The Safety and Efficacy of Oral Antiviral Drug VV116 for Treatment of COVID-19: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Recent trials have highlighted the potential of oral antiviral VV116 in addressing mild COVID-19 patients. However, there are presently no comprehensive studies to assess the safety and efficacy of VV116. Thus, we conducted a systematic review to assess the safety and efficacy for VV116. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus database, and Google Scholar website, with a cut-off date of March 23, to identify pertinent studies. The results from the three included studies indicated that no serious adverse events were reported in the VV116 experimental groups, which exhibited a 2.57-day faster time to viral shedding than the control group and demonstrated non-inferiority to the Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir control group in alleviating major symptoms. Collectively, the available studies suggest a reliable safety and efficacy profile for VV116. However, the limited number of three trials is insufficient for meta-analysis, and the included population consists of younger individuals with mild and moderate symptoms, not encompassing the elderly who are severely impacted by COVID-19. We hope that more studies will be conducted in the future to ensure that VV116 has a more reliable safety and efficacy profile in the clinical setting, especially for severe or critical patients.