spectrum of SARS-CoV-2.