Could a nausea drug help fight COVID-19? early trial cut short

NCT ID NCT04470622

Terminated Disease control Sponsor: Heron Therapeutics Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase 2 trial tested whether adding aprepitant, a drug usually used for nausea, to standard care could help hospitalized COVID-19 patients recover faster. The study planned to enroll adults recently admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 and signs of lung involvement. However, the trial was terminated early after enrolling only 27 participants, so the results are limited.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: aprepitant injectable emulsion
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a new treatment to help hospitalized COVID-19 patients recover faster and avoid severe outcomes.
What could go wrong: This was a small, early-phase trial that was terminated before completion, so results are limited and may not be reliable. Aprepitant is not a proven treatment for COVID-19.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Coronavinae infectious disease COVID-19

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

COVID-19

Contacts and locations

Locations

Helen Keller Hospital

Sheffield, Alabama, 35660, United States
University of California, Irvine Medical Center

Orange, California, 92868, United States
Yale University School of Medicine

New Haven, Connecticut, 06510, United States

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